Senior Lead, Decision Modelling and Advisory

• Employment Type: Continuing, Full-time, 35 hours per week opportunity
• Remuneration: Level 9 – from $153,933 plus 17% superannuation and leave loading
• Location: Kensington, NSW (Hybrid working conditions)

About UNSW

At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work. We aspire to be Australia’s global university, improving and transforming lives through excellence in research, outstanding education and a commitment to advancing a just society.

Why your role matters

UNSW Planning and Performance (UPP) builds capability in business intelligence, student load forecasting, and data-driven performance as a trusted strategic partner to university leaders. Moving beyond traditional KPI reporting, the Senior Lead, Decision Modelling and Advisory drives the design, governance, and evolution of institutional performance frameworks and end-to-end modelling capabilities. This role brings together multi-system quantitative and qualitative data, transposing it into well-structured decision-support tools and practical, action-oriented insights to inform strategic planning and operational trade-offs across the institution.

Working closely with executive, academic, and professional stakeholders, the position combines strong technical modelling with an advisory focus to influence executive decision-making. Reporting to the Head, Planning and Performance (with 0–2 direct reports), the ideal candidate combines expertise in quantitative methods (finance, analytics, consultancy) with a business partnering background and an innovative mindset, challenging established ways of working to continuously improve processes, benchmarking, and the university's overall strategic performance.

About the Role

The successful applicant will be required to undertake and have experience in the following areas of expertise:

• Lead the design, development and continuous improvement of institutional models, including product viability, forecasting, statistical analysis and scenario planning.
• Oversee University-wide resource allocation and performance frameworks, establishing clear methodologies, measures, targets and decision-making principles.
• Monitor and refine University KPIs and performance metrics, leveraging strategic priorities, sector trends and benchmarking to evaluate progress and risks.
• Provide evidence-based advisory support to senior leaders on competitive positioning, trade-offs and growth opportunities to drive institutional performance.
• Translate complex quantitative and qualitative data into clear executive insights, reporting and practical decision-support materials.
• Build trusted partnerships with academic and professional stakeholders to support the effective adoption of models, frameworks and analytical practices.
• Establish quality assurance standards and governance processes to ensure the integrity of models, while upskilling team and university-wide decision-support capabilities.

About You

• Substantial experience designing, developing and governing complex institutional models, forecasting frameworks and resource allocation methodologies within large, complex organisations.
• Highly developed analytical, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, with a proven ability to structure ambiguous qualitative and quantitative data into clear, actionable executive insights.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management capabilities, with demonstrated success in influencing senior leaders, driving strategic outcomes and building analytical capability across teams.
• Advanced technical expertise in data analysis and modelling using tools such as Databricks, Excel, Power Pivot and Power BI, alongside working knowledge of SQL, Python or DAX.
• Proven project management experience managing concurrent initiatives, re-engineering complex systems and processes, backed by relevant tertiary qualifications in analytics, business, economics or a related discipline.

For further information on the role & responsibilities, please refer to the Position Description

How to Apply: Submit your CV & cover letter detailing your interest and suitability for the job (as per the skills & experience bullet points in the Position Description) before Sunday 18th October by 11:55pm.

Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this role, valid Australian working rights are required on application.

UNSW Benefits and Culture: People are at the core of everything we do. We recognise it is the contributions of our staff who make UNSW one of the best universities in Australia and the world. Our benefits include:

• Flexible Working Options (work from home, flexible hours etc)
• Additional 3 days leave during December festive period.
• Career development opportunities
• Up to 50% discount on UNSW courses
• Flexible 17% Superannuation contributions, additional leave-loading payments and salary sacrifice.
• Discounts and entitlements (retail, education, fitness passport)

UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff.

Pre-Employment Checks

Aligned with UNSW’s focus on cultivating a workplace defined by safety, ethical conduct, and strong integrity preferred candidates will be required to participate in a combination of pre-employment checks relevant to the role they have applied for.

These pre-employment checks may include a combination of some of the following checks:-

• National and International Criminal history checks
• Entitlement to work and ID checks
• Working With Children Checks
• Completion of a Gender-Based Violence Prevention Declaration
• Verification of relevant qualifications
• Verification of relevant professional membership
• Employment history and reference checks
• Financial responsibility assessments/checks.
• Medical Checks and Assessments

Compliance with the necessary combination of these checks is a condition of employment at UNSW.