Elevating Business School excellence
Drive innovation at UNSW Business School and shape tomorrow’s business leaders.
Dean, UNSW Business School
UNSW is one of the world’s leading research and teaching-intensive universities, known for innovative, pioneering research and high-quality education with a global impact. Since our foundation in 1949, we've aimed to improve and transform lives through excellence in research, outstanding education and a commitment to identifying areas where UNSW can have the greatest positive impact on society.
Join us at UNSW Business School, a global leader in research and education, shaping the future of business.
Reporting to Provost Professor Vlado Perkovic, the Dean will spearhead our mission to equip students with the skills to excel in an ever-evolving landscape. Our diverse programs, from undergraduate to postgraduate research and AGSM MBA, foster active learning and practical application in areas like digital literacy, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
With a focus on career readiness and real-world impact, our top-ranked school attracts high-potential students worldwide. Together, we tackle economic, business, and social challenges, preparing graduates to thrive and drive positive change. Join us in shaping a sustainable future at UNSW Business School.
Message from the Provost
UNSW Sydney is proud to be a world-class university and a rich source of expertise and positive impact. It is home to incredible people who are driven to make the world a better place. We exist for the public good and develop and implement innovative solutions to the many challenges we face today and in the future, both locally and globally, creating positive societal impact.
We are searching for a Dean of the UNSW Business School, one of the top Business Schools globally – an exceptional leader responsible for leading and implementing UNSW’s strategy, providing leadership, management, and operational support to the School and working closely with members of the executive team to ensure the continued focus on outstanding education, research, and impact. The Dean will also play a key role in maintaining and further strengthening relationships with partners in industry, government, alumni networks, and our communities.
At UNSW the Deans, along with the Vice-Chancellor, Provost, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Vice-Presidents and members of the University Leadership Team, drive the vision, strategic planning, and resource management of the university. You will continue to develop the high-performance culture across the Business School, enabling world-class education and research as well as overseeing the university’s academic operations and driving a culture of teaching and research academic excellence.
UNSW is a wonderful and supportive place to work and collaborate. If you feel you have the passion and commitment to help the School drive leading edge teaching, research and innovation that will have positive societal impact, we hope you’ll consider joining us.
Vlado Perkovic
- Position description
- Terms
- How to apply
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The Dean is accountable for the strategic direction and overall performance of research, the student education experience and community engagement in the Business School, and to provide highly effective management of the Faculty strategy, planning, human resources, financial, physical resources and administrative activities.
The Dean, UNSW Business School reports to the Provost and leads the Senior Leadership Team in shaping and realising the Faculty’s strategy in line with the University’s Strategy 2025. Senior Deputy Deans report to the Dean along with the Faculty Executive Director and Heads of Schools.
Accountabilities
Specific accountabilities for this role include:
- Work collegially and constructively with the Vice Chancellor and President, Provost, UNSW University Leadership Team and other Faculty Deans to lead the strategic direction of the University.
- Develop, manage and implement the Faculty strategic planning process aligned to the University’s 2025 Strategy and annual UNSW/Council key performance indicators.
- Provide an outstanding student education experience by fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in teaching and education aligned to key performance measures such as myExperience and QILT student satisfaction results.
- Enhance the research profile of the Faculty by improving the impact of its research as well as the quality and quantity of research outputs including grants, publications and citations.
- Facilitate meaningful research and education partnerships and collaborations within the university and with leading international Business faculties.
- Attract high calibre students and proactively manage the enrolment planning process and conversion of applications to student enrolments to ensure student target numbers are met.
- Attract and retain high performing staff and ensure quality performance development conversations are embedded across the Faculty and undertaken on a regular basis.
- Build leadership capability amongst Executive Deans, Heads of Schools and other direct reports through regular communication and effective talent management strategies.
- Embed a culture within the Faculty that celebrates, nurtures and develops education and research excellence across academic staff, professional staff and students.
- Build and sustain excellent relationships with the community, government and Faculty alumni to ensure the interests of the Faculty are effectively promoted and supported.
- Increase and maximise fundraising by effectively representing the Faculty and developing initiatives with external partners and donors to the university.
- Advocate on behalf of business disciplines with industry, government and other institutions.
- Achieve the financial performance goals of the Faculty by effectively managing the Faculty’s budget and financial resources.
- Foster a work environment that promotes and supports a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion for all academic and professional staff in the Faculty.
- Align with and actively demonstrate the UNSW Values in Action: Our Behaviours and the UNSW Code of Conduct.
- Champion all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions impact positively on the health and safety of yourself or others.
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- A distinguished record of strategic leadership in pursuit of academic excellence.
- The capacity and vision to provide strategic leadership to the Faculty in the development and implementation of its mission, goals and objectives.
- An appreciation of the values and roles of a comprehensive Top 20 teaching and research university operating in an international context.
- An understanding of the complexities of the relationships between the university sector and the business sector and the capacity to interact effectively in this environment.
- A commitment to the guiding principles and objectives outlined in UNSW’s 2025 Strategy and the ability to articulate these principles and objectives in a variety of settings.
- The capacity to manage and implement successful change which encourages superior teaching, scholarship and innovation.
- A demonstrable record of operating in a complex business model and applying sound business and commercial acumen characterised by fact-based decision making.
- A demonstrated capacity to represent the university effectively in a variety of external settings through networking, partnership building and influencing skills.
- Knowledge of and commitment to the principles and application of Equal Employment Opportunities, Anti- discrimination legislation and Occupational Health and Safety legislation in the workplace.
- Align with and actively demonstrate the UNSW Values in Action: Our Behaviours and the UNSW Code of Conduct.
- Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions or omissions do not impact on the health and safety of yourself or others.
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As places of great inspiration and innovation, Australian universities are crucial intellectual environments where knowledge is created, communicated, and challenged. In partnership with government and business, academic research and technologies help to develop vital industries. In addition, Australian universities provide students with the skills to compete in increasingly global workplaces and are ourselves major employers.
Universities are key to Australia’s economic success. In 2018, Australian universities contributed $41 billion to the economy and supported a total of 259,100 full time jobs. In addition, 1,426,594 students studied at Australia’s 39 universities in 2018. Of these, 71 per cent (or 1,014,027) were domestic students and the remaining 29 per cent (or 412,567) were international students. In the same year, 325,171 students completed their degrees.[1]
When it comes to world university rankings, Australia has a strong, proven track record. Across all global ranking systems, criteria and fields of study, Australia ranks highly for quality of education, student satisfaction, and global reputation. The latest ranking shows more than eight Australian universities are ranked in the top 200 universities and almost two-thirds of Australia’s 39 universities are in the top 500.[2] In addition, Australia consistently ranks highly in the Universitas 21 Report – in 2020, it ranked ninth.[3]
Australian university students pursue a wide range of academic disciplines, from health and education to engineering and information technology. While the majority of students study full-time, others balance a part-time load with family or work responsibilities, and, in the current environment, many combine on-campus and online study for maximum flexibility.
International education is Australia’s fourth largest export and the largest services export industry. In 2019, the industry generated $40.3 billion in export income. The higher education sector contributed around 70 per cent (or $27.8 billion) of international education export income in 2019.[4]
The 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) national report, which provides information of the quality of research undertaken by Australian universities, assessed that over 90 per cent of Australian university research was performing at, or above world standards in 2018.[5]
UNSW is a founding member of the Group of Eight (Go8), a coalition of Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, and the prestigious Universitas 21 international network. In world rankings Go8 universities are consistently the highest ranked in Australia. Seven of the Go8’s members are in the world’s top 100 universities and all Go8 members are ranked in the world’s top 150 universities: in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Times Higher Education Rankings (THES) and the QS World University Rankings (QS).[6]
[1] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures
[2] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures
[3] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures
[4] 2020, Universities Australia 2020 Higher Education Facts and Figures
[5] 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) 2018 report, produced by the Australian Research Council (ARC
[6] Group of Eight, Australia -
Sydney was recently ranked the 6th best city in the world to live and work in by Global Finance magazine. With world-famous beaches and a thriving arts, music, and food scene full of cultural communities to immerse yourself in, our coastal city is not just a destination, but a life experience.
Coastal living
It’s easy to see why the sunshine and coastline of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs beaches attract so many visitors, and UNSW’s Kensington campus sits right next door. It’s less than 30 minutes from campus to Bondi by car or bus, or just 10 minutes to Coogee.
If the beach isn’t your thing, we’re 5 minutes from beautiful Centennial Park or a short stroll to Randwick’s buzzing shops, cafés and restaurants.
Expand your network
Sydney’s the financial capital of Australia, and our international city is home to many global firms and offers countless opportunities to gain experience, meet people and build your networks.
A city for students
Sydney was ranked as the 8th best student city in the world in the QS Best Student Cities Index 2022. Our large and inclusive student community benefits from Sydney’s unique blend of outdoor and metropolitan lifestyles. Sydney offers a diverse range of opportunities for employment after graduation.
Something for everyone
There’s always something to do in Sydney, whether you’re flying solo or you’re looking for something the whole family can enjoy. You can find the best swimming, snorkelling and surfing spots or watch a film at the local Randwick cinema – one of the cheapest in Sydney. Ride a bike around Centennial Park, stop for a picnic, or enjoy an Aussie BBQ with new friends.
Sydney is also home to a number of incredible annual events, including Vivid Sydney, a festival of light, music and ideas, the New Year’s Eve Fireworks (possibly the most famous fireworks display in the world), and Taste of Sydney - an annual festival celebrating food and culture.
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Dean, UNSW Business School position is a five-year, full time fixed term appointment, based in Sydney, Australia.
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We will offer the successful candidate a salary package commensurate with the position responsibilities and the candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience.
All of our employees (excluding casuals), are entitled to receive 17% employer superannuation contributions. New employees are entitled to select their preferred Superannuation fund or UniSuper, the industry fund for the Tertiary Education sector.
Our salary sacrificing initiatives allow you to pay some or all of the offering before tax. As a staff member you can enjoy priority access to four high-quality long day care centres - Early Years. This includes discounted fees paid through a salary sacrifice arrangement.
We also offer the option to salary package a fully maintained vehicle under a lease known as a novated lease. Car parking is also available on campus with the ability to pay via fortnightly payroll salary sacrifice deductions.
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Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all required pre-employment or background checks. In addition, your ongoing employment is based upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements.
UNSW requires that all employees have eligible working rights within Australia. As one of Australia’s top employers, we understand that some candidates may benefit from support to relocate and join our university.
If you are offered a position at the university and are not an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident, the university may be able to assist with sponsorship arrangements. This includes obtaining the appropriate visa to allow you to work at UNSW.
The type of visa arrangement would depend on the length of your appointment at UNSW. Our external providers, Visa Lawyers Australia, will initially make that assessment of your application on behalf of UNSW and the UNSW Recruitment team will also guide you through this process.
We may also offer financial assistance to successful candidates who are required to move from their current residence in order to take an appointment at UNSW.
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UNSW isn’t like other places you’ve worked. Yes, we’re a large organisation with a diverse and talented community; a community doing extraordinary things. But what makes us different isn’t only what we do, it’s how we do it. Together, we are driven to be thoughtful, practical, and purposeful in all we do.
Taking this combined approach is what makes our work matter. It’s why we come to campus each day.
We make it as easy as possible for our staff to have a rich and balanced life at work and home. As part of our approach to flexible working, we have introduced greater flexibility across location, hours, full-time equivalents, schedules, and job sharing.
In terms of other benefits, we offer various types of leave, lifelong learning, discounts, entitlements, health and wellbeing support. Further information can be found on Jobs@UNSW.
To learn more about this unique opportunity please contact our advising consultants Alun Parry and Katie Miller at Boyden on +61 2 9225 7400, or Katherine.Miller@boyden.com
Applications close on 27 March 2024 at midnight AEDT.
