Assistant Director, Plant Health Committee Executive Officer

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Canberra ACT

1d ago , from Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

- Office of the Chief Plant Protection Officer Division

Why YOU are important to us and what impact will you have on the Office of the Chief Plant Protection Officer and the departments’ goal.

The Office of the Chief Plant Protection Officer (OCPPO) provides policy leadership and support for plant health and biosecurity. The office aims to: improve Australia’s plant health and biosecurity systems and outcomes; helps meet relevant national and international obligations; and works to minimise the impacts of current and emerging biosecurity risks to Australia’s agricultural production and trade, environment and associated amenities.

We’re the national hub for plant biosecurity, guiding how Australia protects its crops and environment from pests and diseases. By shaping robust policies and fostering collaboration across government and industry, we help maintain Australia’s healthy plant status and open doors to markets worldwide.

This is where you play an important role.

The Plant Health Committee Executive Officer provides high level strategic and executive support to the Plant Health Committee, the primary government policy forum for national plant biosecurity comprising all state and territory governments and the Australian Government. The role operates with a high degree of autonomy and professional judgement, supporting PHC to exercise effective system stewardship and deliver coordinated national outcomes.

As the Plant Health Committee Executive Officer, you will perform the following duties:

Strategic governance and system stewardship

- Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of PHC governance frameworks, including risk management, performance monitoring and stakeholder engagement,



to support delivery of the PHC Strategic Plan and broader national biosecurity priorities.
- Provide expert advice on governance, accountability and decision-making processes to ensure PHC operates effectively as a national forum.

Executive advice and briefing

- Prepare high-quality briefs, submissions, presentations and correspondence for PHC, the Chair and senior executives, synthesising complex information from across jurisdictions, scientific experts and regulators.
- Exercise sound judgement to resolve issues, provide timely advice, and escalating matters requiring PHC consideration or decision.

Committee leadership and coordination

- Advise the PHC Secretariat on agenda management, workflow prioritisation and forward planning to support efficient committee operations.
- Support alignment between PHC and its subcommittees and working groups, monitoring progress, identifying risks and issues, and supporting delivery of agreed work programs.
- Draft tasking directives from PHC to subcommittees and provide authoritative guidance on governance and reporting requirements.

Stakeholder and jurisdictional engagement

- Liaise with state and territory governments, plant industries and other stakeholders on behalf of PHC to strengthen relationships, support information sharing and enable national coordination on priority plant biosecurity issues.
- Represent PHC, as required, at subcommittee, working group and/or stakeholder meetings, providing updates on PHC priorities, decisions and strategic direction.

Leadership and capability

- Provide functional leadership within the Secretariat by setting clear expectations,



supporting capability development, modelling APS values and contributing to a positive, inclusive workplace culture.
- Contribute to workshops, events and other activities to support PHC engagement and continuous improvement.
- Mentoring and supervising junior staff to support capability development and delivery of team outcomes.

Please note that 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.

Our ideal candidate will have

Knowledge and experience

- Experience in science administration and/or the implementation of science-based policy, strategies or work programs.
- Experience operating in complex governance or committee environments with multiple stakeholders, including government, industry and technical experts.

Mandatory Qualifications

A qualification or demonstrated equivalent experience in science or science communication is mandatory. Experience in plant health, biosecurity or closely related fields will be highly regarded.

VetPaths

The Australian Public Service (APS) values the unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that veterans gain during their Australian Defence Force (ADF) employment and encourage veterans to apply. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer support. More information can be found here.

For additional information, read the Job Description below.

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📌 Assistant Director, Plant Health Committee Executive Officer (Canberra)
🏢 Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
📍 Canberra