Rd & e Coordinator

Avocado industry
- Make an impact
- Brisbane

**The organisation**

Avocados Australia Limited (AAL) is the representative industry body for the Australian avocado industry. They provide a range of services to members and the broader industry to foster growth and development.

AAL works with all parts of the supply chain, from production through to the consumer. Their purpose is to support Australian growers to become world leading sustainable producers and their vision is for a globally competitive and trusted Australian avocado industry.

**The position**

The RD&E Coordinator will work with avocado growers, the broader industry, researchers, consultants, extension practitioners, Avocados Australia staff and Hort Innovation to optimise the performance of the Hort Innovation avocado RD&E investment program. The avocado R&D levy investment is large and straddles many portfolios within Hort Innovation, in line with the Avocado Strategic Investment Plan.

The role’s aim is to ensure the Avocado RD&E program is well coordinated, responsive to industry needs and delivers on industry expectations. This encompasses the following:

- Lead and coordinate R&D delivery for the Australian avocado industry, integrating avocado R&D, extension and communication investments from concept through to completion.
- Increase the relevance and quality of RD&E to the industry, along with the pace and impact of avocado RD&E, to help maximise the collective value of industry RD&E Investments.

**Responsibilities**

**Planning & Review**
- Work closely with the Hort Innovation avocado advisory mechanism to plan avocado RD&E investment recommendations, contributing to strategy and investment planning by providing high quality information to support avocado RD&E planning processes
- Ensure the avocado RD&E investment program responds to all RD&E requirements across the Strategic Investment Plan, facilitating the adoption of the new extension strategy

**Communication & Extension**
- Provide a central point of contact for avocado industry RD&E for all stakeholders
- Network with growers and industry stakeholders to communicate research outcomes and activities, identifying RD&E priorities for industry investment, and leveraging partnerships and resources effectively and efficiently
- Chair the National Avocado Extension Committee (NAEC) to facilitate the implementation of extension strategy recommendations, and to maintain the strategy as an active document
- Provide support to the Industry Communications Program to communicate outputs and outcomes, and ensure the avocado advisory mechanism is kept well informed of Project progress and issues.
- Ensure key industry information is provided to relevant Hort Innovation staff to support effective RD&E investment management

**Performance monitoring**
- Participate in Project Reference Groups to review project progress and provide strategic and tactical input
- Work with relevant Hort Innovation staff to ensure industry receive relevant and timely information related to the progress of Hort Innovation portfolio investments.

We are keen to hear from you if you possess the following skills and experience:

- Experience in horticultural research and/or extension, along with relevant tertiary qualifications
- Understanding of contemporary extension practices, systems approach and designing projects to achieve impact for growers
- Proven high level communication and coordination skills and experience, able to work with and across different organisations, along with objectivity with project delivery partners
- Experience in successfully working in ambiguous environments
- Ability to identify the high priority needs of growers across regions
- Operate with diplomacy, confident and competent in negotiations

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