Executive roles

*Lead strategic transformation at a time of refresh and renewal
*Drive thought leadership and influence national policy on Asia
*Build high-impact partnerships across sectors and regions
*Lead Asialink’s successful delivery-focussed model across, business, education, diplomacy, arts and Asia capability.

The Position
Lead Australia’s premier centre for Asia engagement into a bold new chapter. This transformational leadership role will steer the Asialink organisation into its next phase of growth and impact.

Critically shaping Asialink’s national and regional influence and enhancing the University’s global engagement strategy. This position will drive the refreshed vision of Asialink as Australia’s premier thought leader on Asia and the country’s strategic priorities in the region. The new CEO of Asialink will lead public debate, shape policy, and deepen national understanding of Asia’s complexity and importance to Australia’s future, and build upon Asialink’s current delivery-focused model.

Reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement), the CEO of Asialink will also advise University leadership, work closely with Asialink governance bodies, and contribute to strategic projects.

Key responsibilities include:
*Leading Asialink’s strategic direction, financial sustainability, and operational performance.
*Driving thought leadership and policy influence on Australia–Asia relations.
*Building high-impact partnerships across government, business, education, and civil society.
*Strong organisational leadership, including overseeing Asialink’s divisions and overseeing governance, compliance and financial performance.
*Securing funding and evolving the business model to ensure long-term relevance and growth.
*Fostering an inclusive, values-driven workplace culture.

About you:
You are a nationally recognised leader with experience that encompasses government, international relations, business, higher education or the arts. Your experience will have provided you with key attributes including:
*Deep knowledge of Asia and strong networks across Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
*Proven experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, organisational governance, and stakeholder engagement.
*Proven people leadership skills and development of a positive workplace culture.
*A commercial savviness that has delivered a track record of driving sustainable growth and public sector impact.
*Exceptional communication, negotiation, and analytical skills.
*A commitment to advancing Australia’s Asia capability in an era of complexity and opportunity.

The Organisation
Asialink is Australia’s leading centre for Asia capability and engagement, dedicated to building a deeply Asia-literate and Asia-connected Australia. Hosted by the University of Melbourne and established in 1990 through a partnership between the Australian Government’s Commission for the Future and the Myer Foundation, Asialink advances Australia–Asia relations as a national imperative.

Operating across Business, Arts, Diplomacy, and Education, Asialink delivers innovative programs and partnerships that enhance knowledge, skills, and policy influence. As a non-academic department of the University, it sits within the Chancellery portfolio for Global, Culture and Engagement.

The University of Melbourne will be supported in its global search for this appointment by the executive search firm Future Leadership. For further information or to apply online, please upload your curriculum vitae and supporting cover letter via their website.

Closing date: 3 December 11.59pm AEDT

Lead strategy into action. Build powerful connections. Help shape the future of one of Australia’s leading business and economics faculties.

The University of Melbourne is seeking an accomplished and highly collaborative executive to join the Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) as Faculty Executive Director.

Reporting directly to the Dean and serving on the Faculty Executive, you will be FBE’s most senior professional staff leader. In partnership with academic and professional leaders, you will translate University and Faculty strategy into action, oversee professional staff functions and strengthen external engagement to advance the Faculty’s ambitions.

About the Faculty

The Faculty of Business and Economics is a globally connected centre of excellence in business and economics education, research and engagement.

Bringing together accounting, business administration, economics, finance, management and marketing, together with the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, the Faculty has an influential community of students, staff, alumni and partners spanning business, government, the professions, academia and the not-for-profit sector.

The opportunity

You will provide executive leadership across the Faculty’s professional operations, organisational capability, resources and performance, while helping create the conditions in which academic and professional colleagues can succeed together.

Your engagement across the University and with external partners will create opportunities for collaboration, impact and mutual benefit.

As a connector between academic and professional communities across FBE and the wider University, you will bring together people, ideas and capabilities, remove barriers and mobilise colleagues around shared priorities.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• partner with the Dean and Faculty Executive to translate strategy and promising ideas into achievable priorities, initiatives and outcomes, building the momentum, capability and accountability needed to deliver
• lead FBE’s professional community through senior professional leaders, providing clear direction and oversight while empowering them to deliver
• provide strategic, commercial and evidence-informed advice, bringing an independent perspective and constructively challenging thinking when it will lead to better decisions
• strengthen organisational performance, service quality and capability through innovation, continuous improvement and thoughtful use of data
• build purposeful relationships with industry, government, alumni, donors, professional bodies, community organisations and international partners
• connect external perspectives and opportunities with FBE’s ambitions in education, research, employability, executive education, advancement and reputation
• steward the Faculty’s resources and organisational capability to support its long-term academic ambitions and financial sustainability
• contribute to a respectful, inclusive and high-performing culture built on trust, listening, accountability and the highest standards of ethical behaviour.

About you

You will be an experienced executive leader with a significant record of achievement in a complex organisation and the ability to operate with considerable autonomy, judgement and influence.

Strategic but pragmatic, you will bring the intellectual confidence to work with leading academics and senior executives, combining long-term perspective with attention to the detail that enables delivery. You will ask difficult questions and challenge ideas constructively, while building the trust needed to bring people with you.

You will have substantial people and organisational leadership experience, with the ability to lead at scale through others rather than taking a top-down approach. You will set clear expectations and create an environment where people feel respected, heard and accountable for outcomes.

A natural relationship builder, you will enjoy engaging with academics, professional staff, senior executives and external partners, bringing credibility across these communities. Your influence will rest on listening, curiosity, sound judgement and trusted relationships as much as formal authority.

A genuine connection to Melbourne and an understanding of its business, government, community and alumni environment will be highly valued, alongside knowledge of the Australian higher education context.

Above all, you will care about people and purpose, bringing integrity, fairness and high ethical standards to advancing FBE’s mission and its contribution to the University and the communities it serves.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to help shape the next chapter of an internationally recognised Faculty with strong academic foundations, an influential alumni community and extensive connections across business, government and society.

At the University of Melbourne, our enduring purpose is to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research. FBE contributes to that purpose by developing responsible leaders, advancing knowledge and connecting research and education with some of the most significant economic, business and societal challenges facing Australia and the world.

For more information, or to apply, please see the job advertisement.

Applications close: 25 November 11.55pm AEDT