Associate Director for Operations, Culture, and Strategy

The Centre for Population Genomics (CPG) is a non-profit joint venture of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI). Our mission is to harness large-scale genomic medicine technologies to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease for all Australians. We operate at the intersection of academic discovery and translational genomics, with a focus on projects with direct pathways to real-world clinical impact. Our team leads multiple programs of national significance, including: the OurDNA program , which is currently recruiting 10,000 individuals from under-represented Australian communities, including those of Pacific, South-East Asian, Middle Eastern, and East African ancestry, establishing a long-term resource to drive new research discoveries and improve the diagnosis and prediction of disease for all Australians; the CaRDinal rare disease program , which has assembled Australia’s largest collection of genomic and clinical data from families affected by severe, undiagnosed genetic disorders, and has worked with clinical partners around Australia to return more than 450 new diagnoses to date; and the AASGARD consortium , a newly established partnership of research and clinical teams in Australia, the US, and the UK, led by CPG, focused on the development, validation, and deployment of AI tools to improve the diagnosis of severe genetic diseases. Over the last five years the Centre has raised over $28M in grant and industry funding and rapidly scaled our team - we are now a fifty-person, remote-first team distributed across Sydney, Melbourne, and New Zealand, with a culture that values operational excellence, technical leadership, and equitable impact. We are also encountering a variety of new cultural, communication, and operational challenges as we scale past the 50-person mark, and need someone who can help drive the implementation of our strategic priorities, and build operational and cultural glue to hold our team and systems together as we grow and pivot. THE OPPORTUNITY We’re looking for an experienced operations leader who is comfortable operating in a fast-moving, rapidly scaling, for-purpose environment to join CPG’s leadership team as Associate Director for Operations, Culture, and Strategy. This role will ensure that CPG’s strategy is translated into action, that our teams and culture thrive, and that our operations run smoothly in partnership with our founding institutes. You will lift organisational maturity across multiple areas, including financial management, reliable delivery of program and cross-program goals, effective leadership and decision making, strong staff engagement, and disciplined risk management. This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing, mission-driven organisation at a formative stage. The role requires exceptional judgement, senior operational experience in a high-growth environment (ideally biotech or technology), and the ability to design organisational systems that will scale with CPG’s ambitious goals. The AD will also oversee two operational teams spanning at least 8 reports (each already led by a senior manager with deep domain expertise); provide high-level operational and cultural leadership across the organisation; and act as a key liaison with professional teams at our founding institutions, Garvan and MCRI. Salary: $180,000+ + 12% superannuation + salary packaging (depending on experience) Employment Type: 2-year fixed-term SNAPSHOT OF BENEFITS Generous salary packaging to save you income tax on your wages thereby boosting your monthly take home pay (max. $15,900 general expenses + $2,650 meals/accom) Ample opportunities for on-going training and development Stimulating, diverse and highly international research environment Flexible work arrangements e.g. start / finish times 18 weeks paid parental leave for both parents including paid superannuation A range of additional leave types to meet your personal needs including cultural leave, conference leave, community service and study leave Discounted Health Insurance Lifestyle discounts with our community partners WHAT YOU WILL DO As Associate Director for Operations, Culture, and Strategy, you will be a member of CPG’s leadership team, reporting to the Director. In this role you will play a key role in organisation-wide leadership, contributing to executive decision-making, taking accountability for outcomes, and leading cross-team initiatives. You will oversee activities for two of the Centre’s foundational teams – our Business Administration and Operations and Project Management teams – directly managing the team leads responsible for internal operations and project coordination. You will also engage closely with leadership and team members across the organisation, influencing organisation-wide culture, communications, and program delivery. This role will also involve regular interactions with executive directors, Boards, and professional leadership at our two founding institutes. You will be responsible for organisation-wide activities across three interconnected domains: 1. Strategy Operationalisation Facilitate the development of the Centre’s organisational strategy, and drive its translation into operational priorities, structures, and governance frameworks. Drive change management and scaling of critical systems (e.g. our finance and people management systems) in an environment of uncertainty and growth. Oversee the Project Management team (with direct line management of the Project Management Lead), which works across all CPG programs to ensure effective execution of our scientific strategy. Provide strategic advice, capacity planning, and risk assessment for the Director and leadership team. Shape CPG’s organisational design to support current needs and future growth. Partner with Garvan and MCRI on long-term business, governance, and funding strategies. Support and strengthen relationships with Legal, Finance and Grants leadership at Garvan and MCRI, ensuring alignment on finance and legal-related matters. 2. Teams and Culture Define and drive the Centre’s overall cultural strategy, translating values into clear behaviours and ways of working, setting leadership standards and communication norms, and embedding culture in hiring and onboarding. Actively monitor the health of the Centre through regular check-ins with both team leads and staff, identify and surface areas of tension or misalignment, and work to address them quickly and thoughtfully. Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture by coaching team leads, developing emerging leaders, and embedding strong leadership practices. Support onboarding of senior hires and organisation-wide leadership development initiatives. Design practices that ensure our remote-first team feels a strong sense of belonging, inclusion and psychological safety, working closely with the BAO Manager for implementation. Design and facilitate rhythms, rituals, and systems that strengthen culture and internal communications in a distributed remote-first environment, including on-site engagement, quarterly in-person retreats, retrospectives, conflict resolution, and health checks. Support and strengthen relationships with HR leads at Garvan and MCRI, ensuring alignment on people-related matters. 3. Operations Define organisation-wide resourcing needs for program delivery, assess budget impacts, and support team leads and other hiring managers in the organisation in defining and executing on hiring strategies. Oversee the Business Administration and Operations team (with direct line management of our BAO Lead), which supports core operational processes across CPG including finance, hiring and onboarding, and internal IT systems. Manage organisational budgets and approvals within delegated authority, and oversee the preparation of annual budgets in collaboration with Garvan and MCRI finance teams. Prepare materials for Board and committee meetings and ensure alignment with partner success metrics. Monitor and ensure appropriate management of organisational risks, working closely with all team leads and the Director, with a focus on timely communication and resolution. What would success look like? You will lift organisational maturity across multiple areas, including financial management, reliable delivery of program and cross-program goals, effective leadership and decision making, strong staff engagement, and disciplined risk management. Your success will be measured against outcomes including: Translating strategy into executable roadmaps with measurable impact Building leadership capacity and effective decision-making processes Improving governance and risk management, while maintaining agility Facilitating more effective communication and increased team morale Maintaining operational excellence and cultural resilience as CPG scales Ensuring productive relationships with key teams in our founding institutions ABOUT YOU KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED The key skills and experience include: 10+ years of experience in senior operational leadership roles, ideally in biotech, technology, or other high-growth industries. Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into operational systems and structures in complex, rapidly scaling organisations (~50+ staff). Deep expertise in building the cultural glue necessary to hold an organisation together during periods of rapid growth. A genuine passion for creating order while operating in an environment of uncertainty and change. Significant experience overseeing budgets, financial approvals, and institutional relationships. Proven track record of leading teams in operations, complex project/program management, and/or business administration. A demonstrated talent for exerting influence without direct authority, and an unusual willingness to voice uncomfortable truths to your peers and manager. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage stakeholders of widely varying seniority, professional backgrounds, and working styles. Strong ability to coach leaders, develop culture, and manage conflict constructively. Comfort operating in a distributed, remote-first organisation. Enthusiasm for CPG’s mission and values. CPG CULTURE The more these values sound like you, the more likely you are to thrive at CPG: We remember that our data comes from people. We do things that matter, even if they are hard. We celebrate our differences. We support each other. We share accountability. We also embrace the values of the Garvan Institute and MCRI, including innovation, collaboration, integrity, and bravery. FURTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT As the appointed candidate will hold an honorary appointment with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, a Working with Children & National Police Clearance (if appointed) in compliance with the Victorian Government's Child Safety Standards is required. HOW TO APPLY To apply for this position, please submit your application with a CV and cover letter as one document, stating why you are interested in this role including examples of impactful projects and leadership roles. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Short-listed candidates will be invited to an initial video interview. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all genders, cultures, abilities, sexual orientations and career paths. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori and Pasifika candidates are especially encouraged to apply. Only applicants with full working rights in Australia are eligible to apply for this role.