Information for applicants

The role is ongoing and located in Brisbane, Melbourne or Canberra. Information about the position, including eligibility, selection criteria, and details on how to apply, is available on the Bureau of Meteorology's website Careers page at https://bomcareers.nga.net.au/cp/

Applications close at 11:30pm AEST Thursday 23 September 2025

Enquiries about the position can be directed to Dr Judith Landsberg

General Manager Services and Knowledge

Email: [email protected]

About the Australian Climate Service

Across the Australian Government we hold world-leading expertise, data and information that can be used to support better planning, preparedness and response to climate challenges and natural hazards.

The Australian Climate Service seeks to support a safer, adaptive and prosperous Australia, prepared for and resilient to climate challenges and natural disasters. It aims to deliver this through:

• Improving access to authoritative and trusted data, intelligence and expert advice, and
• Building and enhancing Australia's climate and natural hazard intelligence capability.

The Australian Climate Service aims to connect and leverage the Commonwealth’s extensive climate and natural hazard information into a single national view. The Australian Climate Service works with partners and information users to provide data and intelligence to support each phase of the natural disaster continuum: prevention, preparedness, response, relief, recovery, and resilience.

The Australian Climate Service is building a national capability that improves Australia’s ability to understand climate and natural hazard challenges and how they are or could impact Australia. This understanding aims to improve planning, preparedness and response. It draws on Australian Government expertise from the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Geoscience Australia. Over the coming years it will also collaborate with state and territory governments, private sector, community, and other actors to become a truly national capability.

About the Bureau

We are Australia’s weather, climate, water, oceans and space weather agency. Our work touches the lives of all Australians every day.

Our products and services include observations, forecasts, warnings, analysis and advice. They cover Australia’s atmosphere, water, oceans and space environments.

The Bureau operates under the authority of the Meteorology Act 1955 and the Water Act 2007. We also fulfill Australia’s international obligations under the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization and related international meteorological treaties and agreements.

Read the Bureau of Meteorology Strategy 2022–27 to find out more about our organisation and the work we do for all Australians.

Position overview

We are looking for a strategic, dynamic and adaptable leader to fill a Program Manager role with the Australian Climate Service. The Australian Climate Service (ACS) was established in July 2021, as a partnership of the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Bureau of Meteorology is the accountable authority.

Established as a response to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, the ACS is a new virtual agency that will integrate and deliver data, models, platforms and advice to support natural disaster and climate risk management policy and operational decision making. Our work aims to meet the immediate and future data and intelligence needs of the Commonwealth Emergency Management Australia and National Recovery and Resilience Agency (from 1 September this will be one agency the National Emergency Management, Relief and Resilience Agency) who hold the responsibilities for coordination of a national response before, during and after natural disasters, and to better prepare Australian communities and industries against future natural disasters. We are also building climate and hazard capabilities that can be drawn on by other Commonwealth Government and target decision makers.

The ACS has four programs that together deliver services and uplift climate and hazard risk capability:

• Program 1: Climate Risk Assessment and Monitoring (ACS Integration Hub)
• Program 2: Data and Information about Australia (social, economic, built and natural domains)
• Program 3: Climate and Natural Hazard Science and data
• Program 4: Services for targeted decision makers (customised services and engagement to support decision-making for risk and adaptation)

We are seeking a leader for Program 1 in the Australian Climate Service.

The Program Manager Knowledge and Insights will provide strategic leadership, for service delivery, program management, policy and decision-making advice, cross agency co-ordination and ensure best practice is employed. Program Leaders play a crucial role in enabling the ACS to deliver outcomes and continue to build the ACS capability.

Role responsibilities

Program Manager(s) is to guide the strategic priorities for the program to position ACS to progressively deliver authoritative source of integrated advice and the new step change in integrative capability.

Program Managers will shape and drive the program plans and delivery requirements as well as work with target decision makers to ensure the outputs are valued and used. The Program Managers across the ACS programs ensure the synergies and linkages are managed efficiently and the overall ACS capability is optimised. This will require strong project/program management skills, experience in negotiation and engaging with high level internal and external stakeholders, and the ability to foster collaborations across the ACS partnership. The Program Managers play a crucial role in enabling and supporting ACS partners and other key stakeholders to deliver the desired outcomes.

They will establish internal and external communication and engagement approaches that support building the ACS reputation as a trusted and authoritative source of data and integrated advice.

It is expected that the Program Managers will have advanced experience and capability related to the program subject matter enabling them to design the program and scope of activities drawing on appropriate data, methods and innovations. They also have leadership skills to coordinate and draw on multidisciplinary teams to deliver outcomes. Advanced experience in climate change adaptation and natural disaster prevention, response, relief, recovery and resilience is highly desirable.

Program 1 the ACS Integration Hub is where new data, analysis and products are developed and delivered to support climate risk decision making. The Hub integrates data and expertise from the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia, the CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Statistics and establishes new methodologies to support climate risk decision making. Building new methods and approaches is crucial to position the ACS as an authoritative, trusted advice and integrative service. The Program Manager will drive integrated analysis and decision support.

The responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

1. Promote and manage relationships and key strategic alliances with internal and external stakeholders, community groups, business sponsors and service providers.
2. Drive, manage and coordinate cross-agency collaboration initiatives, activities and relationships to deliver innovative problem-solving.
3. Research, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate project or program initiatives within a section or specialist area.
4. Report on program objectives, program outcomes and work area performance for presentation to Executive.
5. Oversee and manage the use of service providers, including contractors and consultants.
6. Manage risk assessment and risk management activities for a project or program.
7. Plan, manage and monitor financial budgets for a business unit.
8. Lead strategic planning in collaboration with partners for longer term project initiatives and programs that may have an agency-wide impact.
9. Manage program inputs to achieve outcomes in an effective and efficient manner.
10. Commitment to APS Values, Employment Principles and Code of Conduct and understanding of the Bureau's diversity and inclusion statement of commitment and the Bureau way.
11. Complying with all Bureau work, health and safety policies and procedures, and taking reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of employees, contractors and visitors who may be affected by your conduct.

Merit pool

The selection process will establish a merit pool that may be used to fill similar positions within 18 months.

How to apply

Applications can be lodged through the Bureau of Meteorology Careers.

Your application will consist of resume, contact details for two referees and an ‘800-word pitch’ that considers:

• position overview
• job responsibilities
• selection criteria
• relevant sections of the Integrated Leadership System (ILS) and APS work level standards.