Flood Operations Team Lead

Description:

Australia is regularly affected by severe weather events. These events are growing in frequency and severity, leading to increased impacts on the economy, infrastructure, property, and wellbeing.

To address this, the Bureau of Meteorology has undertaken significant steps to deliver a more customer focussed, integrated and resilient national operation through the Community Services Group (CSG).

CSG is comprised of Environmental Prediction Services (EPS), Decision Support Services (DSS) and National Production Services (NPS) which have been configured to enable scalable, national and resilient services. Operating with a national capability, this program will establish a world class centre of scientific expertise and practice. To achieve this, EPS has been configured into four predictive service units: Severe Weather, Marine and Antarctic, Water, and Climate, each of which play a key role in the value chain of the Bureau's capability to deliver a suite of valuable products and services to the Australian community. There are three functions within EPS Water - Flood Operations, Water Forecasting and Water Information. All functions work together in an integrated manner to ensure the Bureau continues to develop its foundational water information capabilities, and seamlessly delivers Water Services that ensure public safety, and meet our obligations under the Water Act.

Responsibilities of EPS Water include leading the Bureau's rostered National Water Operations Team (NWOT) which delivers flood and 7-day streamflow forecasting services, 365 days a year, adopting a national risk-based approach; applying best practice approaches in water forecasting; enhancing our groundwater and geospatial capabilities and expertise in water data systems and tools including flood. All functions have a strong focus on continuous improvement of all our products, processes and tools underpinned by a learning and development culture to ensure continued delivery of high-quality forecast, warning and information services for our customer There is an expectation that suitable candidates will be able to work across a number of the teams in EPS Water to develop operational resilience and to ensure diversity of work.

The primary responsibility of this role is focused on year-round operational flood forecasting and warning as part of a planned National Water Operations Team (NWOT) roster. This roster will be extended to provide 24/7 coverage as required during enhanced flood operations. Outside of NWOT duties, this role will lead projects that drive continuous improvement of flood warning services aligned with a key national capability area. This may include the development and improvement of flood forecasting systems, forecasting techniques, processes, training and documentation that support the national Flood Warning Service or the Flood Warning network. There will be an expectation that suitable candidates will be able to work across a number of the teams in EPS Water to develop operational resilience and to ensure diversity of work.

The Team Lead Flood Operations reports to the Manager, Water and works closely within their team as well as across teams in EPS Water and within the Community Services Group. The successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to establish and grow the Bureau's services in EPS.

The Team Lead is a people centric leader responsible for ensuring the Team deliver on the Bureau's strategy and will ensure continuous improvement of flood services aligned with a key national capability area. This may include the development and improvement of flood forecasting systems, forecasting techniques, processes, training and documentation that support the national Flood Warning Service.

To be successful in this role, you will have a solid understanding of operational flood forecasting and an excellent understanding of the total flood warning system. The role will require the occupant to lead national flood operations on a planned roster as a National Flood Operations Manager alongside other senior leaders and work seamlessly with colleagues in NPS and DSS to deliver an unrivalled water operations service. During periods of enhanced flood risk and severe weather events, you will be committed to supporting the Bureau and our customers outside the scope of standard working hours.

You will also display a curiosity on the evolving Bureau landscape for how we deliver, develop and evolve our weather, ocean, water and climate services. As an adaptive change leader you will help shape, design and implement the future ways of working and develop a high performing team culture.

You will possess a sound ability to excel in high pressure, complex and dynamic operating environments such a during severe weather events. weather events and be comfortable representing the Bureau when required. During periods of enhanced flood risk and severe weather events, you will be committed to supporting the Bureau and our customers outside the scope of standard working hours. Employing personal drive and integrity, and communicating with influence, you will empower a high-performing team through promoting a positive culture of teamwork and continuous improvement. You will be able to demonstrate a proven commitment to excellence in collaboration, negotiation and building partnerships and relationships with both internal and external customers and stakeholders.


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

1. Connecting seamlessly and coherently within the Bureau's national footprint, the Team Lead Flood Operations will build, lead and manage a high performing team that delivers outstanding products and services to emergency managers and first responders.
2. Ensuring the Bureau's flood products and processes consistently deliver impact and value for our customers, partners and government stakeholders. This role includes the management and lifecycle ownership of all products and processes for flood services.
3. Through the development and maintenance of strong relationships across the organisation, you will prioritise innovations and improvements that offer the greatest benefits for public safety, economic prosperity, and the environment.
4. Overseeing the delivery of flood services, including monitoring, forecasting and performance reporting, while driving continuous improvement of all products and processes.
5. Ability to manage within high pressure, complex and dynamic operating environments, supporting the Bureau, our customers and partners during significant weather events outside the scope of standard working hours. You will lead flood operations at a national level. At the request of the DSS teams, your team will provide specialist advice to our customers or Bureau staff as it relates to flood forecasting and warning services and products.
6. Maintaining an awareness of the flood status and / or unfolding flood events that might cause impacts and oversee the delivery of monitoring, analysis and performance reporting.
7. Your leadership style will reflect a pragmatic response to ensure operations are collaborative, responsive, and built on the principles of innovation and continuous improvement. Where necessary, this includes leading customer-driven strategically innovative product and process management and embraces the implementation of lessons learnt from post event reviews.
8. Demonstrating your strategic and tactical thinking to create a shared sense of team purpose by demonstrating how elements fit together and contribute to the higher level goals as defined by Group Plans and the Bureau Strategy 2022-27. You will maintain consistent collaboration with your peers whilst cooperating and innovating across CSG and the wider Bureau to contribute to the ongoing delivery of the Bureau's strategic direction.
9. Confidently lead a geographically distributed team across Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney and a commitment to cross team collaboration and national ways of working.
10. Leading the capability uplift of the Team and responsibility for their ongoing professional development as a people centred change leader and agile communicator whilst demonstrating a thorough understanding of all key domains in Water Environmental Prediction Services.
11. The role will be required to support our routine national flood operations which includes a planned roster involving out of hours restriction with extended hours particularly during flood events for which relevant compensation will be offered.
12. Commitment to APS Values and Code of Conduct and understanding of the Bureau's diversity and inclusion statement of commitment and the Bureau way.
13. Complying with all Bureau work, health and safety policies and procedures, and take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of employees, contractors and visitors who may be affected by your conduct.