Team Leader, Student Enquiries

Utas; City of Burnie; On-site; AUD 114,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Tasmania is seeking a Team Leader, Student Enquiries to provide operational leadership for the UniConnect Student Enquiries Service across Hobart, Burnie or Launceston. You will manage workforce planning, capability development and performance to ensure a high-quality student experience.

You will lead complex, time-critical student matters, build stakeholder partnerships, and drive improvements in recruitment, retention and institutional performance, while ensuring duty‑of‑care

Qualifications

• Experience leading university-scale student support or similar high-volume service environments.
• Ability to apply policy and governance frameworks to operational decisions.
• Strong capability in data analytics, reporting and decision-making under time pressure.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic workforce planning and recruitment: Develop staffing strategies, coordinate campaigns and onboarding.
• Oversee complex performance management processes and coaching; support return-to-work plans.
• Foster a cohesive team culture and high-performing environment across campuses.
• Provide senior first-response leadership for complex student wellbeing situations, with duty-of-care considerations.
• Drive service innovation and process improvements; pilot new approaches and evaluate impact.
• Provide strategic reporting and insights: analyse data and prepare leadership reports.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Workforce planning

Staff development

Performance management

Stakeholder engagement

Duty of care

Job description

The University of Tasmania acknowledges the Palawa/Pakana and Gadigal/Wangal people as the traditional custodians of the land, sea and waters of the areas upon which we live and work. We recognise their valuable contributions and deep connection to country and pay respect to Elders past and present.

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the University-wide Student Enquiries Service, managing workforce planning, staff development, performance and wellbeing to deliver a consistent, high-quality student experience.
• Lead the resolution of complex and sensitive student matters, build strong stakeholder partnerships, and drive service improvement initiatives that enhance student recruitment, retention and institutional performance.
• Full time, Fixed-Term (1 December 2026 - 31 May 2027) position located in either Hobart, Burnie or Launceston.

About The Opportunity

The Team Leader, Student Enquiries provides operational leadership for the University-wide Student Enquiries Service within the UniConnect model, exercising independent judgement to manage complex, time-critical and high-risk matters that impact student outcomes, service delivery and institutional risk. The role is responsible for workforce planning, recruitment, capability development, performance management and staff wellbeing, ensuring a high-performing and student-centred service. As the primary operational authority for Student Enquiries, the Team Leader manages sensitive student issues, ensures compliance with duty of care obligations, mitigates operational and reputational risks, and leads cross-functional stakeholder engagement, service improvement initiatives and conversion activities that support student recruitment, retention and overall institutional performance.

What You’ll Do

• Lead strategic workforce planning and recruitment: Develop and implement staffing strategies that support service continuity, peak period responsiveness, and long-term capability building. Coordinate recruitment campaigns and onboarding processes.
• Lead people management and staff support initiatives: Oversee complex performance management processes, facilitate behavioural coaching, and support return-to-work and other HR-aligned plans.
• Foster a cohesive team culture by ensuring staff behaviours align with group expectations and contribute to a unified, high-performing environment.
• Provide senior first‑response leadership for complex and high‑risk student wellbeing situations, exercising unsupervised judgement in matters involving emotional distress, safety, grief, cultural considerations, visa implications and duty‑of‑care obligations prior to referral to specialist services.
• Drive service innovation and process improvement: Lead projects that improve enquiry handling, system usability, and student experience. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to pilot new approaches and evaluate impact.
• Provide strategic reporting and insights: Analyse service data, feedback, and workforce metrics to inform decision-making. Prepare reports and recommendations for leadership and contribute to strategic planning forums.

What We’re Looking For

• Sound understanding of student support frameworks, duty of‑ care obligations and the management of complex or high‑ risk‑student matters within a university setting.
• Strong knowledge of university operations, policy environments and regulatory considerations, with the ability to apply judgement where policy or precedent is insufficient.
• Proficiency in the use of reporting, planning and project management tools to analyse performance, identify risks and inform decision making in time‑ critical‑ environments.
• Demonstrated experience in leading strategic coordination across complex service environments, including workforce planning, service design and operational delivery in high-volume, demand‑ driven contexts.
• Demonstrated capability in leading service innovation, continuous improvement and change initiatives within complex operational settings.

Salary details

Appointment to this role will be at HEO 8 and will have a total remuneration package of up to $152,033 comprising base salary within the range of $114,282 to $129,943 plus 17% superannuation.

Applications close Sunday, 15 November 2026, 11.55pm

As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive workplace, employment history and police checks may be conducted as part of the selection process.

To be eligible for this position, you are required to hold Australian or New Zealand Citizenship, permanent residency or a valid visa that enables you to fulfil the requirements of this role.