Associate Registrar, Student Governance and Compliance in Sydney

At Torrens University Australia, making a difference is in our DNA. As a Certified B Corporation, we belong to a global community of future-focused companies using business as a force for good. We believe in the transformative power of education to change lives, families, communities – and the world. That’s why we’re on a mission to increase access to higher education, so learners from all walks of life can chase their dreams.

The role in a nutshell: Rules only protect students if they work in practice. This role takes the regulations that govern a university and turns them into everyday processes that staff can follow and that stand up to scrutiny. You’ll be our go‑to expert on regulatory compliance in student administration, especially ESOS and the National Code for international students. You won’t only advise from the sidelines. You’ll get hands‑on with real complaints, appeals and regulator responses, then use what you learn to fix the process behind them.

What you’ll be doing:

• Interpret the rules that apply to us and translate them into clear policies, procedures, controls and evidence requirements.
• Keep us on top of ESOS, the National Code, CRICOS and PRISMS for international students.
• Build and maintain a risk‑based assurance framework covering complaints, student safety, completions and records, so we know our processes work and can show it.
• Spot emerging regulatory changes early and adapt our processes before they become problems.
• Oversee complaints, appeals, misconduct and academic integrity matters, and personally lead the complex and high‑risk ones.
• Lead our response to external complaints and investigations, including matters referred to the National Student Ombudsman.
• Provide oversight to support compliance with the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender‑based Violence.
• Be accountable for accurate student outcomes, reliable academic records and audit‑ready reporting on complaints, safety, completions and graduation.
• Recruit, coach and develop your team, and keep them focused on accuracy, accountability and good service.

What you’ll bring:

• A university background, with senior experience in higher education academic or student administration.
• Strong, practical knowledge of the ESOS Act and the National Code, and the ability to apply them to real work processes.
• Proven experience turning regulatory requirements into policies, procedures and controls that people actually use.
• Hands‑on experience managing student complaints and appeals, including complex and high‑risk matters.
• Experience leading responses to external complaints, investigations or regulators.
• Experience overseeing the student lifecycle, including progression, records and completions.
• Experience in student wellbeing and safety, including sensitive disclosures and gender‑based violence compliance.
• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant field, or equivalent professional experience.

Great to have:

• Qualifications or certifications in governance, compliance, risk or investigations.
• Experience using data, digital tools and AI to improve case management and reporting.

The kind of person who’ll thrive:

• Hands‑on and strategic.
• Agile.
• Practical.
• Fair and level‑headed.
• Confident with senior people.

This is a permanent, full‑time position that can be based at any of our campus locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Brisbane.

Good to know: You’ll work closely with the Provost and Deputy Vice‑Chancellor (Academic), Academic Board, faculties, Legal, Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit and external regulators. The role may occasionally involve travel, work outside ordinary hours, and attendance at governance meetings and graduation ceremonies.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all positions.

What we offer: We support your personal passions, development and wellbeing, to make your working life a more rewarding experience. At Torrens University Australia, you’ll benefit from study free in a course/degree related to your position, access to internal opportunities, and support to learn, grow and move across the organisation.

Hiring process: We aim to provide you with the information you need at each stage of this process to help you present your best self. If you have any accessibility requirements, please contact your recruiter for confidential support. We are committed to ensuring an equitable, barrier‑free application process and have a Reasonable Adjustment Procedure in place to support you throughout the recruitment process.

Job reference: R31044. To ensure a fair and thorough review process, applications for this role will close on Wednesday 4th November. Please note, we may close applications earlier should a suitable candidate be identified. You can expect to hear from our Talent Acquisition team after this date with updates regarding your application.