Senior Lead, Strategy and Planning

• Full-time, Senior Position on a 5-Year Fixed-Term Contract.
• Parramatta South campus with flexible working arrangements.
• Competitive senior-level remuneration, commensurate with experience.

Lead Western’s institutional strategy and embed it through planning and performance.

The Opportunity
As the Senior Lead, Strategy and Planning, you will shape, steward and embed the University’s institutional strategy and long-term strategic direction. You will provide authoritative strategic leadership that helps translate ambition into clear priorities, choices and success measures across the University.

Operating as a trusted advisor within the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, you will support the Vice-Chancellor and University Executive with strategic framing, options and advice in a complex and evolving higher education environment. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, you will bring influence, judgement and clarity to executive decision-making and governance discussions.

You will lead horizon scanning, scenario planning and strategic intelligence to inform long-term decisions, and you will design and coordinate an integrated planning framework that aligns institutional priorities, divisional plans and enabling strategies. You will also oversee strategic performance measures and insights, delivering executive-level papers, options analyses and reporting that strengthen accountability and focus on impact.

What Success Looks Like:

• A clear, future-focused institutional strategy that is well understood and translated into priorities and success measures.
• High-quality horizon scanning and scenario planning that strengthens executive decision-making and positioning.
• An integrated planning framework that aligns institutional priorities with divisional plans and governance cycles.
• Executive-ready strategy papers, options analyses and performance insights that enable timely, evidence-based decisions.
• Performance measures and reporting that support accountability, identify risks and opportunities, and drive continuous improvement.

Please refer to the Position Description for full details.

About You

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline, or equivalent extensive experience.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-level strategy in a large, complex organisation.
• Strong conceptual, analytical and systems-thinking capability, with the ability to frame complex issues and options.
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of executive and governance materials.
• Proven ability to lead with authority, influence without formal power, and set and monitor performance metrics.

Benefits
We invest in the people who make our mission possible. Alongside a rewarding career, we offer a range of benefits designed to support your financial, personal and family wellbeing.

• Financial benefits: Access to staff-only products and offers with selected banking partners, salary sacrifice options for onsite parking, and novated motor vehicle leasing.
• Health and wellbeing support: Free Employee Assistance Program (EAP), complimentary annual flu vaccination, eligibility for Fitness Passport membership, and access to discounted private health cover.
• Onsite childcare: Long day care and early learning services operate at our Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Parramatta, and Penrith campuses. Staff may be eligible for discounted fees and salary packaging, with places subject to centre capacity.

Application Details

• Position Enquiries: Direct to Sharmaine Gewohn, Chief of Staff via S.Gewohn@westernsydney.edu.au. Please include the job reference code REF1224W. 
• Closing Date: 11:59pm, Sunday 26 April 2026.
• Working Rights: You must provide evidence of full-time working rights in Australia at application.
• How to Apply: Please note that only applications submitted via the University’s online recruitment system will be considered. As part of your online application, you will be asked to respond to screening questions addressing the key qualifications, experiences and skills required for this position.

Belonging at Western
We are committed to substantive equality as outlined in our Equal Opportunity Policy. We actively encourage applications from Indigenous Australians, candidates of all gender identities and expressions, people of all abilities, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

For Reasonable Adjustments during the application process, please contact talentacquisitionteam@westernsydney.edu.au.

About Western
This is your opportunity to be part of something bigger. By joining Western Sydney University, you become a valued member of our community. As our region changes, so too does our university. Western is boldly different, energetic, global, diverse, dynamic, and youthful.

Our mission is to deliver student success, impactful research, and stronger communities. As part of our team, you will have a stake in shaping the future of education, broadening horizons, and changing lives. Making a difference starts at Western.

For the latest please visit our website and LinkedIn.