Director, Defence and Security

• Flexible location + hybrid work arrangements
• Full-time and fixed-term for 5 years
• An attractive salary package on offer + 17% Superannuation

Why work with us?

At Deakin you will have access to benefits such as a variety of leave options including generous parental leave and the ability to purchase additional leave; flexible working arrangements to help manage your work-life balance; ongoing learning and development opportunities to grow your career; an inclusive and supportive culture and environment to work in, both online and on campus.

Who are we?

Deakin is a cutting-edge public university in Victoria, revolutionising education with 61,000 students across five campuses: Melbourne Burwood, Geelong Waurn Ponds, Geelong Waterfront, Warrnambool, and our dynamic online Campus. We're proud to be a progressive and open-minded university, delivering the highest student satisfaction in Victoria and consistently ranked in the top 1% of the world's universities.

About the role

As the Director, Defence and Security you will play a pivotal role in driving strategic key sectoral partnerships across Deakin’s four strategic domains: research, innovation, education and employment. Your leadership will be integral to the success of defence and security programs and major initiatives which have high strategic value for the University, nationally and internationally.

You will identify and create opportunities by positioning solutions aligned to the University’s goals and strategic directions, nationally and internationally. Focussed on building engaged, mutually beneficial relationships between the University and its key strategic partners, you will act as a key point of contact for stakeholders of strategic partnerships including industry, government, other academic institutions and the communities we serve.

Your awareness and dedication to University ethos will be paramount in guiding initiatives in the areas of defence, humanitarian effort, disaster relief, cyber security, national security and manufacturing and innovation.

As the Director, Defence and Security you will:

• Lead Deakin Defence to ensure focus, scale and impact for defence and security at Deakin.
• Drive the formulation and implementation of defence and security strategy, as well as the development, oversight and governance of integrated enterprise-wide commercial and academic initiatives.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of skilled professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment. Provide guidance and support to team members in delivering strategic initiatives, ensuring their growth and development.
• Utilise thought leadership to leverage data insights and capability across the sector to support the communities we serve, as well as accelerate people-focused decision-making, policies and processes internally.
• Monitor the external environment, as well as the higher education environment, to inform the continued development and currency of programs, systems and processes within the area.

To be successful, you’ll have:

• A combination of relevant tertiary qualifications and demonstrated significant and substantial experience in a senior role, in large and complex organisations.
• Extensive experience conceptualising, developing and implementing contemporary solutions, strategies and services to achieve a large organisation’s objectives.
• Demonstrated capacity to build and maintain strong and productive relationships with internal and external partners and existing networks in defence and defence related industries.
• Proven ability to exercise judgement, influence others, be flexible and adaptive to environmental changes and priorities, and gain support for new plans, programs or initiatives.
• Demonstrated capacity for analytical and conceptual thought in the diagnosis of problems and in providing innovative, timely, relevant and practical solutions.

Here's how to apply: 

Please submit your updated resume and a short cover letter outlining your skills and experience.

For a confidential discussion regarding this role, please contact Rebecca Bartel (Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships) on [email protected]  

For a copy of the position description, please see below:

 PD - Director, Defence and Security.pdf

Applications for this position close on Friday, 12 April 2024.

Are You Ready?

Deakin is a Victorian university with a global impact. We are an agile, dynamic, and innovative university committed to making a positive impact through our excellence in education, research and innovation and the contributions we make to the wider community.

We understand that our reputation has been built on the dedication and expertise of our staff and we offer a dynamic and diverse working environment with opportunities to grow and develop careers. We believe that a progressive, thriving culture will ensure that people choose to come, and stay at Deakin and contribute to our ongoing success.

We value diversity and aim to build an inclusive environment that champions, embraces and respects differences. We support and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people of all abilities, cultures, sexual orientation, and genders.

Advertised:22 Mar 2024 AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:12 Apr 2024 AUS Eastern Standard Time