Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne is hiring an Executive Dean for its School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies. This Swinburne Executive Dean job is a full-time, five-year fixed-term post based at the Hawthorn campus. Applications close on Sunday 22 November 2026 at 11:30pm AEDT (12:30pm GMT the same day). The salary figure is not published; the advert offers an “attractive salary” plus 17% superannuation and staff benefits.
You need a PhD in a relevant discipline, international standing as an academic leader and real experience running budgets and people. The executive search firm The Insight Group is handling the search, so you can apply through Swinburne’s careers site or call the consultants first for a confidential talk. Below I cover what the role involves, the selection criteria, the application steps, and how to write a pack that gets you onto the shortlist.
Swinburne Executive Dean job at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Job title | Executive Dean, School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies |
| Employer | Swinburne University of Technology |
| Campus | Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Reports to | Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer |
| Committees | Academic Executive Group; Vice-Chancellor’s Advisory Group |
| Contract | Full time, fixed term of five years |
| Start date | Not stated in the advert |
| Salary | Not published (“attractive salary”) |
| Superannuation | 17% |
| Pre-employment checks | Working with Children Check and National Police Check |
| Search firm | The Insight Group (Dr Rohan Carr and Ms Emily Witts) |
| Deadline | 22 November 2026, 11:30pm AEDT |
What the School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies covers
Swinburne’s own school page describes a wide portfolio: science, chemistry and biotechnology, physics and astronomy, mathematics, computer science, software engineering and information technology. The school has four departments and several research centres.
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
- Department of Computing Technologies
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing
- Optical Sciences Centre
- Centre for Quantum Technology Theory
The research mix on that page runs from fast radio bursts and supercomputing to quantum technology, optical sciences and a cybersecurity lab. When I checked on 29 October 2026, the school page listed Professor Enzo Palombo as interim dean, so the permanent appointment is still open. In practice you would be leading astronomers, chemists, mathematicians and software engineers at the same time, and that spread matters when you write your application.
What the Executive Dean does
The advert puts the Executive Dean in charge of the school’s strategy and makes them accountable for its quality, performance and financial health. That covers teaching, research, innovation, and partnerships with industry and the community. The main duties listed are:
- Delivering a strong student experience through teaching, course design and continuous improvement.
- Building research performance: external funding, postgraduate supervision, and research integrity and security.
- Developing national and international partnerships.
- Managing staff, workload allocation, talent and succession planning.
- Holding full profit-and-loss accountability, with budgets lined up against student load forecasts.
- Building an inclusive culture with good governance.
You report to the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer. You also sit on the Academic Executive Group and the Vice-Chancellor’s Advisory Group, so you take part in university-wide decisions as well as running the school.
Why profit-and-loss accountability matters here
Many dean adverts talk about “budget oversight”. This one says full profit and loss, and it ties budgets to student load forecasts. In Australian universities, income from domestic and international student load pays for much of the academic payroll. A dean who cannot forecast enrolments, adjust course offerings and keep staffing costs in line will struggle. If you have run a faculty budget through a fall in international enrolments, that is the story to tell.
Requirements for the Executive Dean role
The selection criteria in the advert and position description are:
- A PhD in a relevant discipline.
- International standing as an academic leader in the field.
- Business acumen and financial management skill.
- Strategic, analytical and conceptual ability.
- Collaborative leadership across disciplines and sectors, including leadership of teaching.
- Research leadership with national and international outcomes.
- Understanding of Australian tertiary education, international activity and university governance.
- Strong communication with academic, professional, student, industry and government audiences.
How to read these criteria
The PhD is the only hard qualification. The rest you prove with evidence. “Understanding of Australian tertiary education” is the criterion overseas applicants tend to skip. You do not need to have worked in Australia, but you should show you know how the sector is funded and regulated, and how international student policy affects a school’s income. If you have led partnerships with Australian universities or industry, put that near the top.
Salary, superannuation and benefits
The advert does not give a salary figure. It says “attractive salary + 17% super and staff benefits”. Executive dean pay at Australian universities is normally set as an individual package, so I have no published scale to quote here. Ask The Insight Group for the remuneration range during your confidential call; consultants expect that question.
The 17% superannuation is the employer contribution to your retirement fund. Swinburne’s careers page says it uses UniSuper and lists other benefits for staff:
- Paid parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers, plus adoption leave and study leave options.
- A 48/52 option, which lets you buy extra leave by spreading salary over the year.
- A 50% study fee reduction at Swinburne, staff development programmes and mentoring.
- Counselling, onsite health services, and discounts on private health cover and gyms.
Visa sponsorship and international applicants
The advert says nothing about visa sponsorship, citizenship or residency. It does say Swinburne signed Victoria’s Commitment to Action and welcomes applications from international graduates. That statement is about removing barriers for international graduates, and it is not a promise to sponsor a work visa. If you would need a visa to work in Australia, raise it with The Insight Group early and ask whether the university will sponsor for this post.
You will also need a Working with Children Check and a National Police Check, or be able to get them before you start. Overseas applicants should ask what the university accepts for time spent living outside Australia.
How to apply for the Swinburne Executive Dean job
- Read the position description: it is linked at the bottom of the advert and sets out the selection criteria in full.
- Book a confidential call (optional): contact Dr Rohan Carr or Ms Emily Witts at The Insight Group on +61 3 9654 3288 or applications@insightgroup.com.au.
- Prepare your pack: the advert does not list documents. Expect to provide a CV and a covering letter that addresses the criteria, and confirm the format with the consultants.
- Submit online: use the “Apply” link on the advert, which goes to Swinburne’s careers system.
- Ask for adjustments if you need them: for disability-related adjustments, email talentacquisition@swin.edu.au or call +61 3 9214 3550.
- Submit before the deadline: 11:30pm AEDT on 22 November 2026. Melbourne is 11 hours ahead of GMT at that time of year.
Swinburne says it is a Circle Back Initiative employer, which means it commits to replying to every applicant. You should hear back either way.
About Swinburne University of Technology and Melbourne
Swinburne is a public university with its main campus in Hawthorn, in Melbourne’s inner east. Its rankings have stayed steady in the top 300:
| Ranking | Edition | Swinburne’s position |
|---|---|---|
| QS World University Rankings | 2027 (published June 2026) | 291st, up three places |
| THE World University Rankings | 2027 (published September 2026) | 294th |
| THE research quality pillar | 2027 | 63rd, up from 92nd |
The university’s Ad Astra strategy is the plan the next Executive Dean will be asked to deliver, so read it before you write anything. It frames Swinburne as a technology university with strong industry links, and your plan for the school should fit that frame.
Melbourne is one of Australia’s two largest cities, and housing is the cost to plan for. Check rents in Hawthorn and the nearby inner-east suburbs before you talk money, and ask about relocation support at offer stage, because the advert does not mention it.
How to write the application
Deans are hired on evidence of results. The panel wants to see numbers, decisions and outcomes for every criterion.
The covering letter
A strong letter for this role runs about two to three pages and follows a simple structure:
- Opening: who you are, your current role, and why this school at this point.
- Your reading of the school: two or three specific opportunities, such as astronomy and supercomputing strength, quantum work, or computing enrolments.
- Evidence against the criteria: group them into leadership, research, education, finance and partnerships, with one measurable result each.
- First-year priorities: what you would do in the first 12 months, kept realistic.
- Close: availability and any visa or relocation points.
A sample opening, for illustration only: “As Dean of Engineering at [your university], I grew external research income by a third over four years while bringing the faculty budget back into surplus, and I would like to do the same work for Swinburne’s School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies.”
The CV
Put leadership roles first, with the size of each unit you led (staff, students, budget). Then add research income, key publications, doctoral completions, major partnerships and governance roles. Keep it to the evidence a panel can scan in five minutes.
What the selection process looks like
The advert does not set out a timetable. Searches run by firms like The Insight Group usually follow a familiar pattern: the consultants speak to candidates confidentially, a longlist goes to the selection panel, shortlisted candidates meet the panel (often more than once), and references are taken before an offer. Expect a presentation on your vision for the school at the panel stage. Ask the consultants for the expected interview dates on your first call so you can keep them free.
Common mistakes
- Sending a CV with no covering letter that addresses the criteria.
- Writing about research only. This role carries a full P&L, so financial results matter as much as publications.
- Ignoring the Australian context, especially student load and international student policy.
- Leaving the visa question until the offer stage.
- Writing a generic “vision” that could apply to any science faculty. Name the school’s departments and centres.
- Waiting until the last evening. 11:30pm AEDT is early afternoon in West Africa and Europe.
Who should apply and who shouldn’t
Apply if you hold a PhD and already lead a faculty, school or large department as dean, deputy dean or head of school, ideally in science, computing or engineering, with clear budget responsibility. Senior research leaders who have also run teaching and finances can make a case too.
I would not apply if your leadership experience is limited to a research group, or if you have never held budget accountability. The same applies if you need visa sponsorship and the consultants confirm the university cannot provide it.
Similar leadership jobs to compare
| Role | Institution | Location | Salary | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean of the School of Applied Technology and AI | Arden University | United Kingdom | Not stated | 16 November 2026 |
| Professor and Dean, School of CHIPS | Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University | Suzhou, China | Competitive (no figure) | 30 November 2026 |
| Deputy Dean (Research), Medicine and Health | University of Sydney | Sydney, Australia | Not stated | 4 November 2026 |
| Dean of the College of Social Sciences | SOAS University of London | London, UK | Not stated | 9 November 2026 |
If you are earlier in your career and want to study in Australia, our guide to Deakin University scholarships covers another Melbourne option.
Swinburne Executive Dean job: FAQs
What is the deadline for the Swinburne Executive Dean application?
Applications close on Sunday 22 November 2026 at 11:30pm AEDT, which is 12:30pm GMT that day.
What is the salary for the Swinburne Executive Dean?
Swinburne has not published a figure. The advert offers an attractive salary plus 17% superannuation and staff benefits, so ask The Insight Group for the range.
Does Swinburne sponsor visas for this Executive Dean job?
The advert does not say. It welcomes applications from international graduates, but you should confirm sponsorship with the search consultants before you apply.
Who do I contact about the Swinburne Executive Dean role?
Dr Rohan Carr or Ms Emily Witts at The Insight Group, on +61 3 9654 3288 or applications@insightgroup.com.au.
Sources and updates
Checked on 29 October 2026 against the Times Higher Education Unijobs listing for this role (job 416641) and the position description it links to, Swinburne’s school page for the School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies, Swinburne’s careers page on employee benefits, and Swinburne’s news releases on the QS World University Rankings 2027 (18 June 2026) and the THE World University Rankings 2027 (30 September 2026). We will update this page if Swinburne changes the closing date or announces the appointment.
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