About TAFE Queensland

TAFE Queensland is proud to be the largest and most experienced Vocational Education and Training provider in the State. For more than 140 years, TAFE Queensland has delivered practical and industry-relevant training to provide students with the skills and experience they need to build lifelong careers. TAFE Queensland been named the Large Training Provider of the Year at the prestigious 2024 Australian Training Awards. Our training is delivered to students and apprentices on-site, online, in the workplace, or on-campus to give people the skills they need to enrich their communities, support their industries, and strengthen their local economies.

By working at TAFE Queensland, you can be part of a highly experienced workforce closely connected with their industries and dedicated to delivering best practices and innovative training.

Your Opportunity

The Dean of Higher Education is a key leadership role which has oversight of all higher education activities including academic quality, the student experience, student retention, graduate outcomes, scholarly activity and degree development across TAFE Queensland. It has a particular focus on TAFE Queensland Higher Education degrees with relevant oversight of partner university programs.

You will also be responsible for effectively and efficiently managing staff and resources, including financial resources, within an allocated budget to achieve high quality outcomes in line with TAFE Queensland and TAFE Queensland strategic and operational plans, policies, legislation and other relevant parameters.

This position sits in the Higher Education unit and reports to the General Manager, Operations.

This is a Permanent, Full -Time opportunity.

The position will be based primarily at SouthBank and Mt Gravatt however you may be required to perform work at other TAFE Queensland campuses.

The Total Remuneration Package (TRP) for this role is to be negotiated as per Role Description.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the success of transformation and cultural change through promoting and modelling the established values of Safety First, Working Together, Focussing on our Customer, Taking Responsibility and Showing Initiative.
• Live a safety culture, lead by example and support the Health Safety and Environment Management System to create a TAFE Queensland safety culture.
• Provide high level advice to TAFE Queensland on higher education and opportunities in the international and domestic marketplace as required.
• Contribute to the development, management and review of higher education policy, frameworks, procedures and courses and ensure effective implementation of these across TAFE Queensland.
• TAFE Queensland region’s adherence to TEQSA’s Higher Education Standards Framework and professional body requirements relating to degree accreditation.
• Develop, plan and implement ongoing improvement to academic processes and academic standards across TAFE Queensland, in conjunction with the Higher Education Academic Team, to ensure quality learning outcomes and delivery consistent with TAFE Queensland’s higher education policies and processes.
• Contribute to and/or Chair identified academic committees that oversee the delivery of higher education courses and foster scholarly activities.
• Demonstrate leadership in scholarly activities including exploration and engagement of research related to vocational and higher education topics.
• Promote and manage positive working relationships within TAFE Queensland regions to support the implementation of change management within a culture focused on delivering quality programs in higher education.
• Promote TAFE Queensland across the higher education and other community sectors, locally, nationally and internationally.
• Exercise a continuing significant role in developing teaching quality through identifying, creating and promoting induction and staff development opportunities (in collaboration with People and Culture) in the areas of teaching and learning in higher education.

How you will be assessed

Within the context of the role description above, the ideal applicant will be someone who has the following key capabilities:

• Proven leadership skills including an ability to build strong, sustainable teams, manage resources within budget, and coordinate and contribute to a broad range of academic and scholarly functions in line with strategic objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead quality assurance and continuous improvement across the higher education operations, including design, development, co-ordination, reporting, review and continuous improvement of higher education courses.
• Demonstrated understanding of the higher education regulatory environment and its implications for TAFE Queensland, and well - developed knowledge and skills in the development and application of higher education policies and the application of State and Federal legislation relevant to the higher education sector.
• Demonstrated higher education governance experience, including membership of relevant committee both within and external to the organisation.
• Demonstrated experience in leading benchmarking and review processes both within and external to the organisation.
• Proven success in working collaboratively and an ability to build highly productive relationships with executives, staff and diverse stakeholders, both internal and external to TAFE Queensland.
• Contemporary knowledge of the issues and opportunities available in higher education and an awareness of the changing roles of higher education programs in the Vocational Education and Training sector both domestically and internationally.
• Superior communication influencing and listening skills and a demonstrated commitment to providing outstanding client service.

Mandatory Qualifications/Requirements

• Doctoral level qualification.
• Higher education teaching and course management experience.
• Experience in managing academic and professional staff within a non-self-accrediting and self-accrediting higher education context.
• Experience in the development and regulatory processes of higher education policy, frameworks and courses.

Highly Desirable Qualifications

• Understanding of regulatory and compliance related issues as they relate to an Institute of Higher Education in Australia.

How to apply

If you’re interested in this role, click the ‘Apply’ button to submit your application via the TAFE Queensland Recruitment Portal. When submitting your application, please ensure you provide the following:

• a detailed resume including the contact details for two referees (one of whom is your current supervisor); and
• a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) that outlines your experience, skills and abilities and responds to the ‘How you will be assessed’ criteria.
• applications must be submitted via TAFE Queensland’s recruitment portal.

Closing date: Tuesday 11:59PM, 4 November 2025

Job Reference Number: TQ2025-966

For further information, please contact:

Nik Babovic
General Manager, Operations
Email: [email protected]