Strategic Operations Director – Multi-University Centre

University of Melbourne; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

17% superannuation

Flexible work arrangements

Professional development opportunities

Salary packaging and health benefits

Job summary

The University of Melbourne invites applications for the role of Chief Operational Officer for MACSYS, a multi-university ARC Centre. You will provide strategic leadership, embed governance and financial frameworks, and oversee multi-institution funding arrangements.

You will lead ARC mid-term review preparations, mobilise distributed teams, and shape long-term strategy while ensuring stable governance across five universities.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience with governance and reporting at multi-institution level.
• Experience designing systems for ARC funding and performance expectations.
• Strong financial stewardship across multi-account budgets.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior strategic leadership, setting long-term operational direction and delegating day-to-day delivery to professional staff.
• Develop and implement integrated resource, workforce and infrastructure strategies that support sustainable, multi-institutional Centre objectives.
• Design governance, reporting and assurance frameworks, including systems for ARC mid-term review, annual meetings, events and performance.
• Assure clear and compliant financial management, overseeing multiple ARC accounts, compliance processes and strategic funding allocations across nodes.
• Mobilise and align distributed teams, setting clear expectations, empowering staff and strengthening appropriate role boundaries and support.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Governance

Financial management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Master's degree in a related field

Tools

ERP systems

Budgeting software

Job description

The University of Melbourne invites applications for the role of Chief Operational Officer for MACSYS, a multi-university ARC Centre. You will provide strategic leadership, embed governance and financial frameworks, and oversee multi-institution funding arrangements.

You will lead ARC mid-term review preparations, mobilise distributed teams, and shape long-term strategy while ensuring stable governance across five universities.