The role of the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is to develop and implement policies and programs that ensure Australia's agriculture, fisheries, food, and forestry industries remain competitive, profitable, and sustainable. As part of this, the department safeguards Australia’s animal and plant health status to maintain overseas markets and protect the economy and environment from the impact of exotic pests and diseases through risk assessment, inspection and certification, and the implementation of emergency response arrangements for Australian agricultural, food and fibre industries. The Cargo Operations 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 requirements. Cargo Operations works with policy and risk owners within the department to influence and inform operational policy and deliver regulatory functions in accordance with legislative requirements, national standards and within an integrated, risk-based operating model. The group has a national footprint with a presence in all capital cities and major regional ports. The BOD Data Centre (BDC) sits within the Data and Automation Section. The BDC is a data analysis, and workforce management team that supports the branch in optimising the workforce and supports the division to connect decision makers to data and insights that better inform their decisions. We are looking for people who are:
•passionate and committed to serving and delivering the right outcomes to the Australian community
•open, accountable and of high integrity and able to exercise sound judgment and make evidence-based decisions
•committed to providing a high-quality experience for all users of Australia’s biosecurity system
•supportive of, and engage with, the department as a regulator
•flexible and adaptable to meet immediate needs and future challenges
•team-oriented and have the energy and determination to succeed. The Job Key responsibilities of this role include:
•developing and maintaining a comprehensive biosecurity operation forecasting model, using mathematical trend analysis
•providing accurate medium to long term forecasts that inform strategic initiatives and business planning needs
•tracking the impact of operational change activities and seasonal trends affecting biosecurity operations to improve the accuracy of forecasts
•collaborating with the workforce management team to determine yearly, monthly, daily, and intraday staffing requirements
•providing actionable insights and analysis to inform business and biosecurity decision makers. Knowledge and experience The successful applicant will have knowledge and demonstrated experience in:
•forecasting and predictive modelling
•normalising and utilising historical data for forecasting
•building, querying, testing, and validating datasets
•being proficient in using Power BI
•managing competing priorities in a dynamic environment
•developing data visualisations based on strategic requirements Additionally, it is desirable to have knowledge and experience in:
•economics
•workforce management
•SQL
•programming languages such as Python, SAS or R
•machine learning
•Oracle databases
•MS applications such as Dynamics 365, Power Automate, Power Apps, Flow, Azure and SharePoint. Skills and capabilities The successful applicant will have a demonstrated ability to:
•work well under pressure and manage competing priorities of varying complexity and urgency
•have strong attention to detail and accuracy
•think creatively in a fast-paced environment
•exercise initiative, flexibility, good judgement, and discretion
•work well independently and as part of a nationally disperse team
•have strong analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving skills. Eligibility/Other requirements This position requires a Baseline security clearance. The successful applicant will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level. To be eligible for employment with the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, an applicant must be an Australian citizen. An applicant's suitability for employment with the department will be assessed through a pre-employment screening process. This process includes a requirement for the applicant to undergo and satisfy a National Police Check, referee checks, character clearance and where relevant a pre-employment medical assessment, specified mandatory qualification(s) validation and a probation period of 6 months. Any applicant that, in the course of their work, requires unescorted access within an aviation or maritime security zone will be required to obtain and maintain an Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) or Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC). The successful applicant must:
•meet Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment health and security requirements
•wear appropriate protective personal equipment and clothing to comply with departmental Work Health & Safety policies and procedures as required.