Assistant Director - Plant Health Policy

Job Description

Who we are The Plant Protection and Environmental Biosecurity Division (PPEBD) provides policy leadership and support for plant health and environmental biosecurity. PPEBD is the home of the Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer (ACPPO) and Australian Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer (ACEBO). The division aims to improve Australia's plant health and environmental biosecurity systems and outcomes, helps meet relevant national and international obligations, and works to minimise the impacts of current and emerging biosecurity risks to Australia's agricultural production and trade, environment, Indigenous and cultural heritage and associated amenities. The division is comprised of two branches: the Plant Health Policy Branch and the Environmental Biosecurity Office, which also oversees the Australian Plague Locust Commission's activities. The Plant Health Policy Branch provides a national focal point for plant biosecurity issues within Australia and has responsibility for the national leadership in managing Australia's plant health. The work of the branch underpins biosecurity and helps to open new, and maintain existing, domestic and international markets for Australian plant industries. This is achieved by providing focus for national and international plant biosecurity activities, preparing for and coordinating national responses to plant pests and exotic weeds, promoting reform of the plant biosecurity system, improving plant health capacity and capabilities in near-neighbour countries and trading partners, domestically improving national surveillance and diagnostic capability and capacity, and assisting the department to meet national and international obligations and influencing plant health policies. Surveillance Section : The Surveillance Section is responsible for the design and coordination of the Department's plant health surveillance policy and programs and drives the development of national capability through targeted collaboration. Diagnostics and Research Section : The Diagnostics and Research Section is an expanding team that covers both departmental and national diagnostics-related policy and project work, as well as international scientific support and research coordination which has a broader plant biosecurity focus. National Strategic Planning and Engagement Section : The National Strategic Planning and Engagement Section coordinates and facilitates engagement in national plant health fora (Plant Health Committee and its subcommittees) and supports the Australian Government's leadership in these fora. The section also coordinates strategic planning for building national plant biosecurity capability. The key duties of the position include The Job The Plant Health Policy Branch is seeking skilled and experienced Assistant Directors (EL-1) across the Surveillance (three roles), Diagnostics and Research (one role), and National Strategic Planning and Engagement (two roles) Sections to work collaboratively with both internal and external stakeholders to drive the development and coordination of policy and program delivery in their respective areas of responsibility. As an Assistant Director, you will lead and manage a small hybrid team and contribute to the overall strategic direction of the section. In the Surveillance Section, we are seeking Assistant Directors to lead three teams within the section: Surveillance Policy, which is responsible for overall coordination of the department's surveillance activities. Surveillance Programs, which manages the department's investment in national surveillance capability, including the National Plant Health Surveillance Program. NBS Policy, which guides the department's National Border Surveillance operations. In the Diagnostics and Research Section: The Assistant Director will work with stakeholders (internally and externally) to develop and manage diagnostics research, policy and programs to meet national and departmental diagnostic needs. The Assistant Director, in collaboration with the section, will assist the department in the delivery of research and policy to strengthen Australia's plant biosecurity diagnostics system. In the National Strategic Planning and Engagement Section, we are seeking Assistant Directors to lead two teams within the section: National Capability which leads two Administered funding programs, the Plant Biosecurity and Response Reform and the Priority Pest and Disease Planning and Response to strengthen the national plant health system. Secretariat who provides secretariat services to the national plant health fora, Plant Health Committee and its various Sub-committees. Applicants should indicate which positions they are interested in when applying as the recruitment may be split into multiple panels depending on the number of applications. Please note that the merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may also be used to fill future ongoing vacancies in the branch where the duties are of a similar nature. #J-18808-Ljbffr