Director, Careers, Work Integrated Learning and Placement
A competitive senior salary and benefits package!
* Shape Graduate Futures – Drive the development of a university-wide employability framework, embedding progressive skills to ensure every graduate is career-ready.
* Drive Employability Excellence – Champion the integration of work-integrated learning (WIL) and career literacy across the curriculum, creating impactful experiences that enhance graduate success.
* Foster Industry Connections – Build and lead strategic partnerships with faculties and industry to create high-quality placement and WIL opportunities that amplify student success.
About Us
Western Sydney University is a modern, world-class institution located in the heart of Australia's fastest-growing and most economically significant region. With nearly 50,000 students, approximately 3,500 staff, and a network of campuses across Greater Western Sydney, Vietnam, and Indonesia, we are proud to be ranked among the top two per cent of universities globally.
Our commitment to equity, excellence, and impact drives everything we do. We have been ranked first worldwide for four consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025) for our dedication to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings. We are bold, driven by integrity, fairness, and a passion for excellence, and we are looking for a visionary leader in student employability to join us on our journey.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced and innovative Director of Careers, Work Integrated Learning and Placement to lead the unification and enhancement of our careers, employability, WIL, and placement functions. This newly created senior role reports to the Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Success and is pivotal in driving strategic priorities that ensure every student develops essential employability skills through embedded career literacy and WIL opportunities.
You will oversee the integration of the Careers and Placement teams, develop a comprehensive employability framework, and support the embedding of career and professional literacies across curricula. Key responsibilities include providing strategic leadership to ensure high-functioning teams, fostering a partnership model with faculties and schools for effective service delivery, and guiding employability initiatives university-wide. This involves collaborating with academic staff, career advisors, and external work placement organisations to create resources, frameworks, and opportunities that provide meaningful exposure to real-world experiences like internships and industry-integrated classrooms.
The role demands balancing operational excellence—such as team management and service delivery—with university-wide strategic thinking to promote graduate outcomes aligned with sector insights (e.g., Jobs and Skills Australia reports). You will also prepare strategic reports, business cases, and policy documents for senior executive consideration, while ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, accreditation requirements, and University policies, including risk management.
About You
We are seeking a seasoned and strategic leader with a deep understanding of the careers, employability, and placement landscape within a complex, preferably tertiary, environment. We are looking for a leader who understands the unique strengths and needs of a diverse student body and can design inclusive, culturally responsive and flexible employability initiatives. You balance strong operational leadership with the strategic vision required to design and implement institution-wide change. While expertise across the full spectrum of careers and placements is ideal, we are focused on finding a leader who can empower subject matter experts within the team.
You will bring :
* Leadership and Change Management : A proven ability to lead and manage large-scale service operations, with exceptional change management skills to unite teams and foster a high-performing, inclusive culture.
* Strategic Partnerships : Demonstrated success in building and sustaining strategic partnerships with industry, government, and community stakeholders to deliver impactful student outcomes.
* Sector Knowledge : Strong knowledge of national employability trends and an awareness of the broader sector debates, such as those highlighted in Jobs and Skills Australia reports.
* Stakeholder Engagement : Exceptional skills in stakeholder engagement, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the University.
* Compliance and Risk Expertise : A strong understanding of the compliance, legal, and risk frameworks related to student placements and WIL.
Candidates should demonstrate a broad awareness of the sector, including an awareness of graduate skill development and the value of a "whole-of-program" approach to career literacy and WIL.
Why Join Us?
At Western Sydney University, you’ll be part of an institution that is both deeply connected to its community and globally recognised for its excellence and impact.
We offer :
* A Full Time, Fixed-Term appointment for 5 years, with a competitive senior salary and benefits package.
* A dynamic and supportive leadership team committed to student success.
* A unique opportunity to build and shape a critical new function, with a clear mandate to innovate and drive institutional change.
This role will lead teams currently based at our Kingswood and Campbelltown campuses. We are open to discussing flexible arrangements and supporting mobility across our campus network to best serve our students and partners.
Please review the position description for further information.
Position Enquiries : Please direct specific enquiries regarding the role to Kevin Yoon, Associate Director, Talent Acquisition at [emailprotected] .
Closing Date : 8 : 30pm on Sunday 3rd August 2025.
Working Rights in Australia - Eligibility
You must provide evidence of your full-time working rights in Australia at time of application.
Please note that only applications submitted via the University’s online recruitment system will be considered.
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Education, Training & Professional Development
The University of Western Sydney committed to making a difference to the lives of people and the communities in which they live. The university strives to be at the leading edge of education and research. The hallmarks of the University of Western Sydney are creativity and engagement with contemporary social and environmental challenges.
Source : this is an extract from the company's own website
The University of Western Sydney committed to making a difference to the lives of people and the communities in which they live. The university strives to be at the leading edge of education and research. The hallmarks of the University of Western Sydney are creativity and engagement with contemporary social and environmental challenges.
Source : this is an extract from the company's own website
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