EL1 – Antarctic Operations Manager (Watch Supervisor)

Who we are

The Operations Management Centre (OMC) coordinates and monitors operational activities across the Australian Antarctic Program, providing a central point for situational awareness, operational decision-making and incident management. Working closely with Antarctic stations, field teams, transport providers and key stakeholders, the OMC supports the safe and effective delivery of operations across Antarctica and the Southern Ocean by analysing operational information, managing competing priorities and responding to emerging risks and issues.

The Job

• Maintain operational oversight of Antarctic, sub-Antarctic, and Southern Ocean operations, exercising delegated after-hours operational authority to coordinate responses to emerging issues and risks.
• Lead surge workforce and watchkeeping arrangements to sustain enhanced 24/7 monitoring during periods of heightened operational activity or incident response.
• Maintain and coordinate the flow of information from the AAD Headquarters and the deployed operational elements such as Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Stations, shipping, aviation, and major deep field camps to support situational awareness and informed decision-making.
• Manage the day-to-day workflows of the OMC including the coordination and development of timely and accurate operational briefings for the Branch Head, Operations and Logistics, Division Executive, Ministerial Offices, external agencies, key stakeholders, and delivery partners.
• Exercise operational judgement to identify events requiring escalation, ensuring significant incidents, risks and operational impacts are promptly communicated to the Chief of Operations and other key decision-makers.
• Serve as the initial point of contact and coordinator for all incident management operations across the AAP and ensure response, planning and reporting arrangements are timely and well-coordinated in consultation with primary incident response stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders across the AAD and other agencies (including other federal and state Watch Offices and response partners), to coordinate response efforts for crises in AAD operations or other international events as required.
• Act periodically in the Chief of Operations role to provide leadership and oversight of the effective delivery of key OMC functions and services; and
• Coordinate the effective handover to OMC staff to ensure that continuous situational awareness and continuity of operations is maintained.

Flexible employment arrangements are available with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.