Job Description

Overview

• 5-year full-time, fixed-term senior leadership opportunity.
• Provide strategic leadership in shaping capability development and deployment efforts across the University that create real-world research impact.
• Based at RMIT’s Melbourne CBD campus with hybrid ways of working.

About the role

This is a rare opportunity for a visionary, mission-focused and service-oriented leader who understands that design and creative practice are not peripheral to solving the world’s most complex challenges—but central to it.

Reporting to the Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Innovation Capability, the Director, Enabling Impact Platform (EIP) – Design and Creative Practice provides strategic leadership for one of RMIT’s eight EIPs, leading the strategic direction, outreach and engagement.

EIPs bring together whole-of-university capability, supporting impact-focused research that address complex local, national and global challenges. The EIPs are increasingly focused on large scale deployment activities.

This position sits within a colleagiate leadership group that works collaboratively to enable, catalyse and connect, linking RMIT’s diverse, multidisciplinary expertise to meet the needs of industry, government and community partners, and helping support RMIT’s broader impact focused research and innovation agenda.

EIP Directors are mission-focused, service-oriented strategic enablers who:

• Recognise, and act on, emerging opportunities, that translate research capability into measurable outcomes and value creation.
• Build and sustain strategic networks to generate impactful partnerships
• Catalyse major interdisciplinary and cross-cutting initiatives across the University and beyond.
• Are committed to developing others, particularly in building impact capability and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and impact-driven delivery.
• Provide thought leadership to influence policy, practice and innovation agendas relevant to RMIT’s future direction.

To be successful in this role, you will have deep experience in interdisciplinary leadership and bring:

• A track record of successfully fostering collaboration with partners and networks to achieve real world impacts and implement impact-driven delivery models within a diverse research environment.
• Experience developing, leading or managing complex research initiatives, programs or strategic portfolios.
• A passion for advancing the impact of research and driving continuous culture change.
• A strong understanding of research translation across diverse impact pathways, innovation ecosystems and partnership-led delivery models.
• Outstanding engagement, influencing and communication skills.

Please Note: Appointment to this position may be subject to passing a National Police Check and other applicable pre-employment checks.

To Apply

Please submit your CV and covering letter addressing your suitability to the key selection criteria for this position by clicking on the ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page.

For information about the Design and Creative Practice Enabling Impact Platform (EIP) please use the following link: DCP EIP Overview

For further information about this position, please see the Position Description, Prospectus or contact Daniela Alvarez via email daniela.alvarez.arambula@rmit.edu.au for a confidential discussion regarding this opportunity.

Applications Close

10 Nov 2026 11.59 pm

RMIT is an equal opportunity employer committed to being a child safe organisation. We are dedicated to attracting, retaining and developing our people regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and age. Applications are encouraged from all sectors of the community, and we strongly encourage applications from the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.

In line with RMIT University’s commitment to a safe, respectful and inclusive environment, from 1 January 2026, the University will also consider gender-based violence (GBV) risk factors as part of our recruitment processes. All applicants will be required to complete a gender‑based violence declaration in accordance with the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence. Preferred candidates will also be required to undertake relevant pre‑employment background checks, including Working With Children Checks. Information provided will be treated confidentially and considered only for its relevance to the role and RMIT’s safety obligations.

At RMIT, we are committed to supporting adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, as well as during employment. We actively support and encourage people with disability to apply to RMIT (including alternate formats of application forms). To discuss adjustment requirements, please contact Dani, via talentsupport@rmit.edu.au or visit our Careers page for more contact information - https://www.rmit.edu.au/careers.

We are a Circle Back Initiative Employer – we commit to respond to every applicant.