Senior Operations Officer, External Engagement

University of Sydney; Sydney; On-site; AUD 105,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sydney is seeking a Senior Operations Officer to provide high‑quality administrative and operational support across a busy portfolio, with emphasis on financial coordination, analysis and workforce planning. You will help ensure forward planning, accurate reporting and effective stakeholder engagement.

Under broad direction you will manage complex operational tasks, support planning cycles and contribute to continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Previous experience supporting Workforce Planning processes, including analysis, forecasting or reporting.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, with confidence analysing data, reconciling information and producing clear, reliable reports.
• Proven ability to identify, investigate and resolve discrepancies
• Demonstrated administrative experience within a tertiary or similarly complex organisation.
• Strong financial literacy and experience supporting budget and reporting activities.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Clear communicator with the ability to build effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and analyse Workforce Planning activities, including quarterly reviews, data collation, forecasting and reporting.
• Support the review and ensure the accuracy of financial and workforce reports, using Excel to support planning, compliance and decision making.
• Manage financial processes across multiple cost centres, including budget tracking, end-of-year accruals, non-salary reconciliations, investigations and reporting.
• Provide expert operational and administrative support, ensuring efficient workflows and service excellence.
• Oversee procurement and purchase order processes, asset management, facilities coordination and operational risk ensuring compliance with policy and procedures.
• Provide high level administrative support for meetings, events, briefings and senior stakeholder engagement.

Skills

Workforce planning

Excel

Discrepancy resolution

Administrative experience

Budget reporting

Organization & prioritization

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Excel

Job description

• Full time, fixed term opportunity until 13 August 2027
• Play an integral role in keeping processes, planning and daily operations running efficiently across dynamic Marketing and Communications and Public Affairs teams
• Base Salary $117K + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

The Senior Operations Officer provides high quality administrative and operational support across a busy and complex portfolio, with a strong focus on financial coordination, analysis and workforce planning. This role plays an important part in ensuring the work area remains well organised, forward planned and supported by accurate reporting, sound processes and effective stakeholder engagement.

Working under broad direction, you will apply sound judgement and strong attention to detail to manage complex operational tasks, support planning and reporting cycles, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives. This position will suit someone who enjoys working with data, spreadsheets and systems, and who takes pride in supporting informed decision making through reliable analysis and well-structured operational support.

Key responsibilities will be to:

• Coordinate and analyse Workforce Planning activities, including quarterly reviews, data collation, forecasting and reporting.
• Support the review and ensure the accuracy of financial and workforce reports, using Excel to support planning, compliance and decision making.
• Manage financial processes across multiple cost centres, including budget tracking, end-of-year accruals, non-salary reconciliations, investigations and reporting.
• Provide expert operational and administrative support, ensuring efficient workflows and service excellence.
• Oversee procurement and purchase order processes, asset management, facilities coordination and operational risk ensuring compliance with policy and procedures.
• Provide high level administrative support for meetings, events, briefings and senior stakeholder engagement.

About you

• Previous experience supporting Workforce Planning processes, including analysis, forecasting or reporting.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, with confidence analysing data, reconciling information and producing clear, reliable reports.
• Proven ability to identify, investigate and resolve discrepancies
• Demonstrated administrative experience within a tertiary or similarly complex organisation.
• Strong financial literacy and experience supporting budget and reporting activities.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Clear communicator with the ability to build effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible 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 a satisfactory manner 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 LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.