Careers

Executive Officer

Burgmann College – Australian National University
Full-time | Ongoing | Canberra ACT

Burgmann College is seeking a highly organised, proactive and motivated Executive Officer to provide executive, governance, and strategic support within one of Australia’s most respected university residential communities.

Working closely with the Principal and Executive Team, the Executive Officer plays a pivotal role in governance administration, project coordination, student and community engagement, WHS oversight, policy development, major event delivery, and operational systems management. This role is ideal for a professional who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys variety, and is committed to supporting educational excellence and community wellbeing. It is a busy, important and fun role that will ideally suit someone who loves organising, summarising, managing several balls in the air, communicating, and reporting. You will work with a dynamic, fun team who really care. There is a lot of meaning and purpose in this role, and you will come into contact regularly with young people, parents, contractors, volunteers, and staff. There is never a dull moment at Burgmann, and you will feel a part of the place very quickly.

About the Role

This is a hands-on role where you'll make a real and visible difference in the daily lives of residents, colleagues, volunteers, parents, and contractors. You'll take the noise out of the day for the executive team by providing outstanding executive administrative support. You will be the first point of contact for our governance volunteers, ensuring excellent papers and minutes. You will coordinate our strategic reporting and be a key driver behind major College events that serve as important milestones to the community. You will ensure that we communicate well with our contractors and run projects well. You will keep us up to date in our management of WHS and other key compliance reporting. And, to round out the fun, you will ensure that our communication to our stakeholders is clear, well designed and organised.

You'll work closely with the Executive Team, as well as passionate student leaders and volunteers. You will be a trusted support person who is reliable, consistent and ensures that everything gets done well that must be done. You have a sense of humour, work well independently, and demonstrates discretion and professionalism. Knowledge of digital systems will be a great help for the role.

Some after-hours work is part of the rhythm of College life, and flexibility is built into the role to support this.

What You'll Do

Executive Administration, Governance & Strategic Support

• Provide administrative support to the Principal and Executive (diary, liaison, correspondence, briefing notes, reports).
• Coordinate strategic and operational projects for the Executive Office, producing clear project documentation and status reports.
• Assist with archival of historical documentation and records management.
• Input financial adjustments into StarRez (rebates, bursaries, student club charges) and support Manager Business & Finance in documentation and policy updates.
• Undertake community and stakeholder research (surveys of students, parents and stakeholders) and prepare concise analysis to support planning and decision making
• Serve as a central communication point between students, staff, external stakeholders, contractors, and ANU partners.
• Maintain committee membership lists, registers and contact records; keep cumulative attendance records for Council & Board members.
• Prepare, collate and quality-assure governance papers so that full meeting packs are complete 2 weeks prior and circulated at least 1 week prior to meetings; draft and distribute confirmed minutes (using digital transcript summaries) within 1 week.
• Maintain minutes, registers and digital transcripts for Board, Finance and Council; coordinate meeting logistics (rooms, AV, catering) with Functions Coordinator.

Events, Publications & Stakeholder Communications (with Marketing arm)

• Coordinate major College events (Annual Lecture, Commencement Dinner, Valete Dinner) with relevant teams. ·
• Manage production of the Burgmann College Handbook, Welcome materials, Open Day booklets and award certificates; liaise with printers and providers

Projects, Contractors & Systems

• Act as first point of contact for contractors and facilities partners (including MBSFM); support tender preparation and contractor management for maintenance contracts.
• Oversee capital and administrative project progress, attend working groups, ensure timely resident communications and accurate record keeping.
• Lead review and implementation planning for the Assa Abloy access system, including procedures, training and app rollout options; coordinate StarRez inventory updates and maintenance task logging.

WHS, Emergency Planning & Risk Reporting

• Maintain WHS plans (Emergency Plan, Business Continuity Plan); schedule and run Fire Warden program and evacuation drills.
• Manage WHS training currency and certifications for staff (WWVP, First Aid, Fire Warden, MHFA where relevant).
• Log incidents and ensure appropriate reporting and follow-up; collate safety and audit reports for the Audit & Risk Committee quarterly.
• Attend Audit & Risk Committee and Emergency Planning Committee as required.

About You

We are looking for someone who must have:

1. Proven experience providing high-level executive support, governance secretariat services, or executive project coordination—preferably in a higher education or similar complex organisation.

2. Demonstrated minute-taking and governance document management experience, including preparing meeting packs and maintaining registers.

3. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report preparation and stakeholder engagement.

4. Strong organisational, project coordination and record-keeping ability; ability to manage competing priorities with minimal supervision.

5. Experience with student/resident administration systems (StarRez or equivalent), website CMS, Microsoft Office.

6. Current First Aid certificate and/or First Aid Officer capability; mental health first aid training (or willingness to undertake in-house training).

7. Current Working with Vulnerable People registration and a National Police Check (or ability to obtain).

8. Current full driver’s licence.

Desirable: tertiary qualification in business, governance, project management or a related discipline; previous experience in a residential college or university environment.

• First Aid Certificate
• Current Full Driver’s License
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, supervise students, and manage complex interpersonal situations
• Strong understanding of academic development programming and university academic structures

Why Burgmann?

Burgmann is more than a residence — it's a community where students are encouraged to grow not just academically, but personally and ethically. Staff and residents work in partnership, and every member of our team contributes meaningfully to the life of the College.

In this role, you will have the chance to see students flourish, to guide them through challenges, and to help build a community that is safe, inclusive, and joyfully engaged in learning.

How to Apply

Read the About You section to see what we require.

Please submit:

• A cover letter telling us why you're drawn to this role and how you meet the About You criteria
• Your CV
• Contact details for referees

Applications close:5 January, 2026 (keen to start someone in early February)
Enquiries:Dr Brenda Holt, Principal (principal@burgmann.anu.edu.au)

College Profile

Burgmann College is a unique university residential community of 378 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Opened in 1971, Burgmann is affiliated with The Australian National University and is situated on its campus, proud to be on Ngunnawal and Ngambri land. In 2021, the College celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its Founding and celebrated its capstone 50th anniversary alumni reunion event Back-to-Burg in 2022. In its 50 years, Burgmann College is proud to have produced a remarkable and diverse group of alumni, now living and working all over the world.

Our mission is the growth of the whole person— a vibrant and dynamic residential experience which equips young people with the interpersonal and intellectual skills that will best serve them to excel academically and make their most valuable contribution to the world.

Burgmann offers exceptional pastoral care in a non-hierarchical, multi-year resident structure. The Principal, Deputy Principal and College Dean live on-site, contributing strongly to residents feeling safe in their home-away-from-home.

Burgmann residents play an extraordinary role in the College's governance, which gives them a powerful influence in making important decisions that affect them and their fellow residents and provides meaningful opportunities in governance training for a future generation of leaders.

The College was established by the Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian and Uniting Churches and the Churches of Christ, which are represented on the College Council. There is no religious test for entry, re-entry or any process within the life of the College. However, the College is not a secular foundation. It has an inclusive Christian heritage, which continues in various ways to define its character and sustain its lifestyle.

Burgmann is a community comprising residential members (students and staff), members of Council and members of Convocation. Unlike many older colleges, Burgmann is a single community with no hierarchies of residential membership, and students play a significant role in the affairs of the College.

The College aims to provide:

• a vital community
• academic support
• pastoral care for members of the community and, where possible, a wider university population
• the empowerment and development of students, with maximum cooperation with resident bodies