MrJohn Janetzki

John Janetzki is an experienced higher education and operational leader with a career spanning university administration, strategy, governance, technology and the public sector. As School Manager at Deakin Law School, he supports the effective delivery of the School’s strategic and operational priorities, bringing a pragmatic, collaborative approach to complex environments.

Before joining Deakin Law School, John served as Associate Director, HDR Candidature Operations at Deakin University. He provided executive leadership for candidature services supporting approximately 2,100 higher degree by research candidates and led significant improvements to admissions, policy, compliance and service delivery. His work included establishing a centralised operations team, unifying admissions processes, leading the implementation of a new admissions system, and developing Deakin’s first institutional PhD scholarship program for First Nations candidates.

John previously held a series of leadership and project roles at the University of Sydney, including Acting Executive Director, Indigenous Strategy and Services. Working closely with senior university leaders, he contributed to the development and implementation of Indigenous strategy, strengthened governance and funding processes, led institutional consultation, and coordinated complex operational and change initiatives. He played a key role in developing One Sydney, Many People 2021-2024, the University’s four-year Indigenous strategy.

Earlier in his career, John spent more than a decade as National IT Manager at Pioneer Electronics Australia and held technology consulting and support roles across major organisations, including Rio Tinto, ASSA ABLOY and NAB. He also served as a Marine Warfare Officer in the Royal Australian Navy. This diverse background enables him to connect university priorities with broader industry perspectives and translate strategic intent into practical, sustainable outcomes.

John’s leadership style is grounded in open communication, trust and adaptability. He is particularly interested in organisational change, service improvement, stakeholder engagement and innovative approaches that strengthen institutional capability and deliver meaningful outcomes for students, staff and communities.