Head of School, School of Social and Political Sciences

Opportunity for a distinguished academic to lead the School of Social and Political Sciences 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 Social and Political Sciences 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 of School of Social and Political Sciences is home to one of the most successful academic groups in the world for research and teaching in the social sciences. Through a suite of undergraduate and postgraduate programs - including Criminology, Social Justice, Sociology, Political Economy, Anthropology, Public Policy, Politics, International Relations and International Security, as well as the new Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics - the School delivers leading edge education in a tailored social science learning environment.

The School is also home to a quality PhD cohort that works together with academic staff on some of the most urgent questions and problems facing the world today. These include the future of democracy, multispecies justice, asset-based inequalities and endemic health crises. Through a rich variety of multidisciplinary networks and research centres, our academics maintain significant connections with the international social science community and with our diverse partners.

The School also has a number of distinguished alumni and is proud of its connections into the local community. Our academic staff and our students are exceptionally well placed to explore the social, cultural, economic and political foundations of the contemporary world. 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.

Paramount to success in the role is a leadership style that builds trust across a diverse academic community, together with the judgement to navigate complex stakeholder environments, competing priorities and the consultative processes of a large institution. 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 Austr