DEAN, FACULTY OF PSYCHOLOGY, COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Location: Hawthorn East Employment type: Full-time, ongoing Reports to: CEO and Provost
The Cairnmillar Institute is seeking an outstanding academic and executive leader to join its Executive Leadership Team as Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy.
The Dean will provide strategic, academic, financial and organisational leadership across education, research, academic governance, accreditation, workforce capability, student success, financial
sustainability and external engagement. Working through a collaborative Faculty Leadership Group comprising the Deputy Dean, Associate Dean(s), Course Coordinators and other senior academic leaders, the Dean will lead the Faculty’s strategic direction, ensure high-quality academic and operational delivery, and support the continued growth and impact of the Institute.
The Cairnmillar Institute is a not-for-profit provider of psychological services and higher education, with a 65-year history of supporting mental health and training the next generation of practitioners. We offer clinics, short courses, vocational training and accredited postgraduate programs in psychology, counselling and psychotherapy.
The successful candidate:
The successful candidate will bring strong academic
standing, executive leadership capability, expertise in Australian higher
education quality and accreditation, a distinguished research profile,
financial and resource management experience, and exceptional people leadership
and stakeholder engagement skills.
This is an opportunity to have a genuine and visible impact within a values-driven, specialist higher education provider.Cairnmillar’s size, focus and organisational nimbleness create the opportunity
for the Dean to shape strategy, influence institutional direction, build meaningful partnerships and contribute directly to the future of the psychology, counselling and psychotherapy workforce.
Application closing date: 17 August 2026
To apply:
Please apply with a cover letter, CV and response to the selection criteria.
Please refer to the full Position Description for detailed responsibilities and requirements.
Please direct any questions to the current dean linda.byrne@cairnmillar.edu.au, or CEO and
Provost at kathryn.vontreuer@cairnmillar.org.au
A Police Check and Working with Children Check will be required from the successful applicant as a
condition of employment. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Why join Cairnmillar:
Our organisation is committed to child safety. We have zero tolerance for child abuse.
Cairnmillar is an equal opportunity employer committed to attracting and developing a diverse
workforce that reflects the community it serves.
The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) has been providing outstanding care for Victoria's children and their families for over 147 years.
We are the major specialist paediatric hospital in Victoria and our care extends to children from Tasmania, southern New South Wales and other states around Australia and overseas.
With a passionate, highly skilled and committed staff campus wide of over 5,000, we provide a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and young people.
We are the designated state-wide major trauma centre for paediatrics in Victoria and a Nationally Funded Centre for cardiac and liver transplantation.
When it comes to training and research we partner with the very best. Our campus partners, the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) and The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, along with the RCH Foundation, are on site with the hospital in Parkville. Together, we are committed to improving the health outcomes for children today and in the future.
In 2016–17, more than 85,654 children attended our Emergency Department, 322,291 specialist clinic appointments were held which was almost 70,000 more than the previous year, more than 17,000 surgeries were performed and more than 48,552 children were admitted to our wards.
