Principal Advisor, Research Transformation

The University of Tasmania acknowledges the palawa/pakana and Gadigal/Wangal people as the traditional custodians of the land sea and waters of the areas upon which we live and work. We recognise their valuable contributions and deep connection to country and pay respect to Elders past and present.

• Develop innovative approaches to support research sustainability

• Provide strategic advice and drive complex transformation initiatives

• Full-time six-month secondment opportunity

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an exceptional strategic leader to drive a significant program of research transformation and help shape the future sustainability performance and impact of the Universitys research enterprise.

Working closely with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) you will lead the development of the Universitys Research Sustainability Strategy bringing together financial operational and research performance insights to support evidence-based decision-making and future-focused planning.

You will provide trusted strategic advice engage with senior academic and professional stakeholders and lead complex initiatives that strengthen research excellence sustainability and impact across the University. This is a unique opportunity to influence the future direction of research at within the University and deliver meaningful lasting change.

This is a full-time six-month secondment opportunity.

Whats Required

• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-level strategic planning and institutional strategy development in a complex research-intensive environment including facilitating senior forums and translating diverse input into actionable direction.

• Experience designing or implementing analytics platforms or decision-support tools to inform strategic planning and resource allocation with the ability to synthesise complex data into executive-ready insight.

• Understanding of the Australian research funding ecosystem and the ability to translate sector pressures into strategic and financial sustainability outcomes at an institutional level.

• Proven ability to apply organisational design service design or operating model methodologies to deliver pragmatic implementable and scalable solutions.

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement influence and negotiation skills with a track record of aligning diverse academic and professional perspectives to drive outcomes in complex environments.

• Demonstrated capacity to operate at pace within ambiguity balancing competing priorities while producing high-quality outputs within fixed timeframes.

Qualifications and Licences

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field or equivalent senior professional experience.

• Extensive experience operating at a senior level within a university or similarly complex knowledge-intensive environment.

Highly regarded

• Formal training in data analytics strategic planning or related disciplines.

• Relevant project and program management experience.

How to Apply

If this role is of interest we look forward to hearing from you. Please provide your up-to-date resume and:

• A 2 page cover letter outlining your motivation for the role and alignment to the rolespecific skills knowledge and experience detailed in the Position Description.

• For current UTAS staff in submitting your application you acknowledge you have/intend to discuss your interest in this vacancy with your current manager and understand they may need to be contacted confidentially by the hiring manager as part of the assessment of your application.

• Please refer to the attached Position Description Below for full details.

Position Description - Principal Advisor Research

Applications for this role close Sunday 26th of July 11.55pm 2026.

Please note interviews for this role will be taking place Friday the 31st of July 2026.

• For further information about this position technical enquiries may be directed to Nicole Wester Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) . For general enquiries regarding the role or application process please contact the Talent Team:

To be eligible for this position you are required to have Australian citizenship permanent residence or a current valid visa that allows you to fulfill the requirements of this role.

As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive workplace employment history and police background checks may be conducted as part of the selection process.