School Manager

• Full time, continuing position opportunity, located on the Darlington Campus, within the Faculty of Engineering

• Provide strategic and operational support to the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

• Base Salary $146,197 - $154,260 (HEO9) p.a. + 17% superannuation 

About the opportunity

Reporting to the Faculty General Manager, the School Manager will be a key member of the school leadership team, contributing to the planning, communication, and implementation of the school’s academic and operational strategies, goals, and initiatives.

In this role, you will lead the delivery of infrastructure, operational plans, and processes that support the school’s activities across education, research, research training, and external engagement. You will be accountable for operationalising strategic and business planning decisions, managing financial performance, strengthening stakeholder relationships, ensuring regulatory compliance and effective controls, and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.

As a people leader, you will guide, develop, and support a team of professional staff while actively contributing to decision‑making processes within the school leadership team.

Some of your key responsibilities will include:

• acting as a strategic partner to the Head of School, providing insight and advice to support effective decision‑making

• leading the formulation, communication, and implementation of the school’s strategic priorities

• providing strong operational leadership and effective day‑to‑day management across all school activities

• driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the school’s systems, processes, and service delivery

• fostering a culture of high performance, engagement, and accountability within the professional staff team

• overseeing financial management, governance, and internal controls to ensure sustainable and compliant operations

• optimising the allocation and utilisation of resources to support the school’s academic and operational goals

• ensuring adherence to the University’s governance frameworks, policies, and regulatory requirements

• leading risk management and ensuring a safe, healthy, and compliant work environment for all staff and students.

To learn more about the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering click here.

About you

The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values and are looking for a School Manager who has:

• a degree qualification in an applicable field (for example business administration) and/or equivalent combination of relevant training and experience

• exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to develop and deploy effective working relationships across a diverse range of people

• excellent communication, consultation skills, and negotiation skills to drive internal and external engagement

• demonstrated track record in managing medium scale budgets and financial plans

• experience in business, infrastructure, operational and resource management

• experience in supporting the delivery of teaching and research within a university context.

To apply for this position, please explicitly address the questions below in a cover letter (which should be attached to your application):

• Describe your experience of managing the operational functions of a business unit

• Describe your experience in people management and development.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

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.

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 cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.  

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 Simon Drew, Recruitment Operations by email to recruitment.sea@sydney.edu.au

© The University of Sydney

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

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

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