Operations Manager

Description:

The Bureau of Meteorology is seeking a dedicated, highly motivated leader to fill the role of Operations Manager of the Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC). The ASWFC is part of the Bureau's National Security and Space Program (NSSP), within the Business Solutions Group and is the primary provider of environmental intelligence to national security agencies and the space sector.
The ASWFC is Australia's authoritative source of space weather observations and forecasts, located with Australia's burgeoning space industry in the Lot Fourteen precinct in Adelaide. The ASWFC's role is to provide continuous, 24/7 monitoring of space weather events and their impacts. It issues space weather warnings and alerts to sectors crucial to Australia's national security, economic prosperity, and community safety. These alerts are disseminated through government partners and industry sectors to ensure they receive timely and accurate information, enabling them to achieve their goals effectively.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has designated global space weather centres to monitor space weather phenomena that could affect aviation. Australia is part of the ACFJ consortium (Australia, Canada, France, Japan). This service is delivered by the ASWFC with support from the Hazardous Weather Unit, under the Aviation, Land and Maritime Transport Program, for the Space Weather Overnight Watch.
The Sun is currently in the maximum phase of solar cycle 25, as such there is an increased frequency and intensity of space weather events. The Australian Space Weather Alert System has been developed to communicate space weather conditions and their possible effects on Australian industry sectors and the community. It also outlines mitigating actions that can be taken by operators and decision-makers in response to the alert thresholds.
The Operations Manager, ASWFC, will lead a small team of shift-working Space Weather Forecasters, ensuring the operational success of the Forecasting Centre and managing the Bureau's responsibilities. The successful candidate will support the delivery of key forecasts, warnings and alerts to sectors impacted by space weather, including Defence, aviation, telecommunications, energy, resources, community and the space industry. The requirements for these services and products will be guided by the customer engagement staff and the Manager, ASWFC. Success will be measured by the team's ability to provide timely, accurate, persistent and consistent space weather forecasts, warnings and alerts.
Some out-of-hours work may be required, occasionally at short notice, to support significant space weather events or operational needs. Given that space weather is a global phenomenon, the Bureau collaborates with a range of international partners. Virtual attendance at international meetings is highly desirable and may sometimes occur outside of regular business hours. Some interstate travel may also be necessary to engage with various sectors and Bureau staff. The Bureau is committed to supporting flexible working arrangements in accordance with the Enterprise Agreement, ensuring a balance between operational needs and personal commitments.
As the Operations Manager, ASWFC, you will be self-motivated, have a positive and creative outlook, will have a systematic approach, and an operational delivery outlook. You will ensure that the Forecasting Centre's operational exercises, reports, quality management processes, and rostering is managed to enable the delivery of clear messages and data to our key sectors so they can manage their risks and achieve their goals.
You will work closely with the Space Weather Forecasters to ensure they maintain the necessary skills and have access to relevant tools and data to review space weather conditions and understand its impact on, and requirements of, key sectors. You will collaborate with counterparts in customer engagement to refine requirements for warnings and alerts; and the Research to Operations team to develop new warnings and alerts and improve forecast capabilities. At times, coordination with Space Weather Observation Networks and Space Weather IT Operations may be required in the event of unexpected outages, or to review plans. Finally, you will work with the Spaceflight Operations Manager and Space Support Officer to support intersecting areas between our space weather and spaceflight capabilities.
The key duties of the position include
The responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
Under broad guidance from the Manager, Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre - EL2, undertake the following:

1. Manage a 24/7 operational capability, ensuring operational excellence to meet enterprise and customer needs. This includes maintaining and supporting the delivery of timely and accurate space weather forecasts, warnings and alerts through a small team of Space Weather Forecasters.
2. Collaborate closely with key internal stakeholders, including the Manager ASWFC, Space Weather IT Operations, Space Weather Observation Network, Spaceflight, Research to Operations and customer engagement teams.
3. Manage the transition, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of new and improved forecasts, warnings, and alerts into routine operations. Align services and forecaster training, as well as forecast, warning, and alert products across all key sectors, in collaboration with key internal stakeholders, to serve as many key sectors as possible.
4. Respond to Ministerial, Government and approved media enquiries on the Bureau's space weather warnings and alerts. Promote awareness of the Bureau's space weather capability and the Australian Space Weather Alert System.
5. Foster a Quality Management System approach to forecast centre operations by ensuring comprehensive documentation, conducting training exercises and post-event reviews to enhance the Bureau's delivery of warnings and alerts. Implement continual improvement across operations, collaborating with key internal stakeholders to evaluate and improve forecaster training, forecasts, products and services, and provide advice to the sectors mitigating against a space weather event.
6. Work with international agencies including the World Meteorological Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Space Environment Service, and other nations' space weather agencies, to ensure the Bureau's space weather forecasting is of a world class standard.
7. Comply with all Bureau work, health and safety policies and procedures, taking reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of employees, contractors and visitors who may be affected by your conduct.