Australian Research Council

Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child

Faculty of Education

About QUT

QUT is a major Australian university with a global outlook and a 'real world' focus. We are one of the nation’s fastest growing research universities and our courses are in high demand.

We are an ambitious and collaborative institution that seeks to equip our students and graduates with the skills they will need in an increasingly disrupted and challenged world. We are transforming the student experience we offer our 50,000 students and we place a premium on the international and national accreditation of our various professional degrees.

Our internationally award-winning Science and Engineering Centre is home to The Cube, acknowledged as one of the world’s largest digital interactive learning and display spaces. QUT established the world's first Creative Industries Faculty, and we invest heavily in collaborative learning and interdisciplinary research environments, including the new $95M Education Precinct. Further information about QUT can be obtained from the website at www.qut.edu.au.

Our Vision

The QUT Blueprint 5 is our institutional strategic plan. It sets out priorities, strategies and key performance indicators to drive greater coherence and coordination of our efforts. Our overall vision for the future is:

• to provide outstanding real-world education through physical and virtual learning environments and innovative courses that lead to excellent outcomes for graduates living in a diverse and complex environment characterised by rapid, transformative change;
• to focus on being a globally leading university that delivers solutions to the challenges of today and of the future through high-impact research that spans discipline boundaries and works in partnership with end users, leveraging our deep technological strengths and alignment to the human capital and innovation needs of the global economy;
• to strengthen and extend partnerships with professional and broader communities to build our reputation as a source of knowledge that is applied to real world challenges.

About the Faculty of Education

The Faculty of Education is a national leader in teacher education and in many areas of education research.

Our undergraduate and graduate entry initial teacher education programs are accredited nationally and our early childhood programs are also accredited with ACECQA. Our postgraduate coursework and research degrees are highly regarded, and we have made a substantial investment in the development and delivery of real-world professional development short courses and modules.

We are a recognised leader in research and research training as evidenced by our ‘above world standard’ ranking overall in every Excellence in Research Australia assessment. We engage with many partners through ARC Discovery and Linkage research projects and lead Program 2: School Years in the Autism Cooperative Research Centre.

We have extensive links with partner organisations and universities in Australia and overseas. These include both large and small professional development contracts with the Queensland government, in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and USA. As a globally-connected faculty, we have worked with aid agencies (AusAid, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank) to implement learning and development programs that lead to social advancement.

In keeping with our vision for excellence in learning and teaching, the University has built a new $95 million Education Precinct on its Kelvin Grove Campus. The Precinct comprises imaginatively designed formal and informal, face-to-face and online learning and teaching spaces and offers excellent facilities for social interaction and recreation. The Precinct’s futuristic design and its location at the heart of the Kelvin Grove Campus showcases Education, gives it prominence, and demonstrates QUT’s vision for the Faculty as a leader, innovator, and model for the University as we continue to transform our learning and teaching.

About the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child

The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child is headquartered in the Education Precinct at QUT’s Kelvin Grove Campus in Brisbane and is connected to the Faculty of Education, Science and Engineering Faculty and the Creative Industries Faculty.

Funded through a $34.9M grant and an additional $32.2M in cash and in-kind contributions from the Centre’s national and international partners, the Centre will deliver and disseminate evidence-based research for Australian children to be healthy, educated and connected in a digital world.

A world first, the Centre will focus on children from birth to eight years of age with a detailed seven-year research program, including a longitudinal family cohort study with 3000 families. Outcomes will include recommendations for policy-makers and curriculum development to enable child-directed digital learning, participation and enjoyment; guidelines and resources for parents, educators and communities about safe and effective digital practices; technological innovations that support children’s digital engagement; professional development programs for those working with children; and build research capacity with high-quality graduates and early career researchers.

The three key research areas the Centre will focus on are:

• Healthy Child: balancing risks of digital technologies pitched against access to knowledge and social interactions that provide opportunity for activity and relaxation to deliver physical and emotional wellbeing.
• Educated Child: the harnessing of digital technologies to optimise learning through active interactions and development of engaging and thought-provoking new technologies
• Connected Child: the balance of access to social and knowledge connections in the digital world against risks of surveillance, and infringements of privacy and child rights.

About the Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will lead the Centre’s national operations and is responsible for the effective leadership and management of the Centre’s activities across five key areas: research, research training, collaboration, outreach and external engagement.

The COO will directly supervise staff in the Centre’s Operations Team (based at QUT), and provide leadership to a virtual team spread across the Centre’s other five nodes at Curtin University, Deakin University, Edith Cowan University, University of Queensland and University of Wollongong. The COO will work closely with the Centre’s Executive team and is required to liaise with the Centre node leaders, chief and associate investigators, research fellows and postgraduate researchers, and a range of partners and stakeholders.

This position reports to the Centre Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child for supervision, workload management and for Performance Planning and Review (PPR).

The Australian Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child supports a flexible working environment. We support a diverse and inclusive atmosphere and encourage applications from women, Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander people.

Key responsibilities include:

• Work with the Centre Director and Executive Committee to establish the new Centre and then manage the operations of the Centre.
• In conjunction with the Centre Director, develop, action and annually review the Centre’s strategic plan and annual operating plans.
• Identify content and implement data management systems to manage research projects and deliverables to ensure the Centre’s reporting obligations are met.
• Make recommendations to the Director on operational structure, collaborative and commercial arrangements, maintenance of Intellectual Property (IP) register, and the allocation of resources.
• Manage the Centre’s knowledge leadership program, profile raising and other critical Centre activities including events.
• Develop and manage the budget and oversee the financial operations of the Centre.
• Oversee effective Centre governance, including the preparation of agendas and papers for the Centre Executive and Board meetings.

Actively participate and contribute to the

• Centre’s collaborative culture, including travelling to other Centre nodes.
• Supervise the Centre Operations Team and provide mentoring and guidance to the support teams in the Centre Nodes.
• Compliance with health and safety policies, procedures, hazard reporting and safe work practices.

Real World Capabilities

To deliver on QUT’s global, collaborative and connected vision requires a workforce that embodies the following capabilities:

• Agility and openness to change
  • Connectivity and collaboration (intra and inter-disciplinary)
  • Cultural inclusion
  • Digital literacy
  • Future-focused thinking (strategic, innovative & design and entrepreneurial)
• Global in intent and reach
  • Leadership of strategy, action and others
  • Performance and resource management

Type of appointment

This appointment will be offered on a fixed-term, full-time basis for seven (7) years.

Location

Kelvin Grove campus.

Selection Criteria

1. Education, training, and/or relevant experience equivalent to completion of a degree in a relevant field with extensive experience in leadership, experience in the management of a research centre and administration experience in research and/or industry.
2. Demonstrated success in developing and implementing effective management systems to support Centre objectives.
3. Ability to provide effective corporate governance for a national entity.
4. A demonstrated ability to lead and supervise a high performing team, and to develop and implement strategy with a focus on performance management
5. Excellent organisational skills with the ability to balance competing priorities and fulfil the needs of multiple stakeholders in different locations.
6. Attention to detail and demonstrated ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines while working harmoniously in a fast-paced, dynamic Centre.
7. Exceptional written communication skills, and highly developed interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to negotiate, develop and maintain relationships and work in partnership with a wide range of people including team members, researchers, senior academic staff, industry, community groups, educators and students (both school and university level).
8. Broad understanding of university, industry and government frameworks influencing the Australian research context.

Remuneration and Benefits

The classification for this position is Higher Education Worker Level 10 (HEW10) which has an annual remuneration range of $141,764 to $158,559 pa which is inclusive of an annual salary range of $119,792 to $133,984 pa, 17% superannuation and 17.5% recreation leave loading.

Beyond personal and professional fulfilment, a career at QUT brings a broad range of tangible benefits. With competitive remuneration including superannuation, the University offers real and generous benefits.

QUT is a high quality and flexible organisation that is proud of its excellent employment conditions which include but are not limited to:

• Reduced working year scheme
• Parental leave provisions
• Study support encompassing leave and financial assistance
• Comprehensive professional development Salary Packaging

Further benefits can be found at the Working at QUT page.

Information for applicants

This position is open to applicants who have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of the fixed-term appointment. Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

This position has been identified by QUT as being engaged in child related employment. Appointment to this position is therefore subject to the provisions of the

Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000. The appointee will be required to undergo a ‘Working with Children Check’ which will assess their suitability to work with children (defined as anyone under 18 years of age) based on his or her criminal history.

For further information about the position, please contact Professor Susan Danby on (07) 3138 3547 s.danby@qut.edu.au or for further information about working at QUT contact Human Resources on (07) 3138 5000.

QUT is proud to be an inaugural Athena SWAN charter member. We have extensive and established support programs for women in STEMM. For more information on the Athena SWAN charter, contact Tracy Straughan on (07) 3138 1584.

How to Apply

For further information and to apply, please visit www.qut.edu.au/jobs for reference number 191109.

When applying for this position your application must include the following:

• A current resume
• A response to the selection criteria.

Applications close: 10 December 2019