Executive Director, Global Resilience

Monash•Clayton, NC

About The Position

Establish and lead the global security risk function. Protect research integrity and institutional resilience. About the role: Reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Senior Vice-President, and with a dotted reporting line to Monash’s Vice-Chancellor and President, the Executive Director, Global Resilience is a newly created executive appointment responsible for establishing and leading Monash's central global security and resilience function. The role will provide strategic leadership and coordination across the Monash Group, including international campuses, controlled entities, and institutional partnerships for the identification, assessment, and mitigation of complex global security risks, including foreign interference, research security and personnel-related risks. This encompasses optimising the management and strengthening staff awareness of these risks, and leading policy and process changes. The position will carry institutional accountability for the quality and consistency of global security risk assessments conducted across the Group, and provide authoritative advice and assurance to the University Council and its Risk and Audit Committee, the Vice-Chancellor and senior leadership on emerging and sensitive global security matters. The appointee will serve as Monash's primary interface with national security agencies and government bodies, including ASIO, DFAT and Home Affairs, and will chair the newly established Global Risk Advisory Group. In establishing a community of practice for global security risk and resilience, and leading a small team, the Executive Director will inspire high performance and drive organisational change.

Requirements

Senior executive with deep experience in a large, complex organization with international operations in higher education, research, government, or a closely adjacent sector.
Sophisticated understanding of how a research-intensive university functions, including the dynamics of international research collaboration, transnational education, and researcher-to-researcher engagement.
Australian citizen.
Genuine expertise in one or more of the following domains: national security, foreign policy, research security, or international relations.
Adept at operating across decentralized environments.
Adept at exercising lateral influence without direct authority.
Adept at engaging credibly with discerning senior internal and stakeholders with diverse perspectives.
Ability to apply judgment under pressure.
Precision and economy of communication.
Exceptional influencing skills.
Comfortable advising on matters with no clear right answer.
Ability to synthesize complex intelligence.
Ability to make or enable consequential decisions with speed and discretion.
Adept at moving between strategic advisory responsibilities and hands-on operational engagement.

Nice To Haves

International and multi-jurisdictional experience and exposure.
Nuanced insights into geopolitics most relevant to the University.

Responsibilities

Establish and lead Monash's central global security and resilience function.
Provide strategic leadership and coordination across the Monash Group for the identification, assessment, and mitigation of complex global security risks.
Optimize the management and strengthen staff awareness of global security risks.
Lead policy and process changes related to global security risks.
Carry institutional accountability for the quality and consistency of global security risk assessments.
Provide authoritative advice and assurance to the University Council, Risk and Audit Committee, Vice-Chancellor, and senior leadership on emerging and sensitive global security matters.
Serve as Monash's primary interface with national security agencies and government bodies.
Chair the newly established Global Risk Advisory Group.
Establish a community of practice for global security risk and resilience.
Lead a small team to inspire high performance and drive organizational change.