* Play a pivotal role as the founding head of the Occupational Therapy (OT) discipline at RMIT University
* Provide the senior leadership, vision and drive to enable an innovative program and engagement model for OT
* Fixed term (3-year) appointment as Assistant Associate Dean (AAD), underpinned by an ongoing Professor or Associate Professor position
* Salary Academic Level D ($170,080 - $187,373) or E ($219,084) + 17% Superannuation and Flexible Working Arrangements
* Based predominantly at the Bundoora West Campus, but may be required to work and/or be based at other campuses of the University
About You
RMIT is seeking a senior academic leader to take on the combined role of Professor/Associate Professor & Assistant Associate Dean (Head of Discipline), Occupational Therapy within the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences. This is a fixed-term appointment (3 years) as Assistant Associate Dean (AAD), underpinned by a continuing position.
This position is the inaugural appointment in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy at RMIT University and will be integral in leading the design and development of a new program in OT (subject to review by the Occupational Therapy Council and receiving full approval from the University). As the first appointment in the discipline, the successful candidate will have substantial autonomy in designing curriculum, in progressively building a team of academic staff to support the program, in engaging community and industry partners, and in building a program of research that builds on the candidate's existing expertise.
As an Associate Professor/Professor, you will be an established and respected researcher in your specialist field, with a strong track record in research, teaching, and academic leadership.
As Assistant Associate Dean (Head of Discipline), you will be a key member of the School's leadership team. As OT develops, you will have responsibility for overseeing the academic performance and strategic development of the Discipline, including curriculum quality, research leadership, staffing, and resource management. As staff are progressively recruited within this team, you will lead and support them to deliver excellence in both learning and teaching and research.
This is a leadership opportunity suited to an academic who thrives on building collaborative teams, leading change and growth, and fostering a culture of excellence and inclusion.
To be successful in this position, you'll have but not limited to the following Key Selection Criteria:
* Demonstrated strategic leadership within a large organisational unit or University-wide initiative, with the ability to lead teams, influence positive change, and deliver on shared strategic objectives in a collegiate and collaborative environment.
* At least a nationally recognised research track record, with a strong history of research outputs, sustained success in attracting external funding, and experience in leading high-performing research teams. Proven ability to attract and supervise higher degree by research (HDR) candidates.
* A demonstrated record of excellence and innovation in teaching, underpinned by a deep understanding of contemporary learning and teaching theory and practice, including the use of technology in pedagogy. Experience in managing award programs, leading curriculum reviews, and the ability to support and develop external networks to support OT student placement.
* Strong knowledge of relevant trends, priorities and developments in the OT discipline and broader health or higher education sectors, including a clear understanding of industry needs and how these translate into academic programs and research impact.
* Capacity to think strategically and act tactically to align discipline priorities with broader organisational goals. Experience with governance, financial and quality management systems in a university setting .
* High-level interpersonal, communication, influencing and negotiation skills, including the ability to consult, network and engage effectively with senior stakeholders, academic and professional staff, and external partners.
* Demonstrated ability to foster a culture of collaboration, share knowledge across teams, and build strong internal and external partnerships, including national and international research and professional networks.
Mandatory Qualifications:
* PhD in a relevant field.
* Eligibility to register as an Occupational Therapist with Ahpra.
Please Note: Appointment to this position is subject to passing a Working with Children and National Police Check.
About the School of Health and Biomedical Science
The School of Health and Biomedical Sciences comprises three Academic Departments:
* Clinical Sciences
* Health Sciences (Occupational Therapy will be a discipline within this Department)
* Medical Sciences
Primarily based at the RMIT Bundoora campus, we undertake teaching and research across the disciplines of: Biomedical Science, Laboratory Medicine, Medical Radiations, Nursing, Osteopathy, Chiropractic, Chinese Medicine, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science, Physiotherapy and Postgraduate Psychology.
The School's research was ranked as well above world standard in clinical science, medical physiology, microbiology, complementary and alternative medicine and pharmacology & pharmaceutical sciences, and above world standard in psychology, public health & health service and medical & health sciences. As a School we have a strategic focus on chronic disease and integrative health care with globally distinctive research strengths in respiratory health, neuroinflammation, translational immunology and infection, cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, and cross-cutting themes of lifestyle medicine, digital health, ageing in health & disease, and medical devices, diagnostics and prognostics.
Research and Learning and Teaching innovation within the School is supported by the largest student-led multidisciplinary health clinic in Victoria, a digital human anatomy facility, state-of-the-art equipment and laboratories as well as a significant number of national and international partners.
To Apply
We encourage all candidates who meet the selection criteria to apply for this role.
Please submit:
* A current CV
* A cover letter
* A separate document addressing the seven Key Selection Criteria as described above in this advertisment (that combine those within the Associate Professor/Professor, Occupational Therapy position as well as for the Assistant Associate Dean, Occupational Therapy position descriptions )
For further information about this position, please see the Position Descriptions hyperlinked below. Additionally, the Head of Department of Health Sciences, Professor Adam Bird, welcomes a confidential discussion about this role if you are thinking of applying. Please make contact with Adam via email: [email protected]
For further information regarding recruitment processes, please contact Aleksandra Besia, Senior Talent Acquisition Advisor via email at [email protected] Please do not share your application to this email address.
Position Description - AAD and Associate Professor
Position Description - AAD and Professor
Please note, if you are viewing this advert from an external site, please click 'apply' and you will be redirected to RMIT's Jobs website to access the Position Description at the bottom of the page. Due to recent upgrades, position description links may not work on LinkedIn advertisements.
Applications close on Wednesday, 20 th of August 2025.
At RMIT, we are committed to supporting adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, as well as during employment. We actively support and encourage people with disability to apply to RMIT. To discuss adjustment requirements, please contact Dani (Senior Talent Advisor), via [email protected] or visit our Careers page for more contact information -
RMIT is an equal opportunity employer committed to being a child safe organisation. We are dedicated to attracting, retaining and developing our people regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and age. Applications are encouraged from all sectors of the community and we strongly encourage applications from the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.
We are a Circle Back Initiative Employer - we commit to respond to every applicant.