Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President, Operations

The Operations Portfolio is fundamental to the University's success in delivering academic and professional excellence across teaching, learning, and research. Operating as a centralised function, the Portfolio works in close partnership with all areas of the institution to optimise the efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness of key services that underpin the University's strategic and operational performance.

With broad responsibility for enabling core infrastructure, digital capability, governance, workforce strategy, and market engagement, the Portfolio ensures that the University is well-positioned to meet current demands and future opportunities. It plays a critical role in supporting institutional resilience, driving service innovation, and enhancing the overall experience for students, staff, and stakeholders.

Position purpose

The Chief Operating Officer is a senior executive leader responsible for driving the strategic and operational performance of the University's corporate services. Reporting directly to the Vice-Chancellor, the Chief Operating Officer plays a critical role in enabling the University's academic and research missions by ensuring the effective alignment of systems, resources, and frameworks that support institutional priorities. As a member of the Executive team, the Chief Operating Officer champions the University's strategic direction, fosters a collaborative and high-performance culture, and contributes to governance and oversight through participation in key committees and boards. The role is instrumental in shaping the University's long-term sustainability, resilience, and impact.

Primary responsibilities

The occupant of this position will be required to:

Strategic leadership

• Drive an engaged and collaborative workplace culture through strong leadership and effective management practice, empowering Portfolio staff within their roles to achieve the University's strategic priorities and outcomes.
• As a strategic advisor to senior leadership, maintain oversight across all key organisational and management issues of the Portfolio business units, and broader University strategy.
• Lead the development and delivery of key commercial initiatives and new opportunities, including campus development, digital experience, University of Canberra Group entities and third party arrangements.
• Provide executive oversight of the functions of the Portfolio to ensure the provision of efficient, effective and responsive corporate services to support all activities of the University of Canberra Group, with a clear emphasis on measurable outcomes and high levels of user satisfaction.
• Ensure commercial and operational compliance by embedding business principles consistent with the University's mission and meeting all contractual, legislative, and regulatory obligations-including Work Health and Safety, audit standards, and risk management frameworks.
• Ensure that all major contracts (including capital works, infrastructure initiatives, digital, commercial and as required, research contracts) entered into by the University are financially and commercially viable in the interest of the University.

Key capabilities

• A relevant degree and post graduate qualifications in a relevant discipline.
• Extensive financial and commercial literacy, with experience representing financial and commercial issues to a broad range of stakeholders.
• A successful track record of managing diverse corporate functions in a large and complex organisation, including innovation, change management, and project skills.
• Extensive experience in leading large-scale capital (physical and virtual) developments designed to return on investment and build communities.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills with a demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively and adaptively in a rapidly changing environment.
• Understanding and experience of legislative, policy and funding issues affecting higher education.
• Experience in leading teams in responding to critical incidents.
• High order communication skills with capacity to:
  • Represent the University to government, the media, and the wider community, within the framework of agreed University policy.
  • Communicate to University Council, students and staff of the University.
• Demonstrated leadership in safety, equity and diversity.

How to apply

The University of Canberra will be supported in the appointment process by Boyden Executive Search. Boyden will support the selection committee to identify the widest possible field of exceptional candidates and to assist in the assessment of candidates against the requirements of the role.

Applications should consist of a comprehensive curriculum vitae detailing academic and professional qualifications, full employment history and relevant achievements. CVs should be accompanied by a covering letter describing why the appointment is of interest to the candidate, and what they believe they can bring to the role.

For a confidential discussion regarding the role and to obtain further information on the application requirements, please contact Boyden Executive Search:

Would you like to know more about the Chief Operating Officer role? Request a callback and a Boyden team member will contact you for a confidential chat.