Careers at UniSC

• People and Culture, UniSC Sunshine Coast Campus, Sippy Downs (4 days p.w. on-campus)
• Professional Level 8, $118,986 – $134,756 p.a., plus up to 17% employer superannuation
• Full-time, ongoing opportunity

The opportunity

UniSC is entering a critical phase of workforce and capability uplift to support our Strategic Plan and long‑term sustainability. As Workforce Capability Lead, you will play a pivotal enterprise role translating the University’s Strategic Workforce Plan into practical, coordinated initiatives that strengthen workforce capability across the institution.
Reporting to the Associate Director, Culture and Capability, this role operates with a high degree of autonomy and influence. You will work in close partnership with senior Academic and Professional people leaders, People and Culture colleagues, and key stakeholders to embed workforce planning, succession and career development into UniSC’s core planning, budgeting and decision‑making processes.
This is a senior specialist leadership role, focused on enterprise outcomes rather than line management. Your impact will be felt through the frameworks, insights and advice that enable leaders to make confident, evidence‑based workforce decisions.

You will

• Lead the enterprise‑wide translation of UniSC’s Strategic Workforce Plan into actionable workforce, succession and career development frameworks
• Embed workforce planning into annual planning, budgeting and workforce review cycles, ensuring alignment between strategy, capability and financial settings
• Use workforce and talent data, analytics and scenario modelling to inform executive decisions on workforce supply and demand, critical roles and succession risk
• Develop high‑quality workforce planning outputs, including workforce plans, dashboards and executive‑level insights
• Partner with senior leaders and People and Culture colleagues to uplift organisational capability in workforce planning and talent assessment
• Ensure workforce and capability impacts are proactively considered in organisational change, transformation and business planning initiatives
• Provide authoritative, trusted advice while enabling consistent application across diverse schools, institutes and departments

About People and Culture

People and Culture is a strategic partner to the University, supporting leaders to attract, develop, motivate and retain a diverse, capable and engaged workforce. We work collaboratively across UniSC to create inclusive, healthy and high‑performing workplaces that support our vision to create a better tomorrow.

For more information on People and Culture at UniSC, please visit us online: unisc.edu.au

About you

You are a strategic workforce professional with deep expertise in workforce planning, analytics and capability development. You are comfortable working at enterprise level, influencing senior stakeholders and navigating complexity with confidence and pragmatism.
You bring a data‑informed mindset, strong judgement and the ability to translate strategy into frameworks and insights that leaders can genuinely use. You are motivated by building organisational capability and enabling others, rather than owning outcomes through hierarchy alone.

To be successful, you will possess:

• Relevant qualifications and extensive experience in workforce planning, organisational development, analytics or a related discipline
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise‑level workforce or capability initiatives in a large, complex organisation (ideally Higher Education, Health, Government or adjacent sector)
• Strong capability in workforce analytics, scenario planning and executive‑level reporting
• Proven experience designing and embedding workforce or capability frameworks
• A strong track record partnering with senior leaders and influencing outcomes in complex environments
• Experience contributing to organisational change or transformation initiatives, with a focus on sustainable capability outcomes
• Experience in a university or similarly complex, regulated environment is highly regarded

How to apply

Applications for this position close midnight, Monday 25 May 2026.

Don't meet every requirement? At UniSC, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our position description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

Your completed application must include a cover letter, detailing your skills, attributes and motivation for the position, and your resume.

Position description:  494466_Workforce Capability Lead.pdf

Have questions or want to know more? For a confidential discussion, please contact:

Fiona Murphy, Associate Director, Culture and Capability
Telephone: 07 5459 4835
Email: fmurphy@usc.edu.au

UniSC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, women in STEM, First Nations Peoples, and individuals of diverse cultures, genders, abilities, and experiences. We value achievement relative to opportunity and encourage your commentary on your achievements in this context. For additional support during the application process, please contact us at unisc-careers@usc.edu.au or call +61 7 5430 2830.

UniSC values a diverse and talented workforce and invites applications from candidates who already have legal work rights in Australia.

All applications must be lodged through our website. To apply please visit our website at: Careers at UniSC

Further information regarding how to prepare your application is available on our website: Join our team

UniSC does not accept unsolicited applications. For agency inquiries, contact unisc-careers@usc.edu.au

We would love the opportunity to get to know you better, but we know it works both ways. To get to know a little more about us, visit us at: Welcome to UniSC and LinkedIn Life

Discover UniSC

We’re all about doing work that matters, connecting with great people, and being part of an incredible journey. While we’re not the largest university, we are one of the fastest growing in Australia, now with over 2,000 staff across five campuses in South East Queensland and an expanding presence in major capital cities, and we’re making a big impact every day through ground-breaking research, a strong commitment to sustainability, high-performance sport, and award-winning alumni.
We are committed to delivering high-quality research and teaching that address major global and regional challenges, with established and emerging strengths in sustainability, environmental systems, biodiversity, aquaculture, preventative health and regional resilience. Our research excellence is internationally recognised through strong performance in global benchmarking, including leading rankings in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings for “Zero Hunger,” “Climate Action” and “Life on Land.” UniSC is also recognised for its teaching excellence, with a strong emphasis on student success, innovative and engaging learning experiences, and strong graduate outcomes that equip learners to make meaningful contributions in their chosen fields. As the only university operating within three UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, UniSC is uniquely positioned to leverage its natural environment to advance impactful research, teaching and partnerships that support sustainable futures, with sustainability embedded across all aspects of our teaching, research and operations.
We foster a collaborative and supportive environment that encourages continuous professional development and provides the tools and resources to grow your career. We value the contributions of every team member and the role they play in our culture and success. We’re not afraid to do things differently, and we’re looking for people who share our values and want to be part of a team working together to make a meaningful difference to local and global challenges.

Our Culture & Benefits:

• Our collaborative, passionate and welcoming culture is what really sets us apart.
• Modern teaching & research facilities.
• Professional development and career pathway opportunities.
• We are a proud recipient of the prestigious Athena SWAN Bronze Award, granted as part of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) initiative.
• Flexible work arrangements & generous leave options.
• Salary packing options + 17% Super.
• EAP, fitness passport & discounted private health.