Associate Dean Research & Innovation in the School of Business Who we are? At Torrens University Australia, making a difference is in our DNA. As a Certified B Corporation, we belong to a global community of future-focused companies using business as a force for good. We believe in the transformative power of education to change lives, families, communities – and the world. That’s why we’re on a mission to increase access to higher education, so learners from all walks of life can chase their dreams. Just like our students, our employees are a diverse group who want to make an impact. When you join us, we give you the freedom to be bold, creative, and courageous – with flexible working arrangements that allow you to bring your best. We’ve built a culture that celebrates community, collaboration, and innovation, where people love what they do. The Opportunity This is a new role responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership across research, innovation, research training, industry-partnered research and external engagement. Working closely with the Dean of Business School and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Innovation, you will help shape a high-quality, applied, industry-engaged and impact-focused research culture. The role will contribute to the University’s ambition to be a university for the real world by strengthening research capability, improving research performance, growing external partnerships and ensuring research creates meaningful value for students, industry, communities and the wider profession. Principle accountabilities:
• Lead the development and implementation of the School’s Research & Innovation Plan, aligned with University strategy and priorities.
• Support the School to achieve research performance targets, including quality outputs, research income, HDR completions, external engagement and measurable impact.
• Build research capability by supporting academic staff with research planning, grant applications, publications, applied research and collaborative research profiles.
• Support the effective development of Higher Degree by Research activity, including recruitment, supervision quality, progress, completion outcomes and student experience.
• Promote research quality, integrity, ethics, governance,



compliance and evidence-informed performance improvement.
• Develop industry, government, community, professional body and international partnerships that create opportunities for applied research, innovation and impact.
• Identify opportunities for interdisciplinary and cross-School collaboration, particularly where research connects with curriculum, employability, work-integrated learning and industry engagement.
• Represent the School in University-wide research strategy, governance, policy and performance initiatives.
• This role has the following workload allocation: Research leadership (40%): time dedicated to leading research activity within the role. Teaching (40%): time allocated to teaching responsibilities. Personal research (20%): time allocated to the role-holder's own research program. Who you are: You will be an accomplished academic leader with a strong record in tertiary education, research and/or HDR leadership. You will bring the credibility, collaboration and strategic judgement needed to engage research-active staff, build partnerships and translate priorities into measurable outcomes.
• A postgraduate or doctoral qualification, preferably relevant to the School, or equivalent relevant industry experience.
• A significant track record of leadership in tertiary education, research and/or HDR programs, including contribution to policy, processes and governance.
• Demonstrated contribution to knowledge and research, including the beneficial application of knowledge and/or innovation in practice.
• Experience leading innovation, developing external relationships and building collaborative research or industry partnerships.
• Experience developing and leading high-performing teams, with a commitment to positive leadership, inclusion and staff development.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, analytical and influencing skills, with the ability to work across schools, disciplines and professional teams.



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about the role
please click here. This is a permanent, full-time position that can be based at any of our campus locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Brisbane. Why join us? Bold, modern and agile, we’re Australia’s fastest-growing university, going from 164 students in 2014 to 40,000+ alumni across 115+ countries and 2000+ staff today. In 2020, Australian Financial Review named us one of the country’s most cutting-edge companies. As we continue to establish ourselves as a truly global university, we never lose sight of our student-centric approach. Supported by teams of passionate people, you’ll find endless opportunities for professional development and career progression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all positions. What you’ll gain from the role
• Shape the research and innovation agenda for the School of Business.
• Strengthen research capability, partnerships and real-world impact across the University.
• Work with senior academic and qualified leaders in a collaborative, future-focused environment.
• Contribute to Torrens University Australia’s mission to deliver research and education with meaningful impact. Hiring process To express your interest, please submit a current CV and a brief statement (maximum two pages) outlining your suitability for the role, your relevant research and leadership experience, and your vision for research and innovation in the School of Business. If you have any accessibility requirements, please contact your recruiter at [email protected] for confidential support. We are committed to ensuring an equitable, barrier-free application process and have a Reasonable Adjustment Procedure in place to support you throughout the recruitment process. To learn more about what makes Torrens University Australia a great place to work, visit https://www.torrens.edu.au/blog Applications close: 29th November 2026 Job reference: R31330

📌 Associate Dean in Research and Innovation (Melbourne)
🏢 Torrens University Australia
📍 Melbourne