Director Research Strategy and Services

Job No.: 687852

Location: Clayton campus

Employment Type: Full-time

Duration: 3-year fixed-term appointment

Remuneration: $201,687 pa Level 10B (plus 17% employer superannuation)

• Amplify your impact at a world top 50 University
• Join our inclusive, collaborative community
• Be surrounded by extraordinary ideas - and the people who discover them

The Opportunity

Monash University is a place where ambition meets impact. As a global leader in research and education, we are driven by a clear purpose: to pursue discoveries that shape healthier communities, advance scientific understanding and respond to the defining challenges of our time. Within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, the University’s largest and most research‑intensive faculty, this purpose is lived every day.

We are now seeking an exceptional leader to join us as Director, Research Strategy and Services, a pivotal role that will influence the future direction, performance and reputation of one of Australia’s most significant research enterprises.

Shape the Strategy. Drive the Performance. Elevate the Impact.

Working closely with the Deputy Dean (Research) and senior academic leadership, you will guide the development and execution of the Faculty’s research strategy across all campuses and institutes. You will lead programs that strengthen research capability, enhance investment and performance, and expand national and international engagement.

This is a role for a strategic thinker who thrives in complexity, sees opportunity in change and brings clarity, confidence and direction to diverse teams and stakeholders. You will oversee research administration, strategic initiatives, international partnerships, performance analytics, risk and compliance, and the operational frameworks that underpin more than $420m in annual research revenue.

Key areas of influence include:

• Leading the continuous improvement of research capacity and performance across the Faculty
• Driving strategic planning and contributing expert advice to senior leadership
• Identifying emerging trends, funding opportunities and sector shifts, and positioning the Faculty to respond
• Building a proactive, service‑focused culture within the Faculty Research Office
• Strengthening collaborations across faculties, institutes, national partners and global networks
• Overseeing research risk, compliance and resource allocation
• Supporting growth in grant success, research outputs and research training excellence

About you

You bring extensive senior leadership experience in complex research environments, with deep knowledge of the research ecosystem, government policy and university operations. You are a trusted adviser, an analytical thinker and a confident communicator who can influence at the highest levels. You excel at leading teams, navigating change and delivering strategic outcomes with precision and foresight.

Join a Faculty that Leads, Innovates and Inspires

About Monash University

At Monash, work feels different. There’s a sense of belonging, from contributing to something ground breaking – a place where great things happen.

We value difference and diversity, and welcome and celebrate everyone's contributions, lived experience and expertise. That’s why we champion an inclusive and respectful workplace culture where everyone is supported to succeed.

Some 20,000 staff work for Monash around the world. We have 95,000 students, four Australian campuses, and campuses in Malaysia and Indonesia. We also have a major presence in India and China, and a significant centre and research foundation in Italy.

In our short history, we have skyrocketed through global university rankings and established ourselves consistently among the world's best tertiary institutions. We rank in the world’s top-50 universities in rankings including the QS World University Rankings 2026.

Learn more about Monash.

Today, we have the momentum to create the future we need for generations to come. Accelerate your change here.

Monash supports flexible and hybrid working arrangements. We have a range of policies in place enabling staff to combine work and personal commitments. This includes supporting parents.

To Apply

For instructions on how to apply, please refer to 'How to apply for Monash Jobs'. In your application, please address the following:

1. What experience do you have leading research strategy, research services or complex research portfolios, and how have you influenced performance or capability at a faculty or institution‑wide level?
2. How have you successfully navigated major organisational change, competing priorities or complex stakeholder environments, and what approaches did you use to build alignment and drive outcomes?
3. What is an example of a strategic initiative, funding opportunity or research partnership you identified and led that delivered measurable impact, and what was your role in shaping its success?

Diversity is one of our greatest strengths at Monash. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, and people of all genders, sexualities, and age groups.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible recruitment process at Monash. If you need any reasonable adjustments, please contact us at hr-recruitment@monash.edu in an email titled 'Reasonable Adjustments Request' for a confidential discussion.

Your employment is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of all pre-employment and/or background checks required for the role, as determined by the University.

Enquiries: Professor James Whisstock, Deputy Dean (Research), James.Whisstock@monash.edu

Position Description: Director, Research Strategy and Services

Applications Close: Sunday 18 January 2026, 11:55pm AEDT

Please note: Monash University will be closed from Wednesday 24 December 2025 until Friday 2 January 2026 inclusive