Senior Program Officer - Emergency Managemement

CLASS: ASO6
ROLE NO.:  Various
DATE: 12/03/2024ORGANISATION: SES
SECTION: Emergency Management & Hazard Planning

This Role Reports to:

• Manager Emergency Management & Hazard Planning
• ZEMC Chairperson

Reporting to this Role:
Nil

Primary Purpose of Role
The Senior Program Officer  - Emergency Management plays an important role in contributing to building safe and disaster resilient communities by supporting Zone Emergency Management Committees (ZEMCs). Working across all hazards, the role will collaborate closely with senior level stakeholders at all tiers of government, as well as representatives within the emergency management community, aiding in bolstering emergency preparedness across the State's eleven Emergency Management Zones.

Actively contributing to the Emergency Management arrangements within South Australia, the Senior Program Officer will:

• Provide leadership, advice and support to ZEMCs by:
  - Facilitating effective communication and building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders;
  - Promoting an emergency risk management culture;
   - Identifying and addressing knowledge gaps, specifically in managing the consequences of emerging, structural, and systemic risks;
  - Developing high-quality resources such as Risk Management Reports and Zone Emergency Management Plans to effectively communicate risk profiles;
  - Providing project management support including monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Cultivate trustworthy relationships and strategic partnerships with emergency management stakeholders by aligning with the right individuals to ensure unified efforts towards risk mitigation.
• Conduct evidence-based research and analysis to support the planning and implementation of actions to build disaster resilience at a zone level.
• Coordinate the emergency risk management process in line with the National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG) or other endorsed risk frameworks.
• Contribute to the development of Emergency Risk Management policy and procedures at the state level.
• Monitor and report on emerging issues and trends in emergency management and community resilience.
• Effectively facilitate committee meetings, workshops and presentations.

Outcomes

• Effective advice and support provided to the ZEMCs and assurance of sustainable ZEMC capability.
• Production of quality resources that communicate risk profile e.g. Risk Management Reports and Zone Emergency Management Plans.
• Well informed policy advice, reports and briefings on emergency management assurance, emergency risk management, disaster resilience and risk reduction.
• Effective networks that facilitate collaboration between emergency management assurance and risk management stakeholders within the state and nationally.
• Emergency management assurance and risk management related strategies and policies, consistent with state and national directions.
• Effective contribution to disaster resilience and risk reduction activities and representation on inter-agency working groups and committees.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience working with diverse groups in the emergency management community, Local Government and private organisations.
• Excellent understanding of the State emergency management arrangements and how these link in with Zone and Local Government emergency management arrangements.
• Knowledge of emergency risk management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of risk management particularly NERAG and ISO31000.
• Proficiency in data analysis, risk assessment, and hazard interpretation.

Essential Attributes (Knowledge/Skills/Experience Requirements)

• High level interpersonal skills, including the ability to:
• identify, establish and sustain high-level relationships;
• liaise, consult, influence and negotiate on complex and sensitive issues;
• facilitate cooperation and support for stakeholders across government and non-government sectors to come together and overcome problems to achieve desired outcomes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including confident public speaking, facilitating workshops and communicating complex concepts to a broad range of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to determine priorities, organise workload and meet competing deadlines using initiative and judgement.
• Proven ability to effectively develop, manage and evaluate complex projects/programs including budget considerations to achieve continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated use of initiative and judgement and ability to devise solutions to issues focusing on strategic outcomes.
• Proficiency in general computing, expertise in the Microsoft Suite.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Resource Management
In accordance with HR and Financial delegations.

Desirable Qualifications
Tertiary qualification in a related discipline.

Key Relationships/Interactions

• ZEMC Chairperson and members.
• Emergency management stakeholders at local, state and commonwealth levels, particularly:
• SAFECOM Emergency Management Office;
• Security, Emergency and Recovery Management, Department of the Premier and Cabinet;
• Hazard Risk Reduction Leaders;
• Control Agencies.
• Local Government Association.

Key Challenges

• Integrating Climate Change considerations into the risk management process.
• Remaining well-informed of developments across the emergency management environment (social, economic, political, and technological aspects).
• Maintaining collaborative working relationships in an ambiguous environment, with diverse views, opinions and competing priorities.
• Overseeing multiple projects concurrently and maintaining awareness across diverse subject matters
• Working effectively under pressure and in a changing environment to deliver high quality advice and outcomes.
• Translating overarching policy directives into tangible and impactful outcomes.

Employment Conditions

• Employment conditions will be governed by the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 (SA), the Public Sector Act (2009), the South Australian Modern Public Sector Enterprise Agreement (Salaried) 2021, the S.A. Public Sector Salaried Employees Interim Award and any other applicable legislation.
• The incumbent will be expected to work in a manner consistent with the Code of Ethics for the South Australian Public Sector.
• The incumbent must be prepared to be assigned to another Role at this remuneration level or equivalent.

WHS & EEO

• The incumbent is responsible and accountable for working in an equitable manner and taking reasonable care to protect his/her own health, safety and welfare and avoiding adversely affecting the health and safety of others at work by complying with WHS and EEO policies, practices and legislation.
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles and practices of Equal Opportunity and Ethical Conduct, and an understanding of, experience in, and ability to manage to the spirit and principles of Building Safety Excellence in the Public Sector and the legislative requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, and utilising AS/NZS ISO 31000 Risk management, or to an equivalent set of standards.

Customer Service
The incumbent will provide the highest standards of customer service to clients at all levels by modelling service excellence that meets the needs of customers and enhances the corporate profile of the organisation.

Special Conditions

• Occasional out of hours work may be required during times of demand.
• Some intrastate or interstate travel necessitating overnight stays may be required.
• Acceptance of and willingness to promote an individual performance management framework within the organisation.
• Required to enter into a performance agreement for the achievement of specified outcomes.
• Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory criminal history check.
• A current and valid unrestricted driver's licence and a willingness to drive.
• The SES is a uniformed service and the incumbent is required to wear uniform as appropriate.
• As part of employment within the SES the incumbent will be required to perform operational duties within an emergency control centre during emergency situations. When undertaking operational duties the incumbent may be rostered to work on Saturday, Sundays and Public Holidays. Work performed on any such day will constitute part of the incumbent's ordinary hours of duty and remunerated in accordance with the provisions contained within the South Australian Public Sector Wages Parity Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2021 and the S.A. Public Sector Salaried Employees Interim Award.

ADDENDUM:
The SA State Emergency Service (SES) is a volunteer organisation and is part of a national network that exists in every State and Territory of Australia. The SES' primary objective is the provision of a nucleus of personnel trained in the skills that enable them to respond to emergency situations and to support other statutory services in times of emergencies or disasters. The SES constitutes an integral part of the State Emergency Management organisation and is one of fourteen Functional Services identified in the State Emergency Management Plan.

The functions of the SA State Emergency Service are to:

• assist the Commissioner of Police in dealing with any emergency;
• assist the State Coordinator, in accordance with the State Emergency Management Plan, in carrying out prevention, preparedness, response or recovery operations under the Emergency Management Act 2004;
• assist SAMFS and SACFS in dealing with any emergency;
• deal with any emergency
• where the emergency is caused by flood or storm damage; or
• where there is no other body or person with lawful authority to assume control of operations for dealing with the emergency;
• deal with any emergency until such time as any other body or person that has lawful authority to assume control of operations for dealing with the emergency has assumed control;
• respond to emergency calls and, where appropriate, provide assistance in any situation of need whether or not the situation constitutes an emergency;
• to undertake rescues;
• to perform any other function assigned to SASES by or under the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 or any other Act.