EMPLOYMENT

Who we are The Plant Health Policy Branch provides a national focal point for plant biosecurity issues within Australia and has responsibility for the national leadership in managing Australia's plant health. The work of the branch underpins biosecurity and helps to open new, and maintain existing, domestic and international markets for Australian plant industries. This is achieved by; providing focus for national and international plant biosecurity activities; preparing for and coordinating national responses to plant pests and exotic weeds; promoting reform of the plant biosecurity system; improving plant health capacity and capabilities in near-neighbour countries and trading partners; domestically improving national surveillance and diagnostic capability and capacity; and assisting the department to meet national and international obligations and influencing plant health policies. The Diagnostics and Research Section covers both departmental and national diagnostic-related policy and project work, as well as scientific support and research coordination. The Section's focus is on building, maintaining and advancing plant health diagnostics capability and capacity to support management of nationally significant pests and diseases; as well as coordination of international scientific and technical collaboration in plant biosecurity, and facilitating the identification and sharing of expertise, tools and technologies. The key duties of the position include The Job The National Networks Coordinator is the key contact point for the National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network (NPBDN) and the Plant Surveillance Network Australasia-Pacific (PSNAP) and works under the direction of Plant Health Committee's Subcommittee on Plant Health Diagnostics (SPHD) and Subcommittee on National Plant Health Surveillance (SNPHS). This role was established to foster and facilitate NPBDN and PSNAP as well as additional activities, such as national capability building initiatives and annual network workshops. These networks are critical to maintain and enhance our national plant health diagnostic and surveillance people capability. This national position is funded by the Australian and state and territory governments to ensure continuity and delivery of key plant health biosecurity system functions. The key duties of this position include, but not limited to: coordinating and supporting the activities of the National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostics Network (NPBDN) and the Plant Surveillance Network Australasia-Pacific (PSNAP) supporting the planning and delivery of technical workshops and initiatives that build national capability in plant pest diagnostics and surveillance actively promoting the networks and fostering expansion of membership, including international and domestic connections developing and facilitating implementation of national capability plans for diagnostics and surveillance identifying opportunities to maximise benefit and value for money from national capability activities such as residential programs and training courses developing appropriate communication materials to support the objectives of the networks. administering, maintaining, and improving the NPBDN and PSNAP websites and managing procurement arrangements associated with the websites developing and sustaining linkages to the national surveillance and diagnostic committees and working groups and regularly reporting to these groups (as cost sharing partners). Please note: The successful applicant must be able to travel interstate as part of the job role. This recruitment process will initially be used to fill one vacancy on an ongoing basis , and the role may be able to be performed from any of the DAFF office locations. 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 vacancies in the branch where the duties are of a similar nature. Flexible working arrangements We are open to discussing flexible working arrangements. To seek further information please speak with the contact officer prior to submitting your application.