About Flinders

Our bold vision, captured in our Strategic Plan: making a Difference: The 2025 Agenda, is to be internationally recognised as a world leader in research, an innovator in contemporary education, and the source of Australia’s most enterprising graduates.

To realise this ambition, we recently made a significant organisation change to a six College structure with a professional staff and services alignment.

We recognise the key to our success is exceptional people and we’re seeking an outstanding individual to join the team of our transformed university.

Employment Type:

Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Position Summary

Availability:
Fixed-Term for 5 Years | Full-Time

Compensation:
Senior Management

Salary Range:
Negotiable

Reporting to:
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students)

The Senior Director, Student Experience and Management is a senior management position responsible for strategic leadership, and oversight of a high quality, end to end student experience from a services, planning and administration perspective.

They will oversee the offices and divisions in the portfolio of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) that provide:

• student administration, load planning and admissions,
• student services including Health, Counselling and Disability services, Oasis (the multi-faith student centre), activities of the Finders University Student Association, and Flinders Connect.
• interaction with Commonwealth and State agencies on matters relating to the student administration.

The University’s educational vision, embedded in its Strategic Plan Making a Difference: the 2025 Agenda, is to be an innovator in contemporary education, and the source of Australia’s most enterprising graduates.

The Senior Director, Student Experience and Management portfolio provides services which support student experience, support and administration at Flinders University including delivering appropriate solutions, systems and processes that contribute to the University’s strategy for student experience and management.

In addition to the specific responsibilities encapsulated within the role of the Senior Director, Student Experience and Management, the portfolio of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) also encompasses academic quality and enhancement, marketing and domestic student recruitment, learning, teaching and innovation (including digital learning), and student services. The Senior Director, Student Experience and Management will be a key member of the portfolio leadership team of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) and will lead on key initiatives designed to enhance the student experience, including access and continued participation in education, successful completion and support.

Key Position Responsibilities

Reporting to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Students), the Senior Director Student Experience and Management principal accountabilities will include:

• Provide effective strategic leadership of the student experience and management service initiatives outlined in the University’s strategic plan and related operational plans.
• Strategic planning, and delivery of effective, high quality, and responsive student-related services across the student lifecycle.
• Develop and deliver strategies for the University in the areas for which the position is accountable in support of its mission, strategy and future growth plans. 
• Ensure that critical processes are sustained to meet statutory, contractual and reporting requirements, influencing the development of relevant university policies and procedures.
• Develop, plan and implement strategies for the support and retention of students, working with and through the university's management and governance structures as appropriate.
• Provide direction and leadership to build capability and functional service delivery throughout the team, providing direction to ensure the critical interfaces of activity between the offices and the Colleges are well integrated and coordinated to help ensure delivery of the University strategy. 
• Develop proactive relationships with relevant external stakeholders and represent the interests of the University. 
• Learn from developments in best practice within the Higher Education sector and ensure that creative solutions are incorporated into procedures and practices within the team. 
• Provide leadership and development of staff including working alongside equity groups, including Indigenous people, within higher education.
• Identify opportunities for new activities, develop business cases and secure resources to support delivery, ensuring that they are effective and efficient. Monitoring and reporting impact.
• Be responsible for budgetary and resource management within the limits of delegated authority.
• Provide strategic advice to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) and other members of the senior executive on student experience and management related matters.
• Ensure that the University is effectively represented in interaction with Commonwealth and State agencies and other external bodies in relation to on student experience and management related matters, and to contribute to the wider representation of the University within the broader community.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and guidelines.
• Please note that the duties as specified above may be altered in accordance with the changing requirements of the position.

Key Position Capabilities

• A relevant tertiary education qualification combined with significant experience in providing high-level strategic oversight and leadership. Familiarity and proven track record in student experience, administration and retention will be well regarded.
• An experienced strategic leader capable of delivering and operationalising initiatives, willing to explore new ways of doing things and able to respond readily to changing circumstances and opportunities.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of common approaches, policies, programs and research relating to student or customer management support.
• Demonstrated experience in the development and delivery of a suite of integrated student or customer management services.
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in service provision and dedication to continuous improvement of business processes and service. 
• High level interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral) within a culturally diverse community.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries in teams incorporating academic and professional staff.
• High-level organisational and time management skills with ability to prioritise competing demands and tasks in order to meet deadlines.
• The ability to positively contribute and work within a senior team environment as part of a senior group in addition to working independently.
• Experience in management roles, including managing a budget and a team of staff.
• Collaborative and inclusive, assertive and able to make challenging decisions as required.
• Aligned with the University’s values, and ethos, with a commitment to social justice, fairness and accessible education.

For more information regarding this position, or to have a confidential discussion, please contact: Professor Romy Lawson

Prescribed Conditions for Employment

Flinders University has introduced a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that requires all new staff members to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, subject to medical exemptions and limited exemptions.

Information for Applicants:

You are required to provide a suitability statement of no more than three pages, addressing the key capabilities of the position as outlined above. In addition, you are required to upload your CV.

A valid National Police Certificate which is satisfactory to the University will also be required before the successful applicant can commence in this position.

We are seeking to increase the diversity to improve equal opportunity outcomes for employees, and therefore we encourage female applicants, people with a disability and/or from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders descent to apply

Please note, late applications and applications sent via agencies will not be accepted.

Applications Close 11:59pm:

25 May 2022