Who we are

Biosecurity Operations Division delivers nationally integrated biosecurity and imported food regulatory activities to ensure goods, conveyances and travellers meet Australia's import requirements. Division operations include policy and regulatory control setting across imported food and biosecurity risk pathways, as well as the delivery of assessment, inspection, community engagement and contact centre services. The division also partners with industry leaders to improve the delivery of regulatory functions. The division spans a range of regulatory activities that plays a critical role in reducing risk and shaping our nation to become one of the few countries in the world to remain free from the world’s most severe pests and diseases.

Cargo Operations South and Detector Dogs (COS&DD) pathway delivers regulatory assessment and inspections of goods, across the biosecurity continuum (offshore, at the border and onshore) to verify compliance with Australia's biosecurity and imported food requirements and has a presence in Victoria and Tasmania. The branch is also responsible for national delivery of client contact services, along with biosecurity detector dog program policy, training, and operations.

The Cargo Operations Business Management (COBM) Section provides management support to the Cargo Operations Pathway to drive consistency and improvement in business management practices. This includes budget management, parliamentary process coordination, governance coordination, operational business support, business continuity planning, performance measure reporting, business planning, procurement, consideration of Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (CDDA) compensation claims, statutory compensation management and client feedback. COBM also contributes to broader strategic innovation and improvement projects for the pathway.

The Job

The role of an Assistant Director in the Cargo Budget Management team in COBM is to support the achievement of operational outcomes in line with the department’s corporate plan and Biosecurity Operations (BOD) business plan.

The main duties of the role include, but are not limited to:

· leading, and managing the performance and accountability of a geographically dispersed team,

· developing and managing the budgeting cycle for the Cargo Operations Pathway which includes monitoring several expense budgets within the branch,

· leading the development of Cargo Operations Pathway cost recovery performance reporting, with a focus on activity reporting, debt recovery, charging practices and revenue leakage,

· leading and managing the procurement of Cargo Operations Pathway supplier goods,

· providing expert financial advice to the Assistant Secretaries and Directors on matters such as financial reporting, budget control, budget development, forecasting, and financial planning activities specific to the Cargo Operations Pathway,

· developing strategies in consultation with the Directors and Assistant Secretaries to mitigate and/or address branch related financial risks and financial underperformance,

· contributing to and conducting financial analysis to drive improved business outcomes, including developing solutions to financial risks.

· developing and maintaining professional working relationships with internal stakeholders across a national footprint that promotes the collaborative exchange of financial and business information,

· leading the month end reporting cycle including fostering close relationships with department Finance Business Partners to ensure the results are accurate, including forecasting,

· leading the development, drafting, coordination and input into financial information in executive briefings, governance documents, business plans and range of other documents including but not limited to variance reports, monthly performance dashboards and forecasting.

· leading process improvement activities to enable strong financial governance processes and consistency in financial management practices across the Cargo Operations Pathway,

· representing the Cargo Operations Pathway at various meetings involving other areas of the department,

· supporting the preparation of financial information for external stakeholders,

· promoting, modelling and ensuring adherence to APS Values, Employment Principles and Code of Conduct while managing diversity,

· assisting with other matters as requested by the Director.

What we are looking for

Knowledge and experience

The successful applicants will have:

· Qualifications and experience in budget management.

· Foundational knowledge of cost recovery principles.

· Experience with the Technology One Enterprise Suite.

· Experience in budget development monitoring.

· Experience in leading, managing, mentoring and supporting staff.

· Experience in internal and external stakeholder engagement.