The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) is a not-for-profit organisation that has been facilitating fair and centralised tertiary admissions since 1990. Established by Queensland’s universities, QTAC plays a critical role in processing over 75,000 applications annually for universities, TAFE institutes, and higher education providers across Queensland and northern New South Wales. Its commitment to fairness and accessibility ensures that students from all backgrounds have a clear pathway to tertiary education.
Beyond admissions, QTAC is an industry leader in educational services, offering career advice, data analytics, and research insights to support policy development and student decision-making. By working closely with government, industry, and educational institutions, QTAC enhances access to education and helps institutions streamline their admissions processes through innovative, data-driven solutions.
With a vision to connect people with opportunities, QTAC is committed to excellence, innovation, and integrity. The organisation is now seeking a transformational CEO to lead its strategic direction, ensuring it remains at the forefront of educational access, student experience, and technology-driven admissions solutions. This role presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of QTAC and strengthen its impact on the tertiary education sector.
About the role:
QTAC is seeking an influential and strategic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organisation through a critical period of change and transformation. This is a unique opportunity for a visionary leader to stabilise operations, enhance stakeholder confidence, and drive innovation while ensuring QTAC remains a trusted and progressive force in the tertiary admissions sector.
The CEO will be responsible for clear, transparent, and evidence-based communication with universities, government, and students, ensuring QTAC continues to deliver an efficient and equitable admissions process. With potential policy shifts on the horizon following the upcoming federal election, the CEO will play a pivotal role in navigating sector-wide uncertainty and positioning QTAC for long-term success.
Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the CEO will lead a talented executive team in improving systems, processes, and internal stability, while fostering a customer-centric, service-oriented culture. A key priority will be strengthening confidence in QTAC’s capability to seamlessly manage university applications while effectively balancing the expectations of established university stakeholders with the drive for innovation and transformation.
The role demands exceptional stakeholder management and strategic judgement, ensuring the needs of diverse partners, including universities, students, policymakers, and industry are carefully prioritised.
Specifically, key accountabilities include:
- Provide effective leadership across all of QTAC’s business operations.
- Develop and implement QTAC’s strategy in collaboration with the leadership team and Board.
- Enhance QTAC’s reputation by ensuring an outstanding applicant experience and being a trusted partner to institutions, government, and schools.
- Actively demonstrate and promote QTAC's vx`alues.
- Build and maintain relationships with institutions, industry groups, schools, government, and other tertiary education stakeholders.
- Represent QTAC’s interests within the higher education and tertiary admissions sector, including collaboration with institutions and other TACs.
- Effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels and communicate based on audience needs.
- Explore and develop innovative revenue streams to support QTAC’s objectives.
- Ensure effective risk management, compliance, and strong people management to maintain a high-performance culture.
- Oversee governance practices ensuring sustainability, financial viability, and adherence to corporate standards and workplace policies.
QTAC is seeking an experienced and dynamic CEO with a proven track record in senior management roles, ideally with experience working closely with a Board of Directors. The successful candidate will bring a broad skill set in managing diverse functions, with expertise in corporate governance, finance management, and human resources. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential, as the CEO will need to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including universities, government bodies, and students, to effectively navigate and manage complex relationships while ensuring alignment with QTAC's strategic objectives.
The successful CEO will also demonstrate transformational leadership capabilities, with the ability to foster a positive organisational culture and drive change while maintaining stability in core operations. Experience in developing and implementing strategies, guiding organisational direction, and managing risk and compliance will be crucial. The CEO should possess a customer-focused mindset, ensuring the delivery of high-quality services to both universities and prospective students while balancing the often competing needs and expectations of diverse stakeholders.
Additionally, the new CEO will be adaptable and open to new ideas, particularly in the areas of technology and innovation, to enhance QTAC’s operations and service delivery. The position will also require the CEO to exhibit strong judgment and strategic thinking, balancing traditional and evolving aspects of QTAC's mission and leading the organisation through a period of uncertainty and change in the higher education sector.
A commitment to high ethical standards, credibility, and integrity will be key to fostering trust and maintaining QTAC’s reputation as a trusted partner in the tertiary education sector.
For a strictly confidential discussion, please contact Callan Raine, Director - Executive on 0411 686 652. Alternatively, you can request a candidate pack by emailing executive@troocoo.com
Submit your application (CV and cover letter) via the apply button.