Director, CSIRO Publishing

Job Description

* Lead CSIRO Publishing – Australia’s leading science publisher with an outstanding global reputation
* Drive strategic growth and sustainable transformation in a changing publishing landscape
* Champion financial and operational excellence while leading a high-performing, purpose-driven team

CSIRO Publishing is an editorially independent, not-for-profit business unit within Australia’s national science agency. As Australia’s foremost publisher of quality scientific, technical and health journals and books, we are committed to excellence and integrity in science communication. Our internationally recognised portfolio spans agriculture, plant and animal sciences, chemistry, health and environmental science — from scholarly journals to trade books and children’s titles.

We are seeking a dynamic and commercially astute leader to take CSIRO Publishing into its next phase. As Director, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the business, leading major transformations including the shift to a sustainable open access model and implementing long-term financial and commissioning strategies. You’ll be responsible for the overall commercial performance of the business and lead a committed team to deliver impact aligned to CSIRO’s broader mission.

Your high-level duties will include:

* Strategic leadership – Set and deliver the business strategy, aligning publishing activity with CSIRO’s organisational direction. Identify new opportunities, manage risk and secure resources to support long-term goals.
* Business transformation – Lead the transition of the scholarly journals program to a sustainable open access model and implement a financially viable commissioning strategy for the books program.
* Commercial and financial management – Drive the commercial success of CSIRO Publishing, including managing a multi-million-dollar budget with full P&L responsibility, identifying new market and partnership opportunities across national and international publishing sectors.
* Team and operations leadership – Lead and develop a high-performing, customer-focused team. Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, with clear accountability, coaching, and support for team development.
* Stakeholder engagement – Build strong relationships across the scholarly publishing ecosystem. Engage internal and external stakeholders to position CSIRO Publishing as a leader in science communication and secure ongoing support and investment.
* Organisational contribution – Participate in the CSIRO Science Connect Leadership Team and contribute to broader organisational strategy and policy development.

Location: Melbourne (Clayton – Bunurong Country), Australia

Salary: Attractive package + up to 15.4% superannuation (visa sponsorship and relocation package available if required)

Tenure: Specified term of 3 years

Reference: 100903

To be considered you will need:

1. Deep knowledge and experience in the publishing industry, with a proven record of success in senior leadership roles.
2. Demonstrated strategic leadership capability, including planning and implementing strategy, managing change, and delivering on long-term business goals.
3. Strong commercial acumen and financial management experience, including full P&L responsibility and managing a multi-million-dollar budget.
4. A track record of transformational leadership – identifying growth opportunities, leading change, and implementing new business models.
5. Proven ability to lead, coach and manage high-performing teams through change, fostering a values-based culture.
6. Experience with digital publishing technologies and emerging tools (e.g. AI) and their implications for business growth and ethics.
7. Relevant tertiary qualifications in Science or Business.
8. Experience working in scientific, research or not-for-profit environments is desirable.

For full details about this role please view the Position Description.