Operations Manager

Who we are

Biosecurity Operations Division delivers nationally integrated biosecurity and imported food regulatory activities to ensure goods, conveyances and travellers meet Australia's import requirements. Division operations include policy and regulatory control setting across imported food and biosecurity risk pathways, as well as the delivery of assessment, inspection, community engagement and contact centre services. The division also partners with industry to improve the delivery of regulatory functions. The division spans a range of regulatory activities that plays a critical role in reducing risk and shaping our nation to become one of the few countries in the world to remain free from the world's most severe pests and diseases.

The Traveller Operations & Policy (TO&P) branch develops and implements regulatory policy for traveller biosecurity and human health, delivers biosecurity regulatory screening and inspections of goods at air and seaports, manages non-compliant travellers including by issuing infringement notices, and drives modernisation and reform initiatives. The branch is responsible for leading the planning and design of the department's requirements for the new Western Sydney International Airport.

Travellers Operations delivers regulatory screening and inspections of travellers and their goods at the border to verify compliance with Australia's biosecurity requirements. Travellers Operations works with policy and risk owners within the department to influence and inform operational policy and deliver regulatory functions in accordance with legislative requirements, national standards and a risk-based operating model.

The Jobs

The role of an Operations Manager is to lead and manage staff to support the achievement of operational outcomes in line with the department's business objectives. The successful applicants will need to influence and contribute to change, while contributing to business planning and decision-making processes. They will also be required to demonstrate innovative leadership while providing support to and managing teams in a regulatory environment.

The duties of these roles may include some or all the following:

• Leading and managing the performance of geographically dispersed teams working in a regulatory environment.

• Making decisions based on sound judgement in line with the application of legislation and regulations.

• Performing research and data analysis on complex or escalated issues to inform decision making or recommendations to the relevant delegate.

• Preparing a range of written material (such as data reports and briefs) which includes developing recommendations and liaising with internal stakeholders.

• Managing competing priorities and organising workflow for self and others while maintaining good attention to detail and delivering within timeframes.

• Effectively communicating with, and responding to, internal and external stakeholders including government agencies and industry partners.

• Providing quality specialist advice to internal stakeholders including anticipating problems and contributing to issues management.

• Supporting change management including staff and client participation, consultation and cultural change.

Please note that this selection process will initially be used to fill one vacancy across the Biosecurity Operations Division. 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 Gazette, may also be used to fill future ongoing vacancies in the division where the duties are of a similar nature.

For further information on the work of a Manager in the Biosecurity Operations Division please click here.

What we are looking for

Knowledge and experience

The successful applicants will have:

• experience in leading, managing, mentoring and supporting staff in an operational environment

• experience in implementing change and managing ambiguity in the workplace

• high level writing skills with demonstrated experience delivering a range of written products

• demonstrated computer literacy and experience interrogating electronic databases

• knowledge of the principles of administrative law and the objectives of regulatory practice

• an understanding of the application and authority to exercise regulatory powers.