Policy Officer

APS 5 - $78,548 - $86,168 per annum plus superannuation
- Biosecurity Animal Division
- Canberra, ACT
- _Work with a dedicated group of officers who are committed to maintaining and improving Australia’s biosecurity system._
- _Applicants should enjoy working in fast-paced and changing work environments and be able to deliver quality work within tight deadlines._
- _Multiple vacancies._

**Who we are**
Biosecurity Animal Division are trusted leaders in science-based regulation and policy, who proactively engage with risk and deliver on our shared responsibilities across the biosecurity system. Our outcome is to implement effective, defensible and lawful biosecurity regulation and policy to facilitate safe trade in aquatic and terrestrial animals, reproductive materials, animal products and biological goods, and minimise marine pest risk. We are a skilled multidisciplinary workforce that works together with our partners in state and territory governments, Animal Health Australia and industry to deliver optimal animal biosecurity outcomes for Australia. Our approach is modelled by our work culture, values and behaviours through integrity, fairness and impartiality.

**The Jobs**
The duties of the roles include, but are not limited to:

- preparing and reviewing changes to the department’s import conditions database (BICON) and other online communications material
- providing sound technical biosecurity advice to importers, operational staff within the department and other stakeholders associated with the import of animal and biological products
- liaising with clients and other government agencies, providing complex and technical advice as necessary
- supporting import permit, import condition and enquiry workflows by working in partnership with, and escalating matters to, the import programs
- optimising the Biosecurity Import Conditions database (BICON) functionality by championing its use, mentoring and training others in its use, responding to content or user enquires and referring system or content matters to the Service Desk or the BICON Content Team respectively
- assisting with reviewing and updating technical work instructions for operational staff within the department undertaking frontline biosecurity related functions
- assisting with the review of business processes and the identification of opportunities for improvement
- assisting with the preparation of briefings, reports and correspondence
- supervising and managing APS Level 4 team members and providing support to team management.

**Please note** that this recruitment process will be used to fill several ongoing vacancies in the Animal and Biological Imports Branch. 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 and non-ongoing vacancies in the branch where the duties are of a similar nature.

**What we are looking for**

**Knowledge and experience**
- Experience working in a regulatory environment.
- Experience conducting assessments and providing recommendations.
- An understanding of Australia’s biosecurity system.
- Experience working in busy technical and operational environments.
- Experience with the provision of responsive advice in a customer facing role.
- Experience managing staff in a fast-paced client focused environment.
- Knowledge of animal pests and diseases that may pose a biosecurity risk to Australia and controls applicable to their management.
- Experience in a relevant area of biological, agricultural, veterinary or environmental science would be highly regarded but is not mandatory.