Chief Officer

 

Your opportunity

The Chief Officer RFSQ is responsible for leading the overall performance and service delivery , delivering activities across the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery continuum. In this role you will also be accountable for leading improvements in the overarching performance and capability of RFSQ across the state.

The position requires exceptional professional leadership and management capabilities. This includes the ability to: lead and develop a volunteer-based service; deliver government and departmental priorities; work collaboratively with volunteer members; plan effectively to enhance service delivery across the State.

The Chief Officer, RFSQ is to provide high level leadership, particularly by working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders. You will also be responsible for overseeing the delivery of targeted prevention and preparedness activities that contribute to the community having greater resilience during fire events.

As an executive, your performance will be assessed according to the following four key accountability perspectives: financial; stakeholder and outcome; internal business; and learning and growth.

This position is accountable to the Commissioner, QFD.

 

Your key accountabilities

Your part in the ongoing success of our department, in providing key frontline services will see you responsible for a variety of work, including, but not limited to:

Financial

  • Provide strategic direction and leadership within QFD and RFSQ to ensure the effective delivery of services through best use of the human, financial and capital resources, ensuring government and corporate objectives are met.

  • Management of organisational capability and direction in response to contemporary performance expectations in liaison with our business partners.

Stakeholder and outcome

  • Develop strategic partnerships and effective relationships with local government, volunteer-based organisations, other emergency service and state government agencies as well as Commonwealth and non-government organisations that contribute to the effectiveness and success of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements.

  • Develop strategic partnerships with state and national agencies in order to synergise the capability and interoperability of the RFSQ with Queensland Fire and Rescue and disaster management agencies.

  • Develop and sustain internal and external relationships including, but not limited to the minister’s office, across the public service and with a diverse range of significant external stakeholders including unions and associations.

  • Provide executive leadership regarding local, inter-state, national and international trends, issues and initiatives relevant to RFSQ functions and services, including volunteerism, and oversee policies, considering emerging trends and identifying long term opportunities.

  • Represent the interests of the state of Queensland effectively in public and internal forums and on a range of national forums that relate to RFSQ functions and capabilities.

Internal business

  • Provide high level, visionary leadership within QFD and the community to ensure the delivery of contemporary RFSQ functions and services that are value-for-money, professional, preventative and responsive within a fire and emergency service context.

  • Provide leadership and undertake strategic decision-making during times of state-wide or critical emergency events.

  • Lead major fires and other disaster management responses on behalf of QFD with the ability to undertake Strategic Command functions.

  • Strategic management of performance, capability and interoperability of the RFSQ state and regional footprint.

  • Provide executive leadership to guide the direction of the organisation, its current and future services and the longer-term development of the organisation.

  • Ensure RFSQ compliance with relevant legislation, government policy, corporate direction and contemporary best practice in fire and emergency service delivery.

  • Execute excellence in interpersonal skills to manage negotiations to resolve issues of great significance to the department’s operation.

  • Ensure that the Commissioner and Minister are provided with proactive and detailed advice on a broad range of complex and sensitive issues.

  • Provide a high level of advice, forward planning and strategic decision making that has a significant impact and that is critical to continued success of the department.

  • Devise and implement strategies to address critical risk areas.

  • Strongly influence departmental and whole-of-government policies and priorities.

  • Represent the Commissioner QFD during planned and/or unexpected absences.

Learning and growth

  • Provide leadership and drive direction and accountability against customer measures to support best practice in the raising, training and sustaining of staff that support the comprehensive approach to disaster management (PPRR) in an all-agency/ all-hazards environment whilst contributing to the broader objective of improving community resilience.

  • Support the Commissioner to ensure, through monitoring and regularly evaluating, emergency response capability is continually improving with a priority focus on providing support to rural fire brigades, local governments and fire management committees.

  • Ensure a strategic approach to the delivery of training for operational staff and volunteer members to enable the performance of their functions are safe, effective and appropriate.

  • Implement sustainable and effective performance management and professional development systems.

  • Lead and drive the implementation of government reform agenda and department commitments.

  • Lead and model whole of government values which reflect a commitment to customer first, ideas into activities, unleash potential be courageous and empower people.

  • Lead and drive the implementation of operationally critical projects of significant scope and complexity including systems, technology, employment relations and continuous improvement initiatives.

  • Lead the development and implementation of effective corporate governance and business improvement frameworks and practices.

 

What we are looking for

As a leader in the Queensland Government, you will display outstanding judgement, high level of integrity, strong agility to adapt to a constantly changing environment, a strong achievement orientation, and excellent communication and negotiation skills.

The position requires a person who will take personal responsibility for serving the government of the day and meeting the needs of Queenslanders. As Chief Officer RFSQ you will work towards a system of excellence in service delivery and public sector management.

You will have a record of success as a leader in a large and complex organisation with outstanding leadership ability.

You will have extensive experience across the public, private and/or not for profit sector and you will have a strong background in strategy and policy implementation, service delivery, and client service.

You will have a proven track record as an agent of change in challenging environments and in fostering a confident and capable workforce.

You will have extensive experience in an emergency service and/or operational environment working with volunteer members.

QFD actively encourages productive working relationships, a healthy work-life balance, workplace diversity and innovation. As such you will be committed to implementing a safe, healthy and secure workplace, and flexible work and lifestyle options.

You will be expected to embed quality of life principles into your working life and role model behavior’s that demonstrate a work-life balance.

Once you join us we will want you to exemplify the QFD shared values:

  • Respect

  • Integrity

  • Trust

  • Courage

  • Loyalty

Your core capabilities

To determine your suitability for the role, you will be assessed on the following Leadership Competencies for Queensland behavioural profiles that link to the “key accountabilities” for this role:

Leadership Competency Stream – Executive (leading the function)

 

Vision

Leads strategically
Thinks critically and acts on the broader purpose of the system

Stimulates ideas and innovation
Gathers insights and embraces new ideas and innovation to inform future practice

Leads change in complex environments Embraces change and leads with focus and optimism in an environment of complexity and ambiguity

Makes Insightful decisions
Makes considered, ethical and courageous decisions based on insight into the broader context

Results

Develops and mobilises talent
Strengthens and mobilises the unique talents and capabilities of the workforce

Builds enduring relationships
Builds and sustains relationships to enable the collaborative delivery of customer-focussed outcomes

Inspires others
Inspires others by driving clarity, engagement and a sense of purpose

Drives accountability and outcomes
Demonstrates accountability for the execution and quality of results through professionalism, persistence and transparency

Accountability

Fosters healthy and inclusive workplaces
Fosters an inclusive workplace where health, safety and wellbeing is promoted and prioritised

Pursues continuous growth
Pursues opportunities for growth through agile learning, and development of self-awareness

Demonstrated sound governance
Maintains a high standard of practice through governance and risk management

Mandatory operational requirements

  • rural firefighting experience; or

  • rural fire incident control expertise; or

  • rural fire prevention expertise.

Position Description

To learn of the requirements and attributes of our ideal candidate for this position, we invite you to please download the full position description below.

Apply today

For confidential enquiries please contact:

Bruno Costa, Associate, Luminary, on 0493 249 283
or via email
bruno.costa@luminarypartners.com.au

Jane Ellis, Managing Partner, Luminary, on 0411 600 129
or via email
jane.ellis@luminarypartners.com.au

Applications close midnight, Friday 10th January 2025

 
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