Director, Centre for Inclusive Employment - Swinburne
Employment information: Full-time, fixed-term position (until 30 June 2029), Hawthorn campus. Academic Level D/E salary + 17% super. Additional leadership loading subject to negotiation.
Swinburne University of Technology is seeking an accomplished, strategic leader to join our senior leadership team and provide visionary leadership to the Centre for Inclusive Employment (CIE) at Swinburne University. The Centre brings together peak bodies, employment and training services, employers, researchers, people with disability and their families to improve economic participation and employment opportunities of people with disability.
As the Director of the centre, you will manage all aspects of the governance requirements and delivery of the centre, reporting to the Director of the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne (CSI). You will lead a team of personnel including research, evidence and evaluation personnel, and knowledge translation and mobilisation personnel. You will collaborate with an operational team of financial, administration and communications personnel to plan and operationalise the budget and activities of the centre. A key responsibility is the development and implementation of an annual work plan of activities and building strong collaborations across the sector to execute the vision of the Centre. This position plays a critical role in leading the centre to realising its vision to transform the employment outcomes of people with disability by uplifting the capabilities of employment services (across sectors and programs) and their staff.
Candidates who have a lived experience of a disability are encouraged to apply for this role.
Swinburne are seeking an academic or industry leader in the specific field of scholarship who possesses a deep understanding of the disability employment sector to guide the key work of the Centre. As the Centre for Inclusive Employment is designed to be disability-led, applicants with lived experience of disability will be highly regarded.
Lived experience in this context means:
- a person with disability
- a family member or unpaid supporter of a person with disability who has a deep involvement in that person’s life, now or in the past.
*This is a fixed-term role, aligned with the funding of the Centre for Inclusive Employment. There are likely to be opportunities for an extended appointment into aligned roles within the Centre for Social Impact.
About You
To be suitable for this role you will need to have experience in the below key accountabilities:
- Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and manage a large program of research/evidence activities and/or practice-based change activities, including multi – partner projects, and teams in disability or disability employment.
- An outstanding national and/or international reputation as a leader of research, research translation and/or industry engagement in disability employment or a strongly related field (for example, as evidenced by publications in top-tier or discipline-relevant journals and/or Non-Traditional Research Outputs, thought leadership activities).
- Demonstrated experience in inclusive governance, consultation, service design and/or research methods involving people with disability, their families, and representative organisations.
- Demonstrated links with relevant industries, organisations and research/evidence communities and demonstrated competence in working with relevant professions and stakeholders in community, industry and government, including the ability to foster collaborative strategic and/or research outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding of University systems and processes, particularly in relation to leading and managing externally funded research activities is preferred.
- Applicants with lived experience of disability will be highly regarded.
Qualifications
- An earned PhD related to disability, disability employment, or other related field or equivalent qualifications and experience.
For appointment at Level E
The candidate will need to demonstrate an overall outstanding contribution to one or more of the research, scholarship, teaching and administration activities of the organisation, including leadership within a large organisational unit, or interdisciplinary area and would normally have at least one portfolio area of eminent attainment. Eminence in the context of a University Professor (Academic Level E appointment) can be expressed as high level of standing and distinction in your field in the international academic community. You will have attained recognition as an eminent authority in your discipline area and will have achieved distinction normally at an international level (or demonstrate significant national leadership).
Applications close: Sunday 8th March 2026
