Public Information and Warnings Supervisor

About us

Our purpose is to help the community to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from the impact of fire and emergency events.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is the primary provider of fire, rescue and emergency management programs and services throughout Queensland. The department encompasses the Fire and Rescue Service, disaster management services, the Rural Fire Service and the State Emergency Service, and also supports other volunteer groups providing emergency response to Queenslanders.

QFES is one department with many services, many capabilities and many partners.

Purpose of role

The Public Information and Warnings unit provides strategic and operational response oversight of the public information capability, to ensure operational planning and readiness at the state, regional and local levels. The team works with internal and external stakeholders to ensure Queensland communities receive timely, accurate and relevant information during incidents and disasters, to ensure the safety of the community and effective incident management.

Reporting to the Executive Manager, you will be responsible for supervising a team of Public Information Officers in the delivery of timely and quality public information services to meet organisational and legislative requirements. You will oversee the daily operations and functions of the Public Information and Warnings team including timely incident-based information to help communities make informed decisions, take protective action and reduce potential impacts and consequences of a hazard.

Key requirements

Highly desirable requirements
- Qualifications, and more than seven years' experience, in communications or public information related field within a complex and challenging environment.
- Minimum C Class Driver's Licence (non-restricted).

Special requirements
- Participate in the Public Information and Warnings 24 hour on-call roster and travel intrastate or interstate, as necessary.
- Deployment at short notice in response to QFES operations during major incidents, emergencies and disasters if required.

Your key accountabilities

Your part in the ongoing success of our department, in supporting key frontline services will see you responsible for a variety of work, including, but not limited to:

- Supervise the issuing of critical public information and oversee the delivery of public information and warning initiatives to support operations and the public information and warnings capability.
- Supervise the team's support of QFES operations during major incidents, emergencies and disasters to inform communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from the impact of fire and emergency events.
- Provide specialist advice to the Minister's office, the Commissioner and Executive Leadership Team on strategic public information and warning issues and disaster response.
- Prepare, edit and approve a range of public information and warnings products prior to distribution, and in accordance with departmental guidelines and requirements.
- Develop, implement, evaluate and oversee a comprehensive public information training program to increase the capability of staff and volunteers to effectively communicate with the public during incidents and disasters.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders and represent QFES at meetings and forums and negotiate positive outcomes as required.

Capabilities

To determine your suitability for the role, you will be assessed on the following Leadership Competencies for Queensland behavioural profiles that link to the "key accountabilities" for this role:
Leadership Competency Stream - Team Leader (leading others)

Vision
- Leads strategically
- Makes insightful decisions

Results
- Develops and mobilises talent
- Drives accountability and outcomes

Accountability
- Fosters healthy and inclusive workplaces
- Demonstrates sound governance
- Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted.