Policy Officer

APS 6 - $91,944 - $104,393 per annum plus superannuation
- Plant Protection & Environmental Biosecurity Division
- Adelaide, SA,Brisbane, QLD,Cairns, QLD,Canberra, ACT,Darwin, NT,Melbourne, VIC,Perth, WA,Sydney, NSW,Townsville, QLD
- Work as part of a vibrant team that improves national biosecurity outcomes.
- Work in a dynamic environment to deliver meaningful results.
- Work with strategic thinkers to broaden your knowledge and understanding of the systems that support Australia's biosecurity status.

**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.

**The Job**
Several Senior Policy Officer positions are available in the strategic policy and national secretariat work streams. In these roles you will have the opportunity to work as part of a vibrant team to improve national biosecurity outcomes, work in a dynamic work environment, often with competing priorities and deadlines to achieve results and work with strategic thinkers across the biosecurity system to broaden your knowledge and understanding of the systems in place to maintain Australia's plant and environmental biosecurity status.

**Strategic Policy Team**
- Developing and providing expert policy advice.
- Leading the development, improvement and implementation of international, national and/or departmental plant biosecurity policies and reform initiatives.
- Working with our near neighbour countries to develop and implement plant health surveillance, diagnostics, and pest management activities.
- Working with plant health organisations in Asia and the Pacific to jointly deliver projects which strengthen plant protection outcomes for the region.
- Aligning domestic and national practices with international standards.
- Liaising with state/territory departments of agriculture, Plant Health Australia, national committees, international counterparts, and other stakeholders to progress and effectively develop and implement national plant biosecurity policies and programs.
- Mentoring and supervising junior members of the team.
- Coordinating financial processes and managing administered funding programs.
- Managing procurement and grant processes to ensure they deliver benefit to biosecurity.
- Assisting with the progression of other branch and divisional initiatives.

**National Secretariat Team**
As a Senior Policy Officer in the national secretariat team, you will contribute to the delivery of high-level secretariat support for the Plant Health Committee and its subcommittees and working groups. This can be a demanding role, often with competing priorities. You will require excellent organisation, communication and stakeholder engagement skills. A proactive approach to the management of your work and the ability to remain flexible in the prioritisation and re-prioritisation of your work is required. Your role will involve the following:

- Supporting and leading the provision of high-quality secretariat services to national and departmental plant biosecurity committees and working groups.
- Working with internal and external stakeholders to provide leadership and direction to the national plant health biosecurity system.
- Preparation and presentation of papers to progress national committee business.
- Hosting of meetings, preparation of meeting documentation in