Senior Adviser, Strategic Partnerships

$119,069 to $134,108 pa (HEW 8)

Full time - fixed term contract until end 2026, City Campus and Joondalup Campus

Open to candidates with relevant working rights

OPEN TO ECU STAFF ONLY

Office of Vice President (Engagement)

Creative Futures

City Campus and Joondalup Campus

$119,069 to $134,108 pa (HEW 8)

Full time - fixed term contract until end 2026

Edith Cowan University

Are you ready to belong to a dynamic community where courage, creativity, and optimism are essential elements of our DNA? At ECU we're inspired by the incredible achievements of Edith Cowan, the first woman elected to an Australian parliament and a lifelong champion of education. Empowered by her legacy, we're united in our vision to lead the sector in educational experience and expand our impact through world-class research.

Embrace an opportunity to become part of something extraordinary.

Creative Futures is a cross-disciplinary team that brings together art, culture, digital innovation, creative partnerships, and entrepreneurship to accelerate ECU's goals in graduate employability, cultural leadership, impact translation and revenue diversification. As ECU embarks on a once-in-a-generation transformation through its new City Campus, Creative Futures will play a pivotal role in showcasing creativity, generating new income streams, and positioning ECU as a partner of choice for industry, government, and cultural institutions.

About the Opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Adviser, Strategic Partnerships to provide high-level advice, coordination and relationship management to strengthen ECU's industry and community partnerships.

Reporting to the Innovation & Enterprise Initiatives Lead (incoming role), you will play a central role in driving ECU and Creative Futures' external engagement priorities. Not only will you lead the management of existing key strategic relationships, but you will also play a key role in identifying and securing new opportunities through your engagement with industry, government and community partners. The role combines relationship management, stakeholder engagement and business development with the co-design and delivery of strategic initiatives and projects, with the aim of generating new revenue streams and collaborative ventures across the University.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence ECU's reputation and impact through strategic partnerships and engagement and be part of a new team working towards ECU's creative future.

About you

You are an experienced professional who thrives at the intersection of relationship management, stakeholder engagement and business development, with a proven ability to turn partnerships into long-term strategic value.

You will bring:

Tertiary qualifications and relevant managerial experience, or an equivalent combination of expertise and training.

Demonstrated experience building and sustaining partnerships with industry, government, and community stakeholders.

Strong commercial and business development acumen, with experience in proposal development and revenue generation.

Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior leaders and diverse stakeholders.

Strong planning, organising and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in complex environments.

A collaborative mindset, with experience working across teams and embedding partnership activity institution-wide.

An understanding of higher education contexts is desirable.

You embody personal attributes that align with ECU's core values of Integrity, Respect, Rational Inquiry, Personal Excellence, and Courage. Your commitment to these values is evident in your approach to work and your interactions with colleagues and stakeholders.

Benefits of working at ECU

At ECU we're committed to fostering a positive employment experience and believe this is fundamental to the success and satisfaction of our employees. Growth and development matter here, because we recognise people are at the centre of everything we do. Our thriving work culture is guided by the ECU values and complemented by a range of employee benefits; visit our website to read about flexible working arrangements, generous leave entitlements, our commitment to Wellbeing, exclusive corporate discounts and industry-leading superannuation.

Contact

This full-time fixed-term position (until end of 2026) attracts remuneration of $119,069 to $134,108 pa (HEW 8), plus 17% university superannuation contribution.

ECU supports work/life balance with flexible working arrangements and has an award-winning health and wellness program, alongside a wide range of staff benefits across financial, health, travel, and lifestyle areas.

Application Process

Please upload your resume and a cover letter outlining why you are the ideal candidate for this position, with specific reference to the "About You" criteria above. Further details are provided in the position description.

Advert Closure

Applications close Wednesday, 5 November 2025 at 11:30pm AWST.

ECU reserves the right to close the advertisement before the stated closing date, and encourage applicants to submit their applications early.

PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED FROM CANDIDATES WHO HAVE THE RELEVANT WORKING RIGHTS TO FILL THIS POSITION.

ECU is a diverse and inclusive workplace with specific strategies and initiatives in place to address underrepresentation of specific groups. We strongly encourage applications from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

We are dedicated to attracting, retaining and developing our people regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age and faith. For more information on our commitment to equity and diversity, please visit our Inclusive Workplace website.

At ECU, we are committed to supporting adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, as well as during employment. We actively encourage people with disability to apply to ECU. To discuss how we can support adjustment requirements, please contact the person listed above.

Position description