Bushland Management Officer
1. Position Identification
Position Title: / Bushland Management Officer / Position Number: Corporate Services / OEN021Classification: / Band 6 / Reports to: / Bushland Coordinator
Directorate: / Environment and Engineering / Budget responsibility: / up to $80,0000
Department: / Parks & Environment / No. of direct reports: / 2
Job Family: / Environment/Sustainability / Delegation,
Authorisations and Appointment: / Please refer to Appendix 2
Date Approved: / October 2017
2. Yarra Ranges Corporate Values
We are a values based organisation and behave in a way that is consistent with our organisational values:
Our Values Our Philosophy
Honesty and TrustClear and open communication
Creativity and Innovation
Customer Focus /
We are committed to achieving excellence through improvement by applying the Business Excellence Framework.
3. Position Purpose
The position is responsible for the delivery of bushland management programs, supervision of specialist bushland contractors and outdoor based Council staff, provide support for environmental volunteer programs and contribute to the bushland team aims. The Bushland team delivers weed and vegetation management, recreational trail management, fuel management, open space management, volunteer support and ecological monitoring services on Council managed land.
As a Bushland Management Officer you will have direct supervision for two outdoor based Bushland Crew Leaders, Apprentices and casual staff.
The aims of the Bushland team are;
· to protect and enhance the diversity and conservation value of the Council’s natural vegetation communities, and
· to provide a network of safe, accessible trails whilst managing risks from actual and potential hazards in these areas.
All positions will be required to undertake roles and activities related to Business Continuity and Emergency Management in preparation for and during times of crisis.
4. Key Responsibility Areas
Change Agent - Encourages the implementation of different and better approaches to running the business
· Engage in the investigation and implementation of sustainable practices.
· Initiate and facilitate change to Bushland management programs to increase efficiencies.
· Identify opportunities and initiate action to improve systems and processes
· Encourage innovative approaches and facilitate the implementation and acceptance of change
· Develop and implement vegetation management plans and programs.
High-Involvement Team Member - Works cooperatively with others to accomplish group goals.
· Manage bushland crew including performance reviews, resourcing and programming works.
· Manage and supervise annual supply contractors.
· Develop, monitor and manage contracts specific to bushland projects.
· Investigate and supervise responses to reactive customer requests, includes updating customer and Council systems.
· Provide bushland management advice to other Council departments/ projects and be an active member of relevant Council and community committees as required.
· Help a team achieve its goals by sharing information, involving team members in decisions, and demonstrating commitment to the team.
· Anticipate problems or opportunities and take immediate action to address them.
Internal Consultant/ Technical Expert - Provides expert advice to others within the organisation based on knowledge gained from professional training or work experience.
· Responsible for the operational management and implementation of Yarra Ranges Council strategies and policies in relation to flora and fauna management and land management, for example, the Weed Management Strategy.
· Liaise with external authorities such as Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, CFA, DELWP and VicRoads to promote partnerships and well-coordinated approaches to bushland management across land tenures.
· Participate in vegetation quality monitoring and weed mapping, using the results to inform priorities and works programs for vegetation management.
· Determine appropriate management of significant and threatened species and their habitats to ensure their protection.
· Oversee external grant projects and write reports required for acquittal of project.
· Receive and manage customer requests. This includes inspections, assessments, customer liaison, and development of cost-effective solutions and programming of works.
· Assess risks identified in relevant areas by residents, volunteers, contractors or agencies and timely programming of rectification works as required.
Resilient Contributor - Adapts to change; manages stress; and persists toward goals despite obstacles.
· Approach change positively and adjust quickly when faced with changes in work responsibilities, processes, or environment
· Manage one’s time and resources to ensure that work is completed efficiently and on schedule despite distractions or other obstacles
· Handle stress appropriately and maintain effective performance when facing pressure or opposition
· Manage works programs to be delivered within specification, on budget and within time restraints.
· Manage workload to ensure timelines are met or delays communicated and managed effectively
Schedule/Planner - Plans and/or schedules other individuals or resources to meet requirements.
· Scope, schedule and implement Bushland and Trail Capital Works Projects.
· Develop and prepare Annual Works Programs in consultation with key stakeholders for contractors, internal staff and volunteer groups for bushland reserves, roadsides and trails.
· Develop and review Council’s Bushland and Trail Capital Works Program and maintenance programs.
· Keep detailed records of works undertaken by contractors and staff.
· Ensure bushlands budgets are expended on time and within budget limits.
· Identify projects and prepare applications for grants and other external funds, for the maintenance of Council’s bushland areas.
· Develop, monitor, forecast and review operational and capital works budgets relevant to the position of Bushland Management Officer.
5. Position Specific Specialisations
· Knowledge and ability to identify weeds, indigenous flora and the vegetation communities of the region and develop and apply appropriate management techniques.
· Demonstrated knowledge of ecology and its implications for the programming of vegetation management and fuel reduction works.
6. Position Banding Descriptors
Accountability and extent of authority· The freedom to act is bound by policies, legislation, standards, codes of practice and/or budgets limited to programs and project managed.
· To conduct investigative and analytical tasks
· Impact of decisions can be wider reaching across the organisation
· To ensure employees are aware of safe working practices
· To provide policy advice and/or input into policy development, drafting, conducting benchmarking and/or research
Interpersonal Skills
· Write reports in their field of expertise and/or routine correspondence and/or documentation including but not limited to user guides, instructions, flow charts. Requires some discretion
· Liaise with counterparts in other organisations and employees to discuss specialised matters to resolve inter-organisational matters
· Gain cooperation from the public and/or other employees in the administration of broadly defined activities and motivate and develop employees
Judgement and decision making
· Tasks are less well defined and may require innovative solutions to complex problems
· Guidance and advice is usually available
· Some problem solving responsibility, however not a major component of this role
· Management
· Plan and organise work of supervised employees, and/or other employees/key stakeholders as appropriate within available resources and timetable, implementation of personnel policies
Specialist Skills and Knowledge
· Understanding of the organisation's long term goals and context of the position's function in the organisational context
· Interpretation of legislation, policies, precedents within the field of expertise
· Familiarity with budgeting methods
Qualifications and Experience
· Less formal qualifications with substantial relevant experience
· Degree / Diploma or Tertiary qualifications with some relevant work experience
7. Position Specific Qualifications/Memberships
Degree or Diploma in Natural Resource Management (or equivalent) with relevant experience in bushland management.
8. Selection Criteria
The selection criteria for this position consists of the below core and position specific competencies (behaviours):
8.1 Core Organisational Competencies
Contributing to Team Success
Actively participating as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of goals
Customer Focus
Ensuring that the customer perspective is a driving force behind business decisions and activities; crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organisation’s needs.
Continuous Improvement
Originating action to improve existing conditions and processes; identifying improvement opportunities, generating ideas, and implementing solutions.
8.2 Position Specific Competencies
Adaptability
Maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusting effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures.
Continuous Learning
Actively identifying new areas for learning; regularly creating and taking advantage of learning opportunities; using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job and learning through their application.
Decision Making
Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences.
Initiating Action
Taking prompt action to accomplish objectives; taking action to achieve goals beyond what is required; being proactive.
Planning and Organising
Establishing courses of action for self and others to ensure that work is completed efficiently.
Quality Orientation
Accomplishing tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks; being watchful over a period of time.
Work Standards
Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed.
9. Conditions of Employment
Conditions of employment are in accordance with the Yarra Ranges Shire Council Enterprise Agreement 2016 and the Yarra Ranges Council Corporate Code of Conduct.
Applicants will require the following:
· Medical Check – please refer to the Physical Requirements Section for details
· Current Victorian Driver’s licence
· Working With Children Check
· Level 2 First Aid.
10. Physical Requirements
The applicant must possess the ability to perform set tasks, site visits and access areas at sites of rough terrain such as un-constructed road reserves, crushed rock roads, bushland roadsides & reserves.
The applicant must be able to carry out tasks including:
· Walking up to 2km at any one time, on uneven terrain.
· Operating Vehicles – Cars, Utilities, etc.
Ability to perform manual tasks, including:
· Lifting equipment, signs, boxes of paper, supplies, etc. 10-15kg.
· Using manual tools – wheel barrow, shovels, tree planters, etc.
Positions with physical requirements may be required to undergo a pre-employment medical check.
This process assesses only the applicant’s capacity to perform the routine tasks relevant to the functions of the position without injury to themselves or others. All information obtained will be handled with the utmost respect for confidentiality.
Please Note: A physical requirement assessment is an appendix to this position description, see Appendix 1.
Please refer to our website www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au for more information on our Corporate Values, Diversity and Inclusion, Emergency Management and Occupational Health and Safety.
11. APPENDIX 1 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Tasks involving repetitive or sustained postures, movements or forces
Tick ‘yes’ if the task requires any of the following actions to be done more than twice a minute or for more than 30 seconds at a time.
YES / COMMENTSBending the back forwards or sideways more than
20 degrees / þ / During site inspections, driving and working at work station
Twisting the back more than 20 degrees / þ / During inspections and assessments
Backward bending of the back more than 5 degrees / þ / During inspections and assessments
Bending the head forwards or sideways more than
20 degrees / þ / During site inspections, driving and working at work station
Twisting the neck more than 20 degrees / þ / During site inspections, driving and working at work station
Bending the head backwards more than 5 degrees / þ / During inspections and assessments
Working with one or both hands above shoulder height / ý
Reaching forwards or sideways more than 30cm from the body / ý
Reaching behind the body / ý
Squatting, kneeling, crawling, lying, semi-lying or jumping / þ / Accessing bushland areas and carrying out site inspections
Standing with more of the body’s weight on one leg / ý
Twisting, turning, grabbing, picking or wringing actions with the fingers, hands or arms / ý
Working with fingers close together or wide apart / ý
Very fast movements / ý
Excessive bending of the wrist / ý
Lifting or lowering / þ / Carrying equipment, revegetation materials, weeding, pruning and planting.
Carrying with one hand or one side of the body / ý
Exerting force with one hand or one side of the body / ý
Pushing, pulling or dragging / ý
Gripping with the fingers pinched together or held wide apart / ý
Exerting force while in an awkward posture / ý
Holding, supporting or restraining any object, person, animal or tool / ý
Tasks involving long duration
Tick ‘yes’ if any of the checked tasks above are done for more than 2 hours over a whole shift or continually for more than 30 minutes at a time. Provide comments on type of tasks involved over a long duration.
þ Tasks of duration - *Working at Workstation. * Work on Computer.
*Driving to inspection and/or meetings. *Meetings.
*Site Inspections.
Tasks involving high force
Tick ‘yes’ if the task involves any of the following high force actions
YES / COMMENTSLifting, lowering or carrying heavy loads / ý
Applying uneven, fast or jerky forces during lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling (e.g. when handling a person or animal) / ý
Pushing or pulling objects that are hard to move or to stop (e.g. trolley) / ý
Using a finger-grip, a pinch-grip or an open-handed grip to handle a heavy or large load / ý
Exerting force at the limit of the grip span / ý
Needing to use two hands to operate a tool designed for one hand / ý
Throwing or catching / ý
Hitting or kicking / ý
Holding, supporting or restraining a person, animal or heavy object / ý
Jumping while holding a load / ý
Exerting force with the non-preferred hand / ý
Two or more people need to be assigned to handle a heavy or bulky load / ý
Exerting high force while in an awkward posture / ý
Environmental Factors
Tick ‘yes’ if any of the following environmental factors are present in the workplace
YES / COMMENTSVibration (hand-arm or whole body) / ý
High temperatures / þ / Hot days while attending inspections and site meetings
Radiation heat / þ / Radiant heat from the sun while attending inspections and site meetings
High humidity / þ / Potentially on hot or humid days while attending inspections and site meetings
Low temperatures / þ / Cold days while attending inspections and site meetings
Wearing protective clothing while working in hot conditions / þ / Road safety jacket and elbow length shirts and long pants and hats in sunny conditions
Wearing thick clothing while working in cold conditions (e.g. gloves) / þ / Storm conditions and cold days while attending inspections and site meetings
Handling very cold or frozen objects / ý
Employees are working in hot conditions and are not used to it / ý
Note Potential candidates must be able to physically access areas that are rough and uneven terrain to carry out inspection duties related to bushland and fire management duties