Director, Wellbeing and Safety

This is a unique moment in South Australia's history and a career opportunity rarely seen in Adelaide.

• Create and embed new ways of working to deliver exceptional wellbeing and safety outcomes.
• Lead strategic wellbeing and safety initiatives to create a safe, inclusive workplace aligned with strategic and university wide goals.
• Collaborate with leaders, partners, and teams to embed evidence-based practices enhancing employee engagement and fostering trust.

Adelaide University is seeking its inaugural Director, Wellbeing and Safety to provide transformative leadership in defining a safe, positive, and inclusive environment for their people. This is a unique moment in South Australia's history and a career opportunity rarely seen in Adelaide. Your expertise will have real impact, shaping culture, systems, and wellbeing initiatives - covering the full spectrum of safety and wellbeing from compliance through to proactive psychological health initiatives.

Opening the doors to students in 2026, Adelaide University is transforming education for contemporary learners and global citizens. Building on a proud legacy and shaped by bold ambition, it is a place of excellence and equity, where a vibrant community of staff united by purpose are building a university that inspires Australia's future change-makers and leads to a better tomorrow. With values of Trust, Inclusivity, Ambition, Respect, and Discovery at the heart of everything they do, Adelaide University is committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture where everyone feels genuinely valued and empowered to thrive.

Based in Adelaide's CBD, supporting multiple campus locations, this role offers the opportunity to:

• Mobilise and evolve a large wellbeing and safety function from day one of Adelaide University.
• Implement contemporary, evidence-based strategies that position the University as an employer of choice.
• Contribute to the creation of a workplace culture built on inclusivity, wellbeing, and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and implement comprehensive Wellbeing, Health and Safety strategies in collaboration with leaders and stakeholders.
• Establish inclusive, evidence-based wellbeing and safety systems, policies and practices, ensuring compliance and continuous improvement.
• Advise leaders on psychosocial risks, legislative changes, and risk management strategies.
• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team to deliver innovative wellbeing and safety initiatives.
• Champion a healthy workplace culture through strategic planning, policy oversight, and operational excellence.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to integrate emerging best practices and maintain high standards.
• Apply agile and lean approaches to continuously improve People and Culture processes.

Key requirements:

• Proven experience leading wellbeing, health and safety functions in large, complex and dynamic environments.
• Expert knowledge of Work, Health and Safety legislation, risk management and governance frameworks with the ability to apply them in innovative and fit for purpose ways.
• Demonstrated ability to create and sustain collaborative working relationships across all levels, fostering trust, inclusion, and shared ownership of outcomes.
• Strong capability in leveraging digital tools, data analytics, and assurance processes to monitor compliance, track performance, and enable continuous improvement.
• A record of building, mentoring, and leading high-performing teams that embrace agility, innovation, and accountability.

While ensuring strong compliance with work health and safety legislation is fundamental, including the development and implementation of a new safety management system, this role goes far beyond meeting regulatory requirements. It is about creating an environment where safety and wellbeing are embedded across the University-where proactive, innovative approaches improve employee experience, shape culture, and support the achievement of strategic goals.

Applications close Wednesday 17th September 2025.

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