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Senior leadership role, executive level remuneration negotiable
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5-year fixed term senior contract
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Macquarie University, Wallumattagal Campus, North Ryde
Lead the academic arm of Australia’s only not-for-profit integrated academic health enterprise at a pivotal moment in its development.
The Opportunity
Macquarie University Health (MU Health) is at a genuine inflection point. More than a decade of sustained growth across clinical services, education and research have built a strong foundation for a growing integrated academic health enterprise. An integration agenda is actively bringing the academic and clinical arms of the enterprise into a stronger unified enterprise. In this context, the role of Faculty Executive Director becomes one of key professional services leadership positions in the enterprise.
The Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences is the academic arm of MU Health, Australia’s only integrated academic health enterprise that combines Macquarie University Hospital and associated ambulatory clinics with a research-intensive faculty on a single campus in Northern Sydney. Its mission – Heal, Learn, Discover – requires the academic and clinical arms of the enterprise working together as one. The Faculty contributes approximately 60% of the University’s total external research income and educates more than 20% of the University’s coursework students. It is the home of Macquarie Medical School, the School of Psychological Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and Nursing, the Department of Chiropractic, the Department of Linguistics and the Australian Institute of Health Innovation.
The Faculty Executive Director leads the Faculty’s professional services operation and plays a central role in the integration agenda that will shape the Faculty and MU Health in the next decade. While the position of Faculty Executive Director does not have operational accountability for clinical and healthcare activities, it will be critical for the successful applicant to understand MU Health’s clinical services strategy and operations and contribute to strategic planning of the academic health enterprise. The Faculty Executive Director serves on the MU Health Cabinet which is the peak executive committee that leads and oversees the integrated academic health enterprise.
The Role
As Faculty Executive Director (FED), you will be the general manager and strategic business leader for the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences (FMHHS). Working in close partnership with the Executive Dean and other Faculty Executive Group colleagues, you will provide expert advice on the leadership and execution of Faculty operations, financial and resource planning, strategic initiatives, risk management, infrastructure and facilities, and policy development.
The Faculty Executive Director operates simultaneously as a member of three distinct leadership groups: the Faculty Executive Group, Macquarie University Health Cabinet and the University’s Senior Leaders Forum. Each group operates at a different level, with a different mandate and a different set of priorities and ways of working. The ability to move fluidly across all three, contributing with credibility in each, requires someone who can align the Faculty’s strategic goals and priorities with those of Macquarie University Health and the University, navigating and resolving the tensions that occasionally arise, and collaborating effectively across boundaries.
This is a high-impact, senior leadership position that demands commercial acumen, strategic foresight, and the ability to engage and influence across a complex and fast-evolving higher education environment interfacing with a clinical health enterprise and the broader health system.
Key Responsibilities
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In close partnership with the Executive Dean, Deputy Deans and Faculty Executive Group, ensure that the Faculty has the operational infrastructure, systems, resource allocation and professional services support required to enable high performance across education and research.
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Partner with the Executive Dean and Faculty Executive Group to develop and implement Faculty business, financial, and workforce strategies that align with and support the objectives of the Faculty, Macquarie University Health and the University.
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Lead and develop the Faculty’s professional services teams across education, research, operations, workforce planning, space and facilities, building a high performing service culture.
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Hold primary accountability for the Faculty’s budget, financial planning and operational performance, bringing strong commercial acumen to resource allocation, investment decisions and cost management at scale.
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Serve on the Macquarie University Health Cabinet, contributing effectively to enterprise-level strategy and the integration agenda to integrate the Faculty’s academic mission with healthcare delivery
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Build and maintain productive working relationships with external health system partners, including Local Health Districts, affiliated MRIs, NSW Health and other hospital and health service organisations.
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Manage the Faculty’s risk, compliance and governance obligations, ensuring appropriate frameworks, policies and controls are in place.
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Navigate the University’s matrix structure effectively, working across central IT, Finance, Property, HR, Philanthropy, Marketing to deliver the outcomes for the Faculty.
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Lead Faculty level change and organisational development, supporting professional staff through organisational changes with clarity, transparency and care.
About You
You are a senior leader who brings strategic thinking, commercial acumen and operational excellence to a complex, fast moving environment. You may have built your career in a university, a health service, a research institute or another complex organisation. You bring the ability to see beyond your own domain and make decisions with the whole institution in mind, delivering results through influence and moving comfortably at the varying pace that this environment demands.
You understand that leading professional services in this role means enabling performance rather than owning it. You are able to work comfortably alongside academic and clinical leaders, creating the operational conditions, the resource framework and the organisational infrastructure that enable their best work.
You bring sufficient understanding of the health sector to engage meaningfully with clinical and health system leaders. You are comfortable when the boundaries between organisations are blurred and the path forward requires patience, relationships, influence and diplomacy rather than direct authority. You know how to align people around a shared direction even when their priorities do not naturally align. You are energised by this complexity rather than frustrated by it.
You will also demonstrate (Selection Criteria):
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Postgraduate qualifications at masters level or above, or equivalent demonstrated senior executive leadership experience in relevant contexts
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Proven senior executive leadership experience in a complex or matrixed organisation with a track record of delivering results through influence.
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Sufficient understanding of health systems, clinical environments and health services to engage meaningfully with clinical leaders, health service leaders and external health systems partners
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Strong commercial and financial management skills, including oversight of large-scale budgets, investment decision making and strategic resource allocation.
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Demonstrated ability to develop and lead high-performing professional services teams and fostering a culture of service, excellence, and inclusion
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Superior stakeholder engagement and interpersonal, influencing, and communication capabilities to navigate diverse and complex stakeholder environments
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A track record of collaboration and consultation, staff engagement and leading change
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Experience and deep understanding of key strategic issues, opportunities and challenges in the higher education sector
Desirable
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Experience of leadership within an academic health context, medical research institute or health care facility
Why Join Us?
At Macquarie University, we defy conventions and drive innovation. As Faculty Executive Director, you will play a crucial role in shaping the ongoing growth of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences—helping to create the unique academic heath enterprise that is Macquarie University Health.
Macquarie is a university engaged with the real and often complex problems and opportunities that define our lives. Since our foundation over 60 years ago, we have aspired to be a different type of university. Over the years, we have grown to become the centre of a vibrant local and global community. Connect with us today.
We rank amongst the top employers in the Australian Workplace Employers Index, having recently earned a five-star rating in the QS World Rankings with the highest rating for employability. Take a look at the staff benefits on offer.
How to Apply
To be considered, please apply online with your CV and a cover letter outlining how your experience aligns with the selection criteria (above).
- This position requires a criminal history check.
Applications Close: Friday 21 August 2026
We reserve the right to progress or decline an application prior to the application closing date.
For enquiries, or a confidential conversation about the role please contact Sarah Bate Head of Talent Acquisition at [email protected].
If you're already part of the Macquarie Group (MQ University, U@MQ, MQ Health, MGSM), you'll need to apply through your employee Workday account.
Applications Close:
21/08/2026 11:59 PM
A Place Where You Belong
At Macquarie, we believe diversity makes us stronger, inclusion drives our success, and belonging inspires us to do our best work. We are proud to foster a community where different backgrounds, identities, and experiences are valued, and where our people are empowered to thrive through supportive leadership, shared responsibility, and a deep commitment to genuine care and respect for our community. Find out more about our vision for a truly inclusive workplace in our Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Framework.
Flexible Work
At Macquarie, we believe by providing flexibility in when, where and how work is done, we can support our staff to manage their personal commitments, while optimising their work performance and contributions to the University.
