Regional Partnerships Advisor (Business Short Courses Project)

USC; Sunshine Coast Regional; Hybrid; AUD 106,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary + 17% Super

Flexible work arrangements

Professional development and career…

Job summary

UniSC Sunshine Coast is seeking a Regional Partnerships Advisor to support the Business Short Courses Project, a Queensland Government-funded initiative helping regional businesses build capability and sustainability through practical learning.

You will develop stakeholder engagement strategies, establish partnerships with government, industry networks and regional stakeholders, and provide market intelligence to inform program planning and drive course registrations.

Qualifications

• A relevant qualification with at least four years' post-qualification experience in business development within industry or university settings.
• Proven track record in stakeholder engagement, partnership development or business development with industry and government.
• Strong facilitation, negotiation and influencing skills to achieve outcomes without direct authority.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills to assess risks, opportunities and market trends.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and report-writing skills for proposals and planning documents.
• Understanding of higher education sector and university-industry collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement stakeholder engagement and partnership strategies to strengthen regional connections and drive program participation.
• Establish and maintain productive relationships with government, business networks and regional stakeholders.
• Analyse regional trends and data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Represent UniSC at stakeholder meetings and regional events with briefing materials and reports.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Partnership development

Business development

Facilitation

Negotiation

Analysis

Communication skills

Education

Relevant qualification + 4 years experience in business development

Job description

• School of Business and Creative Industries | UniSC Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs
• Level 7 $105,843 - $115,703 p.a., plus up to 17% employer superannuation
• Full-time (36.25 hours per week), fixed term appointment until June 2029

The Opportunity

The School of Business and Creative Industries is seeking an experienced and relationship-focused Regional Partnerships Advisor to support the delivery and success of the Business Short Courses Project, a Queensland Government-funded initiative helping businesses across Queensland build capability and long-term sustainability through practical learning and development. This is an exciting opportunity to strengthen UniSC's connections with regional business communities, increase awareness and participation in the program, and contribute to meaningful outcomes for small and family businesses across the state.

Working under the broad direction of the Academic Lead, you will develop and implement stakeholder engagement strategies, establish strategic partnerships and build productive relationships with business and industry leaders, government representatives and regional networks. You will provide expert advice and market intelligence to inform program planning, represent UniSC at regional forums and stakeholder meetings, and collaborate with government, academic, project and marketing teams to increase course registrations and maximise the impact of the initiative.

For more information, please visit us online: School of Business and Creative Industries

You will

• develop and implement stakeholder engagement and partnership strategies that strengthen regional connections, increase program awareness and drive participation in business short courses;
• establish and maintain productive relationships with government representatives, business and industry networks, community organisations and regional stakeholders to support program objectives;
• analyse regional trends, stakeholder insights and participation data to identify opportunities, inform decision-making and support continuous improvement; and
• represent UniSC at stakeholder meetings and regional events, providing expert advice, briefing materials and reports to support engagement outcomes and program performance.

About you

You are a proactive and strategic relationship builder who enjoys connecting people, identifying opportunities and developing partnerships that deliver meaningful outcomes. With experience in business development, stakeholder engagement or partnership management, you are confident engaging with industry and government stakeholders and building trusted professional relationships across diverse regional communities.

You bring strong communication, facilitation and negotiation skills, together with the ability to analyse complex information, identify risks and opportunities, and develop practical solutions. You are adaptable, comfortable working autonomously and skilled at influencing and collaborating with stakeholders to achieve shared objectives. An understanding of the higher education sector and the role of universities in delivering non-credit-bearing short courses will be highly regarded.

You will possess:

• A relevant qualification, together with at least four years' subsequent experience in business development within an industry or university environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing stakeholder engagement, partnership development or business development strategies, with a proven track record of establishing collaborative relationships with industry and government.
• Strong facilitation, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to build productive relationships and achieve outcomes without direct authority.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess risks, benefits and opportunities, analyse stakeholder and market trends, and develop practical recommendations.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and report-writing skills, including experience preparing proposals, briefing materials and planning documents to support strategic engagement and partnership outcomes.
• An understanding of the higher education sector, industry engagement and emerging opportunities in university-industry collaboration, together with the flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing priorities and regional stakeholder needs.

Don't meet every requirement? At UniSC, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our position description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

UniSC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, women in STEM, First Nations Peoples, and individuals of diverse cultures, genders, abilities, and experiences. We value achievement relative to opportunity and encourage your commentary on your achievements in this context. For additional support during the application process, please contact [e-mail] or call [phone].

Applications for this position close midnight, Sunday 8 November 2026.

Position Description: 494936_Regional Partnerships Advisor.pdf

Your completed application must include:

• a resume and a statement of suitability (not to exceed two pages), which will be reviewed in alignment to the specified selection criteria as outlined within the position description.

UniSC values a diverse and talented workforce and invites applications from candidates who already have legal work rights in Australia.

Our Culture & Benefits:

• Our collaborative, passionate and welcoming culture is what really sets us apart.
• Modern teaching & research facilities.
• Professional development and career pathway opportunities.
• We are a proud recipient of the prestigious Athena SWAN Bronze Award, granted as part of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE)initiative.
• Flexible work arrangements & generous leave options.
• Salary packing options + 17% Super.
• EAP, fitness passport & discounted private health.