Sector Government, Higher Education, Research, Technology & Innovation, Schools & Educational Organisations, Social Impact, Work for Perrett Laver

Salary & Benefits Commensurate with the seniority of the appointment

Expiry 19/08/2026

Perrett Laver has advised on leadership appointments across Australian and Current Zealand education for more than fifteen years, working with many of the region's leading universities and independent schools. We are now seeking an experienced Senior Consultant to help lead that work.

This is a role with unusual scope. Working with the Managing Partner (Australia) and colleagues across our global Higher Education and Schools practices, you will lead an established practice with significant room to grow. Our education practices have produced more Partners than any other part of the firm.

You will run searches end to end, assess candidates and stand behind your judgement, hold client relationships in your own right, and help grow the practice. You will be trusted, early.

What we are looking for

We are open-minded about background. You may come from executive search, professional services, or from within the higher education or schools sectors themselves. What matters is:

- Substantial professional experience - typically five years or more - in a role built on research, analysis, judgement, and written argument.
- A track record of managing complex projects or client relationships end to end.
- Credibility with senior leaders: the confidence to hold a conversation with a Vice-Chancellor, Head, Chair or Board member, and the judgement to know when to advise and when to listen.
- Exceptional written English.
- An appetite for business development.





What we offer

Perrett Laver is employee-owned. You become an owner from the day you join, with a share in the profits of the business you help build and a voice in how it is run. Salary is benchmarked annually against the Australian executive search market, and we are glad to discuss remuneration openly at first conversation - before you commit time to a formal application.

To apply

For further details, please refer to the candidate information brochure which can be downloaded below.

Please submit your CV and cover letter outlining how your skills, capabilities and experience meet the requirements for the role to Perrett Laver. Applications will close on Wednesday, 19 August 2026.

Formal interviews will be held in person at our Sydney office on Tuesday, 25 August 2026 and Wednesday, 16 September 2026.

For a conversation in confidence before you apply, contact James Boyd, Managing Partner (Australia), at [email protected].

Applicants must have the right to work in Australia. We warmly welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and from candidates in under-represented groups.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

Perrett Laver’s Data Protection Policy

Perrett Laver Pty Ltd collects and uses personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. Your data is held securely and used only for the purpose for which it was provided. For our full Privacy Statement, visit https://perrettlaver.com/privacy-policy/

📌 Senior Consultant, Sydney
🏢 Perrett Laver Internal
📍 Sydney