Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director Systems and Enablement

The Next Step Recruitment Company; Sydney; On-site; AUD 260,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sydney is seeking a Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director Systems and Enablement to lead strategic direction for HSW systems, governance, assurance, reporting and digital enablement across the University.

This senior role shapes proactive risk management, embeds health, safety and wellbeing into daily work, and partners with Executive and Senate to drive continuous improvement and organisational excellence.

Qualifications

• Graduate-level or professional WHS qualifications with experience in safety culture development.
• Experience applying WHS legislation, policies and standards across a large, regulated organisation.
• Proven capability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and drive practical compliance programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of HSW Systems and Enablement strategy and objectives.
• Oversee team leadership and budget management.
• Evolve governance and reporting framework for HSW functions across the University.
• Steer a university-wide assurance/audit program.
• Provide strategic oversight for HSW systems and digital enablement initiatives.
• Lead University-wide HSW program management activities.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

WHS Expertise

Risk Management

Program Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in WHS or related discipline

Tools

HSMS Systems

Job description

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director Systems and Enablement

The Next Step Recruitment Company – Sydney NSW

About the team
The Health, Safety & Wellbeing (HSW) team plays a critical role in enabling safe, healthy and sustainable ways of working across the University. Through listening, learning and a commitment to continuous improvement, HSW promotes consistent best practice, frameworks and standards across all faculties and business areas. Together, the team helps shape a culture where health, safety and wellbeing are embedded into everyday work, supporting organisational excellence and long-term success.

About the opportunity
The HSW Director Systems and Enablement is a senior University leadership role. In this position, you will be accountable for setting and driving the strategic direction of the University’s HSW systems, governance, assurance, reporting, and digital enablement functions.
Operating at a senior strategic level with influence extending to University Executive and Senate, the Director shapes a proactive agenda, provides trusted advice to senior leaders, and ensures sustained organisational focus on strategic priorities, risk management, and performance. The role plays a critical leadership function in embedding a cohesive and forward-looking approach to health, safety and wellbeing risks across the institution.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• lead the design and development of HSW Systems and Enablement function strategic objectives and goals for the University
• team leadership and budget management
• set and evolve the HSW Systems and Enablement operating model, ensuring clarity of roles, service offerings, and integration across systems, governance, assurance, and reporting functions
• set and evolve the governance and reporting framework for the HSW function
• lead the University wide assurance/audit program
• provide strategic oversight and direction for HSW systems and digital enablement and continuous improvement
• lead the University’s HSW Program Management activities.

This role will suit a contemporary HSW leader who combines strong systems and governance capability with the ability to set direction and lead digital and technology enabled change, while bringing people with them through complex organisational change.

About you

• graduate degree/ professional qualifications or equivalent experience in a WHS or related discipline
• extensive experience within Work Health and Safety field with a demonstrated experience of relevant legislation and policies
• demonstrated leadership in developing an effective and sustainable safety culture and conceptualising, developing and implementing practical compliance and safety programs
• extensive leadership experience leading multi-disciplinary Work Health and Safety specialist professionals within large, complex and highly regulated organisations
• demonstrated experience in applying H&S Safety Management strategies in complex environments
• advanced knowledge of Risk Management practices and the application of government legislation, codes of practice and Australian standards
• advanced knowledge of relevant Australian Safety Standards as well as relevant Safe Work Australia, SafeWork NSW and Workcover publications
• extensive experience with the development of HSMS systems and provision of technical supporting tools.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia
Please note: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks and declarations
Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement
At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTIQ+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Gold employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.
Additional information

• The University of Sydney. Located on Camperdown Campus on Gadigal Country
• Full-time, continuing opportunity
• Competitive remuneration package including 17% superannuation