Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for the role, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Engagement and Equity.
University of Newcastle
The University of Newcastle is seeking an outstanding and values-driven leader to join its Executive Leadership Team as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Engagement and Equity (DVC E&E).
This is a distinctive and nationally significant role, quite unlike a traditional Deputy Vice-Chancellor portfolio. It is a uniquely Australian, community-anchored leadership role that brings together equity, civic engagement and regional transformation at scale.
The University of Newcastle is a top 1% global institution, recognized for its leadership in equity, access and community impact. The University is distinctive in its strong commitment to serving its regions, bringing people to higher education who have not traditionally accessed it, and partnering across communities to deliver meaningful, place-based outcomes.
Guided by its Looking Ahead 2030 strategy, the University has a clear ambition to be a world-leading university for its regions, driving opportunity, inclusion and transformation locally and nationally.
Engagement and equity sit at the heart of this mission. With one of the largest cohorts of students from equity backgrounds in Australia, a sector-leading pathways model, and deep partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the University has built a reputation as a national leader in participation and social mobility. The University’s approach is underpinned by the work of the Wollotuka Institute and broader Wollotuka cultural standards, which embed principles of cultural safety, reciprocity, and genuine partnership across all areas of university life.
The Opportunity
The DVC E&E will play a pivotal role in advancing equity, inclusion and engagement, and in strengthening the University’s contribution to its communities across the Hunter and beyond. As a member of the University Executive, the DVC E&E provides strategic, influential and accountable leadership of the University’s engagement and equity agenda.
Importantly, this is not a traditional DVC portfolio. It is an externally oriented leadership role that places the University as an anchor institution within its region, connecting strategy, community, and societal impact in a deeply integrated way.
The portfolio encompasses equity, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, pathways and access, communications, government relations, and community partnerships. It also plays a critical role in shaping how the University engages with its region, its communities and the broader Australian higher education landscape.
The incoming DVC E&E will build on strong foundations while shaping the next phase of impact, strengthening participation, deepening partnerships, and ensuring the University continues to lead nationally in delivering opportunity for diverse communities.
Key Priorities
This role requires a leader who can operate confidently at both strategic and community levels, balancing institutional leadership with a strong external presence across the region and nationally.
* Embedding equity and participation at scale: Driving whole-of-institution strategy to increase access, participation and success for students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, regional and low-SES cohorts.
* Leading engagement with First Nations communities: Building trusted, respectful and enduring relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, embedding cultural knowledge, governance and partnership across the University.
* Strengthening pathways and access programs: Sustaining and enhancing the University’s nationally leading pathways model, which provides alternative entry to higher education for thousands of students each year, ensuring strong transition, retention and success outcomes.
* Driving community and place-based engagement: Positioning the University as an anchor institution within the Hunter region, partnering with communities, schools, industry, and local, state and federal government to support social and economic transformation.
* Responding to regional transformation: Playing a key leadership role in supporting the Hunter region’s transition, including workforce reskilling and new industry development, through deep engagement with government, industry and community stakeholders.
* Leading societal impact priorities: Advancing institutional responses to key challenges including disability access, gender-based violence prevention and response, and anti‑racism, ensuring alignment with national priorities and best practice.
* Enhancing communications, brand and reputation: Leading a large and established communications and engagement function to strengthen the University’s profile and ensure its impact is clearly articulated to communities, government and stakeholders.
About You
You will be a senior executive leader with a strong track record of impact within a large and complex organization, ideally in higher education or a related sector.
The University of Newcastle is seeking a leader who combines strategic leadership capability with a genuine commitment to equity, inclusion and community engagement, and who is motivated by the opportunity to lead a non-traditional, externally facing portfolio with real societal impact.
You will bring:
* Demonstrated success in leading large-scale equity, engagement or social impact portfolios
* Strong understanding of the Australian higher education and policy landscape, particularly in relation to participation, access and student success
* Proven ability to build trusted relationships with government, communities, industry and First Nations stakeholders
* Experience leading complex organizations and high‑performing, multidisciplinary teams
* Exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement capability
* A values‑driven leadership style, with a strong commitment to inclusion, cultural respect and community impact
A PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant field such as social sciences, humanities, communications, education or business.
#J-18808-Ljbffr