Survey Manager

Who we are
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) provides data, analysis and research to inform policy and decision-making in Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors. ABARES has capabilities in multi-disciplinary research and analysis in the fields of economics, science, and social science, and produces a number of key datasets relating to our portfolio industries.

The Farm Performance, Biosecurity & Information Branch provides analysis and advice on the performance and structure of Australia’s farm sector, investigates biosecurity risks facing the sector and policy responses, and supports the data and analytical infrastructure that underpins all of ABARES work.

The Farm Data and Analysis (FDA) Program is the home of ABARES farm surveys, analysis, modelling and productivity research. Our mission is to develop an inclusive, collaborative and innovative culture as we produce high quality research on current and emerging issues in agriculture. The core of the FDA program are the ABARES farm surveys, which collect detailed physical and financial information from farms throughout Australia. This valuable and sensitive data is stored and managed by ABARES to generate summary statistics and to conduct research, while protecting its confidentiality and security.

The Job
The duties of this role include:

• managing 25-30 remotely-based survey collection officers (including performance and recruitment), as well as leading a small surveys team based in the Canberra office
• arranging pre-survey preparation activities including bi-annual pre-survey training and logistical setup for in-person interviews with 2,300 participants a year
• managing survey collection activities including allocating individual collectors to locations, management of issues and tracking survey progress
• reviewing and approving expenditure for survey collector travel and expenses, plus training, equipment and supplies
• coordinating pre and post survey activities such as mailout of selection letters and co-operator reports
• contributing to the planning and coordination of team operations to ensure goals and objectives are met.

What we are looking for
Knowledge and experience
The successful applicant will be able to demonstrate:

• experience managing a large team remotely
• experience managing a complex logistical operation such as survey collection
• experience working with public sector finance and people management systems or similar
• a history of successful project management and delivery
• experience in farm surveys and/or Australian agriculture would be highly desirable.