Operational Workforce and Planning Lead The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) Is responsible for protecting the South Australian community from the effects of fire, road crashes, chemical incidents and other emergencies. We are a team of approximately 1,300 operational personnel and corporate professionals serving the Community across 20 metropolitan and 17 regional fire stations.

Primary purpose of the role:

The Operational Workforce and Planning Lead provides strategic leadership in workforce planning, resource allocation and rostering to support operational readiness across the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS).

The role leads the development and continuous improvement of operational workforce planning frameworks, systems and processes to ensure personnel are effectively aligned with operational requirements and organisational priorities. Through the analysis of workforce and operational data, the position identifies emerging risks, forecasts future workforce needs and develops practical solutions that support informed decision-making.

The Operational Workforce and Planning Lead provides expert advice to senior leaders on workforce deployment, resource management and rostering matters. The role ensures workforce planning practices comply with relevant legislation, industrial instruments and organisational requirements, while driving improvements in workforce capability, resource utilisation and service delivery.

Through effective leadership and stakeholder engagement, the position supports sustainable workforce outcomes and contributes to the delivery of high-quality emergency services to the South Australian community.





Special conditions

- May be required to undertake Intrastate and some interstate travel which may necessitate overnight stays.
- May be required to undertake some out of hours.
- Must hold a current South Australian driver's licence.
- Will be employed under the conditions governed by the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 and be expected to work in a manner consistent with the Code of Ethics for the South Australian Public Sector.

Statement of key outcomes and associated activities

- Lead the strategic development, implementation and continuous improvement of workforce planning, resource allocation and rostering strategies to strengthen organisational capability, operational readiness and service delivery outcomes.
- Provide authoritative strategic advice and recommendations to Executive and senior operational leaders on complex workforce planning, deployment, resource allocation, workforce capability, workforce trends and rostering matters, influencing strategic and operational decision-making.
- Lead the assessment and analysis of workforce capability, availability, utilisation and operational demand, identifying emerging risks and trends, forecasting future workforce requirements and developing evidence-based strategies to address current and future workforce needs.




- Lead the governance and strategic management of workforce information, records and data, establishing appropriate governance controls and assurance processes to ensure data quality, accuracy, security and compliance o with legislative, industrial policy and organisational requirements.
- Lead the delivery of workforce planning and resource management projects and initiatives, driving innovation, business improvement and organisational performance outcomes.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with Executive leadership, senior operational leaders, employees and key stakeholders to influence workforce planning outcomes, resolve complex workforce issues and ensure alignment with organisational objectives and service delivery requirements.
- Lead the development, review and implementation of workforce planning policies, procedures and governance frameworks, interpreting legislative and industrial requirements and ensuring their effective application across the organisation.
- Provide leadership, strategic direction and technical expertise to workforce planning and resource management staff, fostering accountability, capability development, continuous improvement and customer-focused service delivery.
- Lead the management and governance of Performance Review and Development (PRD) records, monitor organisational compliance with the MFS Performance Development Framework, and provide strategic reporting and recommendations to Executive leaderships to strengthen workforce capability, performance outcomes and organisational effectiveness.

📌 Operational Workforce and Planning Lead (Keswick)
🏢 SA Metropolitan Fire Service
📍 Keswick