Fire Officer | Broome

The Kimberley Fire Officer is responsible for assisting the Regional Fire Manager with management of the AWC Kimberley Fire Program including: fire management planning, (planned burning program and bushfire suppression), works programming, work standards, liaison and collaboration with affected partnerships, work health and safety on the fire ground and data recording.

Key relationships will include:

• The position reports to the Regional Fire Manager, and Regional Operations Manager, Kimberley. 
• As required, the position supervises AWC staff, Indigenous rangers and Traditional Owners. You will work closely with operational staff at other Kimberley locations.
• You will also work closely with AWC’s Kimberley Ecologists.  Within AWC, the Operations and Science teams work in an integrated manner to design and deliver effective conservation fire management and to measure and report ecological health.   

Critical competencies:

• Getting things done:  you need exceptional planning and organisational skills, including a demonstrated ability to prioritise and execute a large number of tasks in an efficient manner and the ability to plan and implement burning operations under supervision of the Regional Fire Manager. 
• Working with people: excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to establish and maintain relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders including indigenous communities, pastoralists, government agencies etc.
• Managing staff:  you need excellent people management skills, including the leadership of, managing, training and assisting with the coordination of remote teams of staff.
• Paperwork/compliance: demonstrated ability to maintain records, manage data, write reports and manage permit/authorization processes.
• IT: competent in the use of a full range of desktop and mobile applications (including QGIS/ArcGIS, Microsoft, Avenza, FULCRUM), and hardware including drones.
• Resourcefulness: the ability to improvise and ‘problem-solve’, developing practical solutions with limited resources.
• Living in the bush: previous experience of working and living in a rural area, preferably remote, and the supervision of teams in geographically diverse locations.
• A passion for conservation: a demonstrated passion for conservation work.
• Willingness to travel: An ability and willingness to work in diverse locations.
• Willingness to conduct activities in helicopters and light planes: helicopter and fixed wing activities are required extensively to undertake the duties associated with this role.

Qualifications:

• Qualification in conservation, land management, fire management or demonstrated experience in a relevant field.
• Familiarity with GIS software and the ability to produce maps and manage spatial data.
• Good verbal and written communication skills, able to communicate effectively with a range of audiences, including rangers and AWC employees.
• Experience in delivering projects in remote locations with a broad range of stakeholders, especially First Nations Australians.
• Prior experience desired working with the implementation of fire programs and/or working in tropical savannah regions of Australia (i.e. Kimberley, Top End, Cape York)
• Previous 4WD experience and/or qualifications and comfortable with solo remote travel.

Licenses, Certificates and/or Training:

• Valid manual driver’s licence.
• Senior first aid certificate or the capacity to readily obtain it.