Director/Principal Veterinary Officer

Classification & Salary:

• EL 2 - $146,942 - $170,725
• Executive Level 2 (Veterinarian VO4) EL2.04 – EL $151,922 - $165,095

Who we are

The Exports and Veterinary Services Division (EVSD) regulates the export of animal products and import of food products through the delivery of inspection and certification services including those related to live animal operations. It develops strategies to gain, improve or maintain market access for a wide range of animal products. Responsible for delivering the Australian Codex Alimentarius Contact Point and delivers the coordination and development of policy and technical input to international food standards. Manages 63 tariff rate quotas. The division delivers the National Residue Survey for Australian primary industries. Additionally, it actively contributes to the department's digitalisation and regulatory reform agendas including implementing reform programs for dairy, cosmetics and other goods.

The Veterinary and Export Meat Branch (VEMB) undertakes regulatory functions through a large geographically dispersed workforce who provide inspection and certification for the export of meat, meat products and the import and export of live animals and reproductive material in order to meet importing country requirements and Australian legislative requirements.

The Live Animal Section is comprised of Principal Veterinary Officers, Senior Veterinary Officer, Regional Veterinary Officers and Biosecurity Officers, and provides veterinary and technical services for the import and export of animals and animal genetic material. We provide veterinary and technical assessments, inspections and certification for the import and export of live animals and animal genetic material. We work under the Export Control Act 2020 and Biosecurity Act 2015 to ensure compliance with Australian and international requirements for the import and export of live animals and genetic materials.

The Export Meat Section delivers inspection and verification services at export registered meat establishments at various locations across Australia. These services are aimed at achieving compliance with Australian export standards and overseas importing country market requirements. The team is responsible for administering appropriate export legislation and delivering ante mortem, post-mortem and meat and meat product inspection services. The team is comprised of Operational Managers, On-Plant Veterinary Officers (OPVs), Food Safety Assessors (FSAs), Food Safety Meat Assessors (FSMAs) and a Staff Resource Unit who provide the services required at over 88 export abattoirs and various other registered premises nationally.

The Strategy and Governance and Workforce Planning and Regulatory Culture Section is responsible for developing and coordinating branch governance and reporting, ensuring nationally consistent regulatory and service delivery operations. The team monitors performance and provides strategic advice on effectiveness, covering areas such as performance reporting, financial management and verification, export billing, regulatory policy and program support, workforce and workload management, training, business improvement, and liaison with relevant departmental corporate services. The Workforce Planning and Regulatory Culture section undertakes a program of work to further develop a strong regulatory culture and mature practice in VEMB / EVSD. This includes building regulatory capability and professionalism - actively building staff technical and non-technical capability, including ensuring staff have relevant knowledge of the regulatory craft and the industries we regulate, and have the capacity and are empowered to identify and implement improved practices.

The Job

The Job - Director (EL2) - The main duties of the Director role include, but are not limited to:

·      Lead the development, promotion and implementation of innovative and contemporary business strategies to improve service delivery.

·      Represent the branch and division in negotiations with other government agencies, industry bodies and other resources in a cost recovery environment.

·      Provide high-level analysis of issues and making a significant contribution to the strategic direction of policies/projects/initiatives and reporting on benefit, objectives and performance.

·      Provide specialist and/or strategic policy and regulatory advice to internal and external stakeholders.

·      Promote and manage relationships and key strategic alliances and represent the branch and division in meetings and forums with internal and external stakeholders, including industry bodies, exporters and service providers.

·      Plan, organise and allocate staff resources to achieve work goals including managing budgets, contracts, procurement and human resource management.

The Job – Principal Veterinary Officer (VO4) - In addition to the above duties if engaged in the PVO role additional duties may include but not limited to:

·      Provide technical advice and support to VEMB staff and policy areas.

·      Oversee export certification and biosecurity risk management for animals and animal reproductive material.

·      Occasionally perform operational veterinary inspections and certification duties.

Please note this recruitment process will initially be used to fill two vacancies. 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 in leading, managing and supporting staff to work collaboratively in a challenging, complex and fast paced work environment.

·      Experience in Australia's biosecurity and animal health systems.

·      Experience achieving results including in the area of regulatory programs, regulatory reform or market access negotiations.

·      An understanding of, and experience working in a regulatory, service delivery environment.

·      A working knowledge of legislative frameworks/regulation and government decision-making.

·      Experience in building and maintaining stakeholder relationships.

Mandatory qualifications

FOR PVO VO4 ROLE ONLY: You must have a veterinary degree from an Australian university or equivalent veterinary qualification recognised in Australia. You must be registered with the relevant Australian state/territory veterinary board, and you must maintain this registration whilst employed by the department.