THE CLIENT

Our client, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), is the Australian Government statutory agency responsible for the management and regulation of all agricultural and veterinary chemical products in Australia. It was established in 1993 to centralise the registration of all AgVet chemical products into the Australian marketplace. The APVMA regulate agricultural and veterinary chemicals to manage the risks of pests and diseases for the Australian community and to protect Australia’s trade and the health and safety of people, animals and the environment.

THE ROLE

We are seeking an experienced and visionary executive to lead APVMA’s Agricultural Chemicals Branch which plays a central role in managing all premarket regulatory activities for agricultural chemicals. It assesses and evaluates applications submitted by applicants to approve or vary actives and labels, register products, issue permits, import consents and certificates of export, and provide pre-application assistance. As one of three science branches, the Agricultural Chemicals Branch also works closely with the Science and Assurance Branch to ensure all regulatory tools and scientific approaches are contemporary and that staff have access to up-to-date guidance and instructional materials that reflect APVMA’s regulatory scientific approaches.

As a senior leader at the APVMA, supporting the Chief Executive Officer, you will deliver strategic outcomes by developing and implementing a business plan aligned with APVMA’s corporate planning and reporting documents while drawing on strong project, risk, and financial management skills, and building effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. You will provide strong leadership by modelling the APS leadership behaviours, leading high-performing technical teams to deliver meaningful results while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusion.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will also contribute to organisational strategy, culture, and performance by actively engaging in agency and whole-of-government priorities.

THE OPPORTUNITY - ARMIDALE, NSW OR CANBERRA, ACT

As Executive Director, Agricultural Chemicals, you will play a key role in leading premarket regulatory activities—ranging from approvals and registrations to permits and export certifications. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will shape regulatory strategy, lead high-performing technical teams, and champion innovation and collaboration across the agency.

Key Responsibilities

Plan and coordinate the work of the Agricultural Chemicals Branch, including management of the branch’s budget, setting the branch’s strategic direction, and establishing expectations and priorities.

Oversee the premarket regulatory activities for agricultural chemicals within statutory timeframes, including approval (and variations) of actives, registration of products, the issue of permits, the issue of import consents and certificates of export, and the provision pre-application assistance.

Oversee the preparation of assessment advice to Delegates on whether an application satisfies health, environment, residues, trade, efficacy and chemistry safety criteria.

Implement oversight of quality assurance mechanisms for APVMA’s premarket regulatory activities.

Engage with other regulatory authorities, including international regulators involved in agricultural chemical regulation, to streamline and strengthen internal processes.

Promote regulatory best practice and process enhancement initiatives across teams.

Represent the APVMA in domestic and international fora.

ABOUT YOU

We are seeking a strategic and influential executive with deep expertise in regulatory science—ideally within the agricultural chemicals or broader agvet sector.

You are a decisive leader with a strong track record of managing high-performing scientific teams, delivering complex, evidence-based decisions, and navigating regulatory and legislative frameworks. Adept at stakeholder engagement, you represent organisations with confidence on both national and international stages. With a strong results focus, sound scientific judgement, and exceptional relationship-building skills, you bring the leadership and vision needed to help position the APVMA as a global leader in agvet chemical regulation.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

Success in this role will require you to bring demonstrated strengths in the following areas:

Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and develop high-performing regulatory science teams while setting strategic direction, managing complex workloads, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Proven experience in applying scientific judgments in a regulatory context to deliver risk-proportionate, evidence-based decisions within a complex legislative framework.

Demonstrated ability to interpret complex scientific data, apply technical expertise in a regulatory context, and the capacity to broaden technical expertise to meet evolving regulatory needs.

High developed interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills, including the ability to convey complex information clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.

Proven ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels to support collaboration, problem-solving, and shared regulatory outcomes.

Strong organisational and project management skills, including a strong record of prioritising and delivering results in fast-paced, resource constrained environments.

Sound understanding of public sector governance, risk management, financial accountability, and process improvement, ideally withing a regulatory science setting.

Demonstrated commitment to model the APS Values and APS Employment Principles; and promote compliance with the APS Code of Conduct and the Secretaries’ Charter of Leadership.

Desirable:

A PhD in a relevant discipline from an Australian University or qualification of equivalent standard from an Australian or overseas university, or other qualifications appropriate to the duties of the position.

Relevant experience working in and/or knowledge of Australia’s agvet chemical regulatory scheme.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please click the "Apply" button and submit the following:

A cover letter addressing the Essential Requirements, maximum 1000 words.

A customised current CV/resume outlining your experience, achievements and capabilities that will enable you to successfully undertake the responsibilities of this role.

CONTACT

To receive a Candidate Information Pack and full job description which may assist with your application, please email [email protected].

To have a confidential discussion about this role, you can call Helen on +61 438 620 434 or send a text to organise a suitable time.

Applications close on 16th July 2025 at Midnight AEST.

THANK YOU

CS Executive Group would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to apply for this role. You may wish to visit our website to view all our current opportunities: www.csexecutivegroup.com