Head of School - School of Art, Communication and English

• Opportunity for a distinguished academic to lead the School of Art, Communication and English

• Be a part of the leadership team of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

• Fixed-term role for a period of 5 years with an attractive remuneration package

About the opportunity

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney is seeking to appoint a distinguished academic as Head of School, School of Art, Communication and English who will join the Faculty’s leadership team. The Head of School is responsible for the School’s academic teaching, learning and research performance outcomes that support the Faculty’s strategic goals, maintaining accreditation standards, the student experience, meeting financial targets and workplace culture. The position has formal financial and people delegations and is responsible for effective decision making to ensure financial sustainability. The successful applicant will contribute to the recruitment, appointment, development and retention of talented staff who are able to attract research funding and develop students across the School’s programs. The successful applicant will also help to promote the School’s, the Faculty’s and the University’s reputation for excellence and its national and international academic standing. The successful candidate will also play a role in ensuring that the Faculty meets its goals as set out in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Strategic Plan.

The School of Art, Communication and English is a vibrant, outward facing School whose pedagogic practice, research profile and external engagements are shaped by synergies between the disciplines of Art History, English and Writing, Media and Communications, Film Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, and the practice-based arts disciplines of the Sydney College of the Arts. The School is committed to culture-making and engagement with creative practice across a range of forms, consolidating expertise in communication and digital cultures, creative writing, curatorial studies, film and moving image, museum studies, performance studies and visual arts. The alignment of disciplines in the School represents an opportunity for the development of innovative trans-disciplinary teaching and research and the School’s infrastructure - media laboratories, galleries, theatres and maker spaces – align with the University’s Cultural Quarter Strategy. The ambition is that graduates from the School of Art, Communication and English will be future culture leaders, shaping national and global practices, policy, communications and engagement across arts and media sectors.

About you (skills, capabilities and experience)

The successful candidate will hold a PhD qualification and will have a recognised international academic and professional standing within a relevant academic field. You will have extensive experience in people leadership and management within the higher education/knowledge worker sector, experience in working with industry, and a track record in managing financial sustainability, infrastructure and the operational needs and practices of an academic unit. Your ability to make strategic decisions, together with a strong business acumen, will support your endeavours in academic leadership, key stakeholder management and industry collaborations.

The successful applicant must have a wide network of established relationships with key academic, industry and professional institutions, partners and stakeholders, that can be leveraged to enhance the standing of the School, the Faculty and the University.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

Visa Sponsorship and relocation assistance will be provided if required.

Term and remuneration

The term of the appointment is 5 years with the possibility of renewal, subject to negotiation. The successful candidate will also be offered a professorial appointment in an appropriate discipline in the School and will retain that position at the conclusion of their headship. An attractive remuneration package will be offered.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

To keep our community safe, please be aware of our COVID safety precautions which form our conditions of entry for all staff, students and visitors coming to campus.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion , evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People , women , people living with a disability , people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds , and those who identify as LGBTIQ+ . We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Gold employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion .

How to apply

Applications ( including a CV and cover letter outlining how your skills, capabilities and experience meet the requirements for the role ) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page. Please refer to the candidate information brochure and position description for further details.

Candidate Information Brochure

Position Description

If you have any trouble downloading the Candidate Information Brochure or Position Description please email the Senior Talent Acquisition team via [email protected] and we will share these documents with you.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Lucy Porter (Senior Talent Partner, Recruitment Operations, Human Resources) on + 61 429 771 115 or by email [email protected]

For enquiries during Lucy’s absence (11th August to 10th September), please contact Sajad Bahram (Senior Talent Partner, Recruitment Operations, Human Resources) on + 0433 694 010 or [email protected]

© The University of Sydney

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Applications Close