EMPLOYMENT

Why YOU are important to us and what impact will you have on the Exports & Veterinary Services Division and the departments' goal. The Exports and Veterinary Services Division manages export inspection, audit and certification services for food, non-food commodities and live animal operations. We negotiate technical market access for food and non-food commodities expanding Australia's trade. We manage agricultural quotas negotiated under FTA's and we lead Australia's positions at the Codex Alimentarius Commission for international food standards. The division also delivers the National Residue Survey for Australian primary industries. The Export Standards Branch (ESB) leads technical market access negotiations and engagement with Australia's key trading partners for a range of exported agricultural and food commodities. ESB also pursues Australia's interests internationally in multilateral food safety and trade related forums and leads technical trade modernisation initiatives, such as electronic certification, and other collaborative projects to grow closer ties in markets. As a Policy Officer, you will: • work on topical issues, critical for the future exports of Australian animal products • provide specialist advice and guidance on matters relating to animal health, biosecurity and food safety. • contribute to strategic advice to safeguard Australia's reputation as a trusted exporter and help maintain access to billions of dollars in global trade. The key duties of the position include This is where you play an important role. Duties of the positions include but are not limited to: • providing technical or specialist advice on animal health, biosecurity and food safety matters • addressing topical issues critical to the future export of Australian meat and meat products • liaising and negotiating with government agencies, industry bodies and stakeholders to support technical market access • conducting research and preparing technical submissions and briefings for market access negotiations • representing the department in engagements with international trading partners and Australian industry • contributing to high-level advice for senior executives and the Minister on animal health-related matters • providing input into the development of international food trade standards • investigating and responding to trade disruptions through targeted research. Please note that this recruitment process will initially be used to fill several ongoing vacancies in the branch . 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 be used to fill future ongoing vacancies in the branch where the duties are of a similar nature.