Vice-President Governance & Assurance

Swinburne University; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working options

Generous parental leave

Staff discounts and course benefits

Job summary

Swinburne University of Technology seeks a Vice-President, Governance & Assurance to lead the Governance, Performance & Assurance Portfolio. Reporting to the Vice-Chancellor, you will advise the Chancellor, Council and senior leaders on governance, performance and regulatory readiness.

You will oversee Legal Services, risk, compliance and internal audit support while safeguarding independence. You will drive planning and performance, ensuring alignment of priorities, measures and executive

Qualifications

• Executive leadership experience in a complex, regulated or public-purpose organisation.
• Experience advising governing bodies and senior executives on governance, performance, risk, legal, regulatory and assurance matters.
• Strong record of improving governance, including delegations and committees.
• Experience leading institutional planning and performance and connecting priorities to resources.
• Exceptional integrity, judgement and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead Swinburne’s Governance, Performance & Assurance Portfolio.
• Provide trusted advice to the Chancellor, Council and senior leaders on governance and assurance.
• Strengthen decision-making, accountability and regulatory readiness.
• Oversee Legal Services, risk, compliance, integrity, information rights and policy.
• Support Swinburne’s Ad Astra strategy and independent assurance.

Skills

Executive leadership

Governance

Advising boards

Strategic planning

Communication

Education

Postgraduate qualification

Legal qualification desirable

Professional membership desirable

Higher education/public sector experience desirable

Job description

• Join Swinburne University of Technology as a member of the Executive Group
• Full-time executive position based at our Hawthorn campus
• Report directly to the Vice-Chancellor and shape enterprise governance, performance and assurance

About the Role

As Vice-President, Governance & Assurance, you will lead Swinburne’s Governance, Performance & Assurance Portfolio. Reporting to the Vice-Chancellor and serving on the Executive Group, you will provide trusted advice to the Chancellor, Council and senior leaders on governance, institutional performance, assurance and regulatory readiness.

You will lead an integrated portfolio spanning university governance, Legal Services, risk, compliance, integrity, information rights, policy, institutional planning and performance, and Internal Audit support. You will strengthen decision-making, accountability and assurance while protecting the independence of key professional functions and supporting Swinburne’s Ad Astra strategy.

About You

To be suitable for this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• Executive leadership experience in a complex, regulated or public-purpose organisation, including responsibility for people, budgets and change.
• Experience advising governing bodies and senior executives on governance, performance, risk, legal, regulatory and assurance matters.
• A strong record of improving governance, including delegations, decision rights, committees, escalation and assurance.
• Experience leading institutional planning and performance, and connecting priorities, measures, resources and executive decisions.
• Exceptional integrity, judgement and communication skills, with the ability to build trust, provide frank advice and manage sensitive matters.

Qualifications

• A relevant postgraduate qualification, or equivalent executive experience, in governance, law, risk, assurance, public administration, business or a related field.
• A legal qualification is desirable but not essential. The role does not act as the University’s legal adviser; legal advice must be provided by General Counsel and/or appropriately qualified and practising legal professionals.
• Relevant professional membership or credentials are desirable.
• Higher education, government, statutory authority or comparable complex public-purpose experience is highly desirable.

About Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne’s strategy draws upon our understanding of future challenges. We choose to build Swinburne as the prototype of a new and different university – one that is truly of Technology, of Innovation and of Entrepreneurship. We are committed to a differentiated university proposition in education and research.

Our Ad Astra strategy is the cornerstone of Swinburne’s bold ambition to lead globally in technology-driven education and research. This strategy positions us to create transformative solutions, empower learners, and partner with industry to thrive in an ever-changing world.

What We Offer You

• Work your way with flexible working arrangements, including hybrid options and generous parental leave to support a balanced lifestyle.
• Exclusive staff discounts, including discounted Medibank health insurance, 50% off Swinburne courses and other partner offers.
• Swinburne offers 17% super and salary packaging options, including car leasing and extra super contributions.

Swinburne offers flexible working options contained in our leave and parenting/carer policies to support work-life balance.

Applications Close: 5pm, Tuesday 10th November 2026.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Swinburne has become a world-class university, driving social and economic impacts through science, technology, and innovation. As a dual-sector university, our vision is for people and technology working together to build a better world.

Central to our vision is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer focused on attracting, retaining, and developing great talent. We work to remove barriers related to gender identity, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age.

We strongly encourage applicants from diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our Moondani Toombadool Centre leads our Indigenous education and culture at Swinburne, guided by community wisdom and leadership.

We support applicants with disabilities, and reasonable adjustments can be requested at any stage of the recruitment process.

For reasonable adjustment requests - including accessible formats of the position description, application form, or other documents, please contact ***************@swin.edu.au or call [phone].

Please note: this phone number is for disability and reasonable adjustment enquiries only. General enquiries about the role can also be emailed to ***************@swin.edu.au.

Victoria’s Commitment to Action: Improving international student employment outcomes.

As a signatory to Victoria’s Commitment to Action, Swinburne seeks to remove barriers to international graduate employment. We welcome and encourage applications from international graduates.

As a Circle Back Initiative Employer, we commit to responding to every applicant.