Strategic leadership role driving innovation and operational excellence across philanthropy and alumni engagement
Work with VP, Advancement
Full-time position with a competitive remuneration package, including 17% superannuation.

The University of Sydney is seeking to appoint an Executive Director, Advancement Services to lead the operational engine underpinning one of the most ambitious philanthropic and alumni engagement programs in Australia.
The University is in the midst of its landmarkFor Goodcampaign, with a goal of raising $2 billion by **** and engaging more than 300,000 alumni globally. Advancement Services plays a critical role in enabling this ambition, providing the data, systems, governance and operational capability that allow fundraising and alumni engagement to perform at scale, with speed, integrity and impact.
Reporting to the Vice-President, Advancement, the Executive Director will provide strategic and operational leadership across prospect development, data and analytics, business intelligence, gift administration and advancement systems. This role leads the infrastructure and inner workings of the Advancement portfolio, driving efficiency, performance uplift and continuous improvement while navigating a highly complex and regulated institutional environment.
You will operate as a senior operational leader, comparable to a COO within a portfolio, building durable foundations in data governance, digital capability, process discipline and team performance. A central challenge and opportunity of the role is to move Advancement Services to a proactive, confident and strategically influential function that enables faster decision-making, clearer prioritisation and stronger outcomes across the portfolio.
You will be an experienced leader with a strong record of leading complex operations, building high-performing teams and delivering change in large, matrixed organisations. You will bring high levels of data literacy, commercial judgement and systems thinking, alongside the credibility and influence required to work effectively with ICT, Finance, legal and governance functions. While you do not need prior experience in advancement or higher education, you must be comfortable operating in environments characterised by scale, complexity, regulation and competing priorities.
Term and Remuneration
This is a continuing appointment with a competitive remuneration package, including 17 percent superannuation. It represents a rare opportunity to play a key leadership role in shaping the operational capability of a globally recognised institution and contributing directly to outcomes that advance education, research and social impact for the public good.
How to Apply
Odgers is assisting the University of Sydney with this appointment. Applications (including a CV and cover letter outlining how your skills,



capabilities and experience meet the requirements for the role) can be submitted via Opportunities | Odgers
For further information and a confidential conversation please contact Dr Alistair Clark on ****** Diana Kovalova on *************** ****** .
The closing date for applications is Sunday 11th October ****.
Position Description
Click to view the Position Description for this role.
Work Rights
Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.
Pre-employment checks
Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University's obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.
EEO statement
At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellenceand we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women ,people living with a disability ,people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds , and those who identify asLGBTQIA+ . We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion .
© The University of Sydney
The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.
Applications Close
Sunday 11 October *******:59 PM
The University of Sydney was established in **** and is consistently recognised, both locally and internationally, for its outstanding teaching and research excellence. Sydney alumni include Prime Ministers, Governor Generals,



Nobel Prize winners and leaders in every field of endeavour.
The University offers a comprehensive range of courses, including a number of disciplines unique in Australia. Teaching is spread across nine different state-of-the art campuses, located across Recent South Wales.
The University of Sydney's commitment to excellence in research has resulted in an outstanding record in national competitive funding and underpins an approach to teaching which has won nominations for excellence and resulted in high student satisfaction ratings. The University has 78 research centres and institutes and is home to three ARC Centres of Excellence.
The teaching, research and cultural life of the University is supported by extensive facilities, including the largest library collection in the Southern Hemisphere, the world-class Nicholson Museum of archaeological antiquities, the Macleay Museum of natural history and ethnographic collections and the University Art Gallery. Its outstanding sporting and recreation facilities provide a training centre for students and Olympic athletes.
The University of Sydney is a key member of the Group of Eight Australian major research-intensive universities, and the Worldwide Universities Network.
Campuses
The University of Sydney has nine official campuses.
1. Camperdown/Darlington Campus.
2. Cumberland Campus. Home to the Faculty of Health Sciences (based in Lidcombe).
3. Mallett Street Campus. Home of the Sydney Nursing School.
4. Sydney Conservatorium of Music Campus. In Macquarie Street, central Sydney.
5. Rozelle Campus. Home to Sydney College of the Arts.
6. Surry Hills Campus. Home to the Faculty of Dentistry.
7. Camden Campus. Contains facilities connected to the Faculty of Veterinary Science and the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment.
8. Burren Street Campus. Facilties are currently under development.
9. Sydney Medical School campuses. These include the School of Rural Health (in Dubbo and Orange), the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Concord Hospital, Westmead Hospital, the Children's Hospital at Westmead, Nepean Hospital, Northern Clinical School, Sydney Adventist Hospital, Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health, and Northern Rivers University Department of Rural Health.
Faculties
The University of Sydney has 16 faculties.
1. Agriculture and Environment
2. Architecture, Design and Planning
3. Arts and Social Sciences
4. Business (Business School)
5. Dentistry
6. Education and Social Work
7. Engineering and Information Technologies
8. Health Sciences
9. Law (Sydney Law School)
10. Medicine (Sydney Medical School)
11. Nursing and Midwifery
12. Pharmacy
13. Science
14. Sydney College of the Arts
15. Sydney Conservatorium of Music
16. Veterinary Science
Number of Employees
Full-time employees: ****
For more information, please visit: /

📌 Executive Director, Advancement Services (Sydney)
🏢 Odgers US
📍 Sydney