How to Apply to Australian Super

9 min read Last updated April 20, 2026 4 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • AustralianSuper is Australia's largest super fund with AUD $380 billion in AUM, 3.4 million members, and approximately 1,500 staff across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, London, New York, and Beijing.
  • Apply through careers.australiansuper.com. The in-house portal is the only official channel and all roles flow through a structured ATS intake.
  • Tailor your application to the profit-for-members industry-fund model. Generic commercial asset-management framing is a common reason candidates are screened out early.
  • Expect a thorough, values-driven interview process with behavioural, technical, and panel rounds plus case studies for investment, technology, actuarial, and data roles.
  • Compensation is competitive within the Australian super industry and against domestic asset managers but generally below Sydney or New York investment banking. London and New York investment roles pay closer to global peers.
  • Regulatory literacy (APRA, ASIC, SIS Act, YFYS, Retirement Income Covenant) is an expected baseline for most corporate roles, not a training opportunity.
  • Culture is long-tenured, collaborative, and Melbourne-centric. Low ego and genuine long-term orientation matter more than aggressive self-promotion.
  • Be ready to discuss how you will operate under public, regulatory, and parliamentary scrutiny, which the fund experiences regularly.

About Australian Super

AustralianSuper is Australia's largest superannuation fund, managing more than AUD $380 billion for approximately 3.4 million members as of 2025. Formed in 2006 through the merger of the Australian Retirement Fund (ARF) and the Superannuation Trust of Australia (STA), it operates as an industry fund under a profit-for-members model, meaning there are no external shareholders extracting dividends. Surpluses flow back to members as lower fees or stronger net returns. The board blends trade union nominee directors (from the ACTU and affiliated unions) with employer representatives, a governance heritage from the industry-fund tradition that shapes culture, compensation philosophy, and member-first framing. Headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, with additional offices in Sydney, Perth, London, New York, and Beijing, the fund now sits in the top 20 pension funds globally by assets under management and processes roughly AUD $50 billion in annual member contributions. CEO Paul Schroder has led since 2021, with Chief Investment Officer Mark Delaney and Deputy CIO Damian Moloney running one of the country's most sophisticated in-house investment platforms. AustralianSuper employs around 1,500 people across corporate services, member operations, technology, and a rapidly expanding global investment team. The fund has pushed aggressively into direct investments in private equity, infrastructure, property, and private credit, with stakes in assets including Transurban toll roads, the Ausgrid electricity network, Peel Ports in the United Kingdom, and the King's Cross redevelopment in London. It partners at scale with global managers such as CBRE Investment Management, Brookfield, Blackstone, and Apollo. On ESG, AustralianSuper has committed to a net-zero emissions portfolio by 2050, divested tobacco before 2020, and publishes stewardship reporting on climate engagement and proxy voting. The operating environment is intense: Your Future Your Super (YFYS) annual performance tests, the Retirement Income Covenant, fee scrutiny, the scheduled superannuation guarantee increase to 12%, and consolidation pressure from competitors like Australian Retirement Trust, Aware Super, UniSuper, HESTA, Cbus, Rest, HostPlus, and Vanguard Super all shape strategy. The culture is long-tenured, member-conscious, Melbourne-centric, and noticeably more conservative on compensation than investment banks or commercial asset managers, though London and New York investment roles are competitive with global peers.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Search roles at careers

    Search roles at careers.australiansuper.com where all current vacancies are posted. Corporate roles are concentrated in Melbourne and Sydney, with member services in Melbourne and Perth, and investment roles in Melbourne, London, New York, and Beijing.

  2. 2
    Create a candidate profile in the careers portal

    Create a candidate profile in the careers portal. You will need a resume, cover letter, right-to-work confirmation for the relevant jurisdiction, and answers to behavioural screening questions.

  3. 3
    Tailor your cover letter to the specific role and reference AustralianSuper's pu

    Tailor your cover letter to the specific role and reference AustralianSuper's purpose of helping members achieve their best possible retirement outcome. Generic cover letters are screened out quickly, especially for investment and stewardship roles.

  4. 4
    Expect an initial screen from an internal Talent Acquisition partner, typically

    Expect an initial screen from an internal Talent Acquisition partner, typically 20 to 30 minutes by phone or Teams. They will confirm salary expectations, notice period, visa status, and motivation for moving from your current employer.

  5. 5
    Move to a hiring manager interview focused on role fit, domain knowledge, and wh

    Move to a hiring manager interview focused on role fit, domain knowledge, and why a profit-for-members fund appeals to you relative to a commercial competitor. Investment roles go deeper into asset-class experience, models, and deal track record.

  6. 6
    Complete a case study or technical assessment for investment, technology, actuar

    Complete a case study or technical assessment for investment, technology, actuarial, data, and some risk and operations roles. These are taken seriously and can include a written presentation you defend in the next round.

  7. 7
    Progress to a panel interview with cross-functional stakeholders

    Progress to a panel interview with cross-functional stakeholders. Panels often include a peer, a senior leader outside the immediate team, and a People and Culture representative to assess values alignment.

  8. 8
    Complete behavioural and sometimes cognitive assessments

    Complete behavioural and sometimes cognitive assessments. AustralianSuper uses structured behavioural interviewing tied to its values (Members First, Generosity of Spirit, Excellence, Ownership) and will ask for specific examples using the STAR method.

  9. 9
    Expect reference checks for two recent managers and a background check covering

    Expect reference checks for two recent managers and a background check covering identity, right to work, criminal history, and bankruptcy or adverse financial history for regulated roles under APRA's fit and proper standards.

  10. 10
    Receive a written offer outlining base salary, short-term incentive eligibility,

    Receive a written offer outlining base salary, short-term incentive eligibility, superannuation (paid above the statutory rate for staff), leave entitlements, and any role-specific conditions. Negotiation is possible but within narrower bands than commercial asset managers offer.

Resume Tips for Australian Super

recommended

Lead with measurable outcomes tied to member or customer impact

Lead with measurable outcomes tied to member or customer impact. AustralianSuper values evidence of delivery at scale more than titles, so quantify portfolio sizes, member populations served, cost savings, or risk reductions.

recommended

Use Australian English spelling and date formats (DD/MM/YYYY) throughout

Use Australian English spelling and date formats (DD/MM/YYYY) throughout. For London or New York investment roles, mirror the local market conventions for that posting.

recommended

Keep the resume to two pages for most corporate roles and up to three for senior

Keep the resume to two pages for most corporate roles and up to three for senior investment or executive positions. Recruiters screen hundreds of applications during hiring waves and reward clarity.

recommended

Call out superannuation, wealth management, life insurance, banking, or institut

Call out superannuation, wealth management, life insurance, banking, or institutional asset management experience early. Prior APRA-regulated experience is highly valued for risk, compliance, investment operations, and actuarial roles.

recommended

Reference specific regulatory frameworks you have worked under (SIS Act, Prudent

Reference specific regulatory frameworks you have worked under (SIS Act, Prudential Standards SPS 220, 231, 530, CPS 230, Your Future Your Super, Retirement Income Covenant, ASIC RG 97 fee disclosure) when directly relevant.

recommended

For investment roles, list asset classes, deal sizes, ticket sizes, co-investmen

For investment roles, list asset classes, deal sizes, ticket sizes, co-investment partners, and your role on the deal team. Include committee memberships and any post-investment monitoring responsibilities.

recommended

For technology roles, list specific stacks (AWS, Azure, Snowflake, Databricks, K

For technology roles, list specific stacks (AWS, Azure, Snowflake, Databricks, Kafka, Salesforce Financial Services Cloud, Guidewire, Pega, BOC, Bravura) and cite delivery at scale with reliability metrics rather than just project names.

recommended

Include volunteer, union, community, or board roles

Include volunteer, union, community, or board roles. Industry fund culture views this service favourably and reads it as alignment with the profit-for-members ethos.

recommended

Save and upload as a PDF, use standard headings (Experience, Education, Certific

Save and upload as a PDF, use standard headings (Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills), avoid text boxes or multi-column layouts, and embed no images or logos. The ATS parses plain structure most reliably.

recommended

Name the file clearly, for example Surname_FirstName_Resume_AustralianSuper

Name the file clearly, for example Surname_FirstName_Resume_AustralianSuper.pdf, so it is easy to track through the recruiter's pipeline.

ATS System: AustralianSuper Careers Portal (careers.australiansuper.com)

AustralianSuper operates an in-house branded careers portal at careers.australiansuper.com, backed by a standard enterprise ATS. All vacancies are posted centrally, and applications flow through a structured intake form plus resume and cover letter upload. The system parses uploaded documents into structured fields, so resume formatting directly affects how your profile surfaces to recruiters and hiring managers during shortlisting.

  • Upload a PDF generated from a word processor rather than a scan. Scanned PDFs, image-based resumes, and multi-column layouts cause parsing errors that drop keywords the recruiter uses to filter.
  • Mirror the exact language from the job ad in your resume and cover letter where it is genuinely true of your experience. Recruiters search on specific terms like superannuation, member services, unlisted infrastructure, credit, stewardship, or trust administration.
  • Complete every optional field in the application form, including diversity and inclusion questions if you are comfortable. These feed reporting obligations and help the fund meet its stated inclusion targets.
  • Avoid headers and footers for contact details, which some ATS parsers ignore. Put your name, email, mobile, and LinkedIn in the main body at the top of page one.
  • Use standard section headings (Professional Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills). Custom or decorative headings can confuse the parser and leave content stranded from its section.
  • Do not spray keywords in white text or invisible fonts. Modern ATS products flag this, and recruiters treat it as disqualifying.
  • Answer the pre-screening questions thoughtfully. Short one-line answers to a detailed behavioural question signal low effort and reduce shortlist probability even if the resume looks strong.

Interview Culture

AustralianSuper's interview process reflects its industry-fund heritage: structured, values-driven, and noticeably less transactional than investment banking or commercial asset management.

Expect panels to spend real time on behavioural questions framed around the fund's values. Members First shows up as questions about how you have balanced short-term cost pressure against long-term customer outcomes. Generosity of Spirit surfaces in questions about collaboration, mentoring, and giving credit. Excellence probes delivery track record and handling of mistakes. Ownership asks about decisions you made where you were accountable for the consequence. Bring concrete STAR-format examples with specific numbers, roles, and outcomes rather than abstract framing. Investment interviews go deeper than generalist commercial fund processes. Expect asset-class technical questions, valuation walkthroughs, due diligence case studies, and views on current market conditions. Panels often include a senior portfolio manager, a member of the investment committee, and a governance or risk representative. Be ready to discuss specific deals or positions you have worked on, including what went wrong and what you would do differently. Technology and data interviews typically include a systems design discussion, a coding or data modelling exercise, and questions about operating at regulated-entity scale. Risk, actuarial, and compliance interviews probe regulatory knowledge, including SIS Act obligations, APRA prudential standards, and the duties of a trustee under section 52. The culture is collegial and long-tenured. Many staff have been with the fund for a decade or more, and interviewers often ask where you see yourself in three to five years as a read on retention. Dress business or smart business. Melbourne panels tend to be more understated than Sydney or London equivalents. Feedback after interviews is generally timely and reasonably specific, which is uncommon in the Australian market.

What Australian Super Looks For

  • Genuine alignment with a profit-for-members model rather than treating the fund as a stepping stone to a commercial asset manager or bank. Candidates who cannot articulate why this matters tend to be screened out at the hiring manager stage.
  • Evidence of delivery at scale. A fund managing AUD $380 billion across 3.4 million members requires people who have worked inside complex, regulated, high-volume environments and can show measurable outcomes.
  • Regulatory literacy for any role that touches member accounts, investments, or reporting. Familiarity with APRA, ASIC, the ATO, SIS Act, and the Your Future Your Super framework is expected rather than taught on the job.
  • Long-term orientation. The fund invests on a multi-decade horizon to fund retirement outcomes, and hiring reflects that: it rewards depth over speed.
  • Strong stakeholder management skills across a complex internal environment that includes trustee directors, investment committee, executive team, regulators, auditors, external managers, and member-facing teams.
  • Low ego and collaborative instincts. The culture is notably less bravado-driven than investment banks or hedge funds. Candidates who dominate interviews or downplay team contributions usually do not progress.
  • Commercial rigour, especially in investment roles, with the ability to defend a view against internal challenge while remaining open to changing it with new evidence.
  • Inclusion and diversity awareness. AustralianSuper publishes diversity metrics and has specific commitments on gender balance, Indigenous employment, and accessibility. Candidates who can speak credibly about inclusive leadership have an edge.
  • Technology and data fluency across all functions. Even non-technical roles increasingly need to engage with data platforms, reporting tools, and digital member channels.
  • Resilience under regulatory and public scrutiny. The fund is frequently covered by financial media, industry regulators, and parliamentary inquiries. Comfortable handling that context is a real requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does AustralianSuper advertise open roles?
All official vacancies are posted at careers.australiansuper.com. The fund also uses LinkedIn, Seek, and specialist recruiters for some senior investment roles, but any listing not traceable back to the careers portal should be treated with caution.
How long does the recruitment process take?
Expect four to eight weeks from application to offer for most corporate roles. Investment, actuarial, and senior leadership roles can run longer because of case study rounds, panel scheduling, and board or committee involvement for the most senior positions.
Does AustralianSuper sponsor work visas?
AustralianSuper sponsors Australian visas selectively, typically for investment specialists and technology roles where domestic talent is scarce. London, New York, and Beijing offices have their own local hiring and visa policies. Assume you need existing right-to-work unless the job ad states otherwise.
Is compensation competitive with banks and commercial asset managers?
Base salaries are competitive within the Australian super sector and versus domestic asset managers. Short-term incentives exist but are smaller and more constrained than at investment banks. London and New York investment roles are priced closer to global peers. If you are coming from a front-office bank seat, expect a compensation step-down in exchange for the member-first mandate, job security, and long-term horizon.
What is the superannuation contribution for staff?
AustralianSuper pays superannuation contributions above the statutory guarantee rate for employees, consistent with sector norms for large industry funds. The exact rate and any salary-sacrifice arrangements are confirmed at offer stage.
How does governance work given trade union and employer board representation?
The board is constituted with trade union nominee directors, employer nominees, and independent directors, reflecting the industry-fund tradition. This shapes committee structures and how investment, risk, and remuneration decisions are made. Candidates for governance, risk, compliance, and senior investment roles should understand this model before interviewing.
What is the interview dress code?
Business or smart business attire. Melbourne panels trend more understated than Sydney, London, or New York. Investment and executive interviews typically sit at the more formal end of the spectrum. When in doubt, dress one notch above the role.
Does AustralianSuper support hybrid or flexible work?
The fund supports hybrid arrangements for most corporate roles with a baseline of in-office days per week, varying by team and seniority. Member-facing operations roles have more onsite requirements because of regulated processing and call centre workflows. Confirm specifics with the recruiter before offer.
How does the Your Future Your Super performance test affect hiring?
YFYS annual performance testing intensifies focus on net returns after fees. This increases demand for investment, data, performance reporting, and product roles that support test outcomes. It also increases scrutiny on cost, which keeps operating-model and transformation roles active across the business.
What should I do if I am not selected for a role?
Recruiters generally provide specific feedback, which is uncommon in the Australian market. Use it, keep your candidate profile current, and reapply for other roles. Many successful hires are third or fourth applications, especially for competitive investment or strategy seats.
Does AustralianSuper have graduate, intern, or early-careers programs?
Yes. The fund runs a structured graduate program across investments, technology, risk, data, member services, and corporate functions, plus internship and vacation placements. Programs are posted on the careers portal during annual recruitment cycles, usually with tight application windows.
How does AustralianSuper compare culturally to competitors like Australian Retirement Trust, Aware Super, UniSuper, HESTA, and Cbus?
AustralianSuper, ART, Aware Super, UniSuper, HESTA, and Cbus all share the industry-fund profit-for-members model and much of the regulatory context. Cultural differences are real: AustralianSuper operates at the largest scale with a growing global investment footprint, ART is the product of the QSuper and Sunsuper merger, UniSuper leans toward higher-education sector heritage, HESTA focuses on healthcare and community services, and Cbus retains strong construction-industry roots. Choose the fund whose sector and scale match the work you want to do.

Open Positions

Australian Super currently has 4 open positions.

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 4 open positions at Australian Super

Related Resources

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Sources

  1. AustralianSuper Careers —
  2. AustralianSuper Corporate Website —
  3. AustralianSuper Annual Report 2024 —
  4. APRA Prudential Standards for Superannuation —
  5. ASIC Regulatory Guide 97 Disclosing Fees and Costs —
  6. Your Future Your Super Reforms —
  7. Retirement Income Covenant —
  8. AustralianSuper Climate Change and Sustainability Report —
  9. AustralianSuper LinkedIn Company Page —
  10. Australian Taxation Office Superannuation Guidance —
  11. SIS Act 1993 Compilation —
  12. AustralianSuper Global Offices —