Associate Director, Complaints and Investigations
Operations
* The position will be engaged fulltime for a maximum term of five years
About the Team
The Legal, Assurance and Integrity Division plays a central role in safeguarding the University's governance, compliance and reputation. Working closely with senior leadership, regulators and external oversight bodies, the division ensures UOW maintains a strong foundation of legal, risk and integrity frameworks in a complex and evolving higher education environment.
The Complaints and Investigations function is a newly created and critical component of this framework. The team will be responsible for ensuring complaints are managed fairly, impartially and in accordance with legislative and policy requirements. The function oversees matters relating to staff, students and external stakeholders, including serious misconduct, policy breaches, and public interest disclosures.
Reporting to the General Counsel and Chief Legal, Assurance and Integrity Officer, this role leads a specialist team including the Senior Manager Case Advisory, Senior Manager Investigations, and the Student Ombudsman.
About the Role
A newly created position, the Associate Director, Complaints and Investigations provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of UOW's complaints and investigations framework. This is a senior management role operating in a complex and high-risk environment requiring sound judgment, discretion, and executive-level engagement.
You will be responsible for developing and implementing an enhanced complaints and investigations strategy, ensuring timely, fair, and procedurally sound resolution of matters. The role will oversee investigations into serious misconduct and systemic issues, monitor emerging risks and trends, and provide expert advice to senior leadership and Council committees.
In addition to leading the operational function, you will strengthen governance and quality assurance frameworks, foster a culture aligned to UOW's Values in Action, and ensure compliance with relevant legislation including public interest disclosure and workplace health and safety obligations. The position requires a balance of strategic oversight, operational rigour, and trusted advisory capability.
Skill and Experience
* Tertiary qualifications (preferably postgraduate) in law, governance, compliance or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience
* Senior leadership experience within a complex organisation, ideally in higher education or a similarly regulated environment.
* Extensive experience managing complaints and investigations functions, including high-risk and sensitive matters.
* Strong knowledge of procedural fairness principles and relevant legislative frameworks
* Demonstrated ability to provide high-level advice to executives on complex or systemic integrity matters.
* Exceptional stakeholder management, communication and influencing capability.
* Proven experience establishing governance, quality assurance, and risk monitoring frameworks.
* Experience leading and developing specialist teams in high-volume, high judgement environments.
* The ability to exercise discretion, sound judgement, and professionalism in sensitive matters.
How to Apply
Click on the 'Apply Now' button at the bottom of the advertisement. You will be prompted to submit a resume, and cover letter (of no more than three pages) summarising your skills and experience as they relate to the selection criteria located in the position description.
For further information about this position, please contact Kylie Stephens on + 61 2 4239 3936
Position Description
Closing Date: Sunday 15th March, 11:55 PM
As required by federal legislation, prospective employees are required to declare whether they have been investigated for an allegation of Gender based Violence or determined to have engaged in conduct that constitutes Gender based Violence, during their previous employment, or otherwise in a legal process. Any such declaration will be included in the University's employment screening processes and will be treated with the strictest confidence and in compliance with all privacy legislation.
The University of Wollongong is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. As an equal opportunity employer, and a recognised leader in gender equality, we encourage and welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and people including culturally and linguistically diverse, women, disability, LGBTIQ+, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Only candidates with valid work rights in Australia are eligible to apply.
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