Associate Vice President, Sydney Future Students

University of Sydney

The University of Sydney is seeking an exceptional leader to join its External Engagement portfolio as Associate Vice President, Sydney Future Students. Reporting to the Vice-President, External Engagement, this influential executive role provides strategic leadership of the University's student recruitment and admissions functions and plays a critical role in delivering the University's growth ambitions, student experience objectives and revenue goals. 

The Opportunity

Higher education is undergoing significant transformation. Changing student expectations, increasing domestic and international competition, advances in artificial intelligence and digital engagement, evolving government policy settings and demographic shifts are reshaping the future student landscape.

As Associate Vice President, Sydney Future Students, you will lead the University's student recruitment and admissions strategy, ensuring the University continues to attract and enrol outstanding students from Australia and around the world. Working closely with senior leaders across the institution, you will provide strategic leadership and market insights to support decision-making, strengthen competitive positioning and drive sustainable growth.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the most strategically important functions within Australia's leading university, with responsibility for shaping the future student pipeline and contributing directly to the University's long-term success.

Key Responsibilities

Working closely with the Vice-President, External Engagement, Deans, Deputy Vice-Chancellors and senior leaders across the University, you will:

• Lead the development and execution of the University's student recruitment and admissions strategy.

• Drive domestic and international recruitment performance, with significant responsibility for University revenue, while balancing sustainable growth with the University's broader strategic priorities.

• Provide strategic advice and market intelligence to inform institutional planning and decision-making.

• Lead the delivery of a high-performing, service-oriented student recruitment and admissions function.

• Utilise market insights, competitive intelligence and emerging trends to identify growth opportunities and strengthen market position.

• Develop and maintain strong partnerships across faculties, portfolios and external stakeholders.

• Lead organisational performance, financial planning, governance, risk management and compliance across the portfolio.

• Influence policy development and strategic responses to changes in the higher education and regulatory environment.

• Champion continuous improvement and innovation to enhance the prospective student experience.

Leadership Impact

This role sits at the centre of the University's growth strategy and student experience agenda. The successful candidate will lead a significant and highly visible function responsible for recruitment, admissions and market intelligence, while building strong relationships across a complex stakeholder environment that includes Faculties, professional services leaders, external partners and government stakeholders.

You will bring the credibility, influence and leadership capability required to align diverse stakeholders around shared objectives, drive organisational performance and deliver meaningful outcomes for students and the University.

The portfolio also encompasses the University's global mobility and exchange function, providing an opportunity to shape and strengthen the University's international student experience and global engagement agenda.

About You (skills, capabilities and experience)

You are an accomplished executive leader with a track record of delivering strategic growth outcomes in a complex organisation.

You will bring:

• Significant leadership experience in student recruitment, admissions, marketing, customer acquisition, commercial growth, student experience or a related field.

• A demonstrated ability to develop and execute large-scale growth and engagement strategies.

• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with experience managing budgets, performance targets and business planning.

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.

• Experience leading large, complex teams through change and transformation.

• A strong understanding of data, analytics and market intelligence to support strategic decision-making.

• The ability to operate effectively in a highly complex and matrixed environment.

• Outstanding communication, leadership and organisational skills.

While experience in higher education is highly regarded, applications are encouraged from candidates in adjacent sectors who have led large-scale customer acquisition, admissions, student engagement, commercial growth, marketing or service operations functions.

Why Join the University of Sydney?

As Australia's first university and one of the world's leading research-intensive institutions, the University of Sydney is committed to excellence in education, research and community impact.

The Associate Vice President, Sydney Future Students will play a pivotal role in shaping the University's future growth and student community. This position offers the opportunity to influence institutional strategy, lead a critical enterprise-wide function and contribute to the future of higher education at both a national and global level.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

Work Rights: you must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Term and remuneration

The successful candidate will be offered a continuing position on a full-time basis. The appointment is subject to completion of a satisfactory probation period for new appointees.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University.  Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. 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 LGBTQIA+ . We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. 

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum 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.

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

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

Dr Courtenay Atwell
Korn Ferry
Email: [email protected]

© The University of Sydney

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

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