Senior Strategic Advisor-School of Public Health

Full job description
Full time fixed term until 31 March 2026

Senior Strategic Advisor overseeing key relationships and strategic programs of work for Professor Karen Canfell

Base Salary $ 156,277 + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

Join the Leaders in Global Health and Cancer Control
Founded in 1930, the Sydney School of Public Health is Australia’s first and leading school in public health, dedicated to addressing the world's most pressing health challenges. Each day, our researchers and graduates are tackling global health issues and striving to improve equity in communities both locally and around the world.

At the forefront of cancer control, Professor Karen Canfell and her team play a pivotal role in supporting policy, practice and decision-making for innovative cancer solutions. Their groundbreaking work has led to the transformation of Australia’s National Cervical Screening Program, which transitioned to HPV testing in 2017, positioning Australia as the first country expected to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue. They led several key international research papers that underpinned the WHO global strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer and have developed a suite of tools for its planning and implementation.

Professor Canfell's team and collaborators are also at the cutting edge of a range of other priority cancer control areas, including bowel, breast and lung cancer screening, roadmaps for improved liver and pancreatic cancer outcomes, primary prevention and health services and the development of clinical guidelines to underpin the translation of evidence into practice.

We are recruiting a Senior Strategic Advisor to provide expert relationship management and development advice and high-level support to Professor Karen Canfell. This critical role involves managing and overseeing key relationships and strategic programs of work, offering strategic and implementation portfolio development advice, as well as leading and ensuring excellence in the delivery, management and communications of the research programs and associated philanthropically supported initiatives. The role will have a dual domestic and international portfolio focus across multiple cancers and regions.

Become a part of a legacy that is changing the face of global health. At the Sydney School of Public Health, we empower our students and researchers to make a lasting difference, driving the future of health policy, cancer prevention, and equitable healthcare worldwide.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

Lead and engage in strategic planning, implementation program development, philanthropy, stakeholder engagement and marketing branding for the group

provide critical high quality and timely executive, project and advisory services on a range of strategic, and operational matters, influencing decision-making processes and outcomes

with broad direction, conceptualise and implement innovative strategic models that cater to diverse stakeholder group needs

in partnership with University of Sydney media and marketing professionals, build the team’s public profile and integrate research outputs with media and community engagement and advocacy to support evidence translation

drive the strategic direction for work area reporting and ensure the highest standards of legislative, accreditation, and funder compliance

drive, with input from senior school or faculty staff, the strategic direction of budgeting processes, ensuring the effective allocation of resources, and provide insights to senior leadership on financial trends and forecasts

mentor and support the specialist team, promoting continuous professional development and operational efficiency

contribute to building a people-centric culture of excellence in the portfolio.

About you

postgraduate qualifications, or relevant experience in a relevant field and a track record of project management in a complex and relevant environment

detailed knowledge of the key stakeholders and initiatives in Australia’s and global and regional cancer control ecosystems

detailed knowledge of cancer control in a public policy and practice context and mechanisms for the translation of evidence into policy and practice

extensive experience in the acquisition and management of significant philanthropic, research and government grants and in the management of grant teams

strong track record of demonstrated partnership development achievements, including attracting and managing new philanthropic partnerships

demonstrated experience in a strategic advisory capacity, including managing strategic communications and market brand

philanthropic and research grant writing experience

rich experience in strategic and operational planning with a commitment to continuous improvement

exceptional internal and external multisectoral stakeholder engagement experience including federal/state government, NFP and academic exposure with delivery of high quality outcomes

exceptional written and verbal communication skills, and cross-cultural, negotiation and interpersonal skills

astute analytical and problem-solving skills, with the capacity to think creatively and boldly, act strategically, be flexible and agile in response to complex issues

demonstrated ability to deal effectively with high volume workload, competing priorities and unexpected events, exercising judgement and taking action accordingly, and ensuring tasks are completed on time

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

Work Rights: you must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role required pre-employment or background checks in terms satisfactory to the University. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion , evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People , women , people living with a disability , people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds , and those who identify as LGBTIQ+ . We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Gold employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion .

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Cecilia Blamey, Recruitment Operations by email to cecilia.blamey@sydney.edu.au.

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The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

Applications Close

Monday 21 July 2025 11:59 PM Read more