Research Director - Diagnostics, Surveillance and Response

at  CSIRO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation

THE OPPORTUNITY

• Inspire, develop and lead a team of 140+ and build a high-performance culture of science excellence
• Join CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory, contribute to vital scientific research into exotic and emerging infectious diseases
• Play a significant role in Australia’s response to emerging global threats in infectious diseases
  The Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), is one of the world’s largest microbiologically secure facilities. Owned and operated by CSIRO on behalf of the nation, ACDP helps to protect Australia’s livestock and aquatic industries, as well as its people. Providing access to ACDP’s world-class research infrastructure and high-quality capability contributes to solutions which address many national and global challenges.
  The Australian Animal Health Laboratory Business Unit (AAHL), operating from ACDP, is seeking to appoint a Research Director to lead the Diagnostics, Surveillance and Response (DSR) Program. The program consists of approximately 140 staff with the core function to deliver to Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). The program also has a portfolio of projects focused on animal health and biosecurity, and fee-for-service testing to enable import/export of animals and biological products. The DSR Research Director also supports the AAHL Directorate to maintain AAHL’s international designations as WOAH, FAO and WHO reference laboratories and collaborating centres and will provide animal health and biosecurity advice to DAFF, Animal Health Australia (AHA), and other national, State and Territory authorities.
  To be considered for this exciting leadership role, you will be an engaging leader who demonstrates strong interpersonal, influencing and communication skills with a proven ability to form and maintain credible, respectful and collaborative relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. You will be a market leader who engages to understand customer needs and create opportunities, as well as an organisational leader who directs the AAHL team’s delivery and execution to ensure impact is realised.
  You bring strong people leadership capabilities with the ability to empower and facilitate positive and collaborative team relationships, and be accountable for driving operations within the DSR Program with a strong focus on HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) culture and performance, work-force planning including staff development and succession, project delivery and financial performance.

• Impact Science Leadership: Contribute to oversight and management of the CSIRO agreement with DAFF for the maintenance of required capability and delivery of agreed outputs of the ACDP National Facility including milestone reports for DAFF funding agreement and testing as per national expectations and Quality Assurance requirements; representation on national committees; ensure capability is available to deliver DSR’s international engagements and commitments and work with International Program Manager to develop new projects; undertake long term science impact planning for the Program and build a pipeline of contracts (3-5 year focus) including identification of CSIRO-wide opportunities; Sustain and enhance the R&D culture of science excellence, creativity, innovation and flexibility.
• Capability Leadership: Strive for “Zero Harm” (physical and psychological) and actively promote a healthy, safe and environmentally sustainable workplace; build the long‐term science capability to support the delivery of the Program’s research and impact, including forecasting demand, monitoring science trends and stakeholder needs, and building a high-performance culture; attract, develop and retain world class talent; build effective teams, manage career development for staff and succession planning for the Program; and effectively lead change initiatives across the Research Program and the National Facility/Collections.
• Engagement & Partnership: Build strategic relationships within the organisation to execute CSIRO’s and AAHL’s strategies, including fostering mobility and cross‐Business Unit deployment of staff, and developing productive relationships; engage and collaborate with customers/clients/research partners/international networks; deliver trusted advice to clients and identify opportunities for future collaboration.
• Resource Leadership: Lead and manage the Program’s financial resources, people, infrastructure and other assets to ensure their effective, sustainable and efficient use; ensure best practice governance, risk management, compliance and management of commercial activities and intellectual property in the Program.
  Location: Geelong, Victoria
  Salary: Attractive salary package including up to 15.4% superannuation
  Tenure: Specified term of 3 years
  Reference: 97130