Assistant Director

EL 1 - $112,294 - $120,780 per annum plus superannuation
- Exports & Veterinary Services Division
- Canberra, ACT

**Who we are**
The Exports Division provides export inspection and certification services and develops strategies to gain, improve or maintain market access for a wide range of food, inedible products of animal origin, live animal and reproductive materials. It provides residue monitoring services to Australian primary industries and administers 40 tariff rate quotas for products to the European Union, United States of America, Indonesia and Japan. The division also includes the Codex contact point which coordinates technical input from both industry and government to develop Australia’s position on international food standards.

The
**Meat Exports** Branch works in close partnership with internal and external stakeholders to develop and maintain national export inspection and certification services for meat (red meat, poultry, pork, sheep and game meat). This includes the development of legislation, operational policy and guidelines, instructional material, technical training development and delivery and engagement with industry and government stakeholders. The central office team manages the export certification system (EXDOC) and provides operational support to the department's technical service delivery streams who are responsible for inspection, verification and certification of meat and meat products across Australia. The branch also includes the division's certification integrity unit that evaluates the effectiveness of the division's export systems.

The
**Export Standards** Branch negotiates technical standards and conditions with trading partners to maintain, improve or develop market access for the export of meat, fish, dairy, eggs, animal by-products and non-prescribed goods. The Branch manages the Codex Contact Point responsible for the coordination and development of policy and technical input into international food standards and provides secretariat support to the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS). The Branch also develops content for the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR), provides chemical residue and microbiological expertise and laboratory oversight.

The
**Residues and Food** Branch is responsible for policy development, implementation and regulation of dairy, fish and egg exporters, organic exporters, and non-prescribed food and animal by-products exporters. This includes the development of legislation, operational policy and guidelines, instructional material, technical training and its delivery, reporting and engagement of industry and government stakeholders. The branch is responsible for the National Residue Survey which conducts animal and plant residue testing for participating industries.

**Please note** that this recruitment process will be used to fill both ongoing and non-ongoing positions across the above listed branches. If an offer of non-ongoing employment is made, the successful applicant would be employed for an initial period of up to 12 months with the possibility of extension up to a maximum period of 3 years in total. Should a non-ongoing position become ongoing then 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 be used to fill the vacancy on an ongoing basis. The merit pool may also be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies in the Division where the duties are of a similar nature.

**The Job**
The duties include leading a small team to:

- undertake research and analysis to inform policy and program development to support existing regulatory functions and to address emerging issues
- prepare briefing materials, correspondence, reports, and other products for the Minister, departmental executives, and for tabling at various forums
- prepare and review industry reports, policy, instructional material and stakeholder meeting papers to progress programs
- engage and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders, including animal producers, processors and peak industry bodies, as well as other state/territory and commonwealth agencies, international trading partners and internal stakeholders
- represent the department in various forums
- develop and draft communication products for both internal and external stakeholders
- provide technical and professional advice relating to export operations and supporting decisions to fulfil the department’s regulatory role.

**What we are looking for**

**Knowledge and experience**
- have experience maintaining stakeholder relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- have experience achieving results while remaining positive and respond to pressure in a calm manner
- have a knowledge of international trade and Australian agricultural industries, and/or
- have an understanding and