Executive Level 2 - Chief of Plant Breeder's Rights
Vacancy information
Position title: Executive Level 2 - Chief of Plant Breeder's Rights
Job Requisition ID: 1576
Location: Flexible location
Tenure: Ongoing
Our Opportunity
The Chief of Plant Breeder's Rights (PBR) is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership to the PBR examination section comprising 15 staff. As part of the core leadership team, the Chief supports the Registrar of PBR (General Manager - POG) and other senior executives in the effective management of the end-to-end processes of the PBR section, to achieve IP Australia’s corporate objectives.
Position specific duties:
- Provide effective administration of PBR in accordance with Plant Breeder’s Rights Act 1994 and International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) standards
- Provide excellent leadership and management to support team performance and the realisation of IP Australia’s corporate objectives
- Perform statutory functions of the Deputy Registrar of Plant Breeder’s Rights and exercise the appropriate powers, authority and delegations under the Plant Breeder’s Rights Act 1994 (Cth)
- Be accountable for high quality customer service and service delivery meeting all performance expectations in a legislative environment
- Drive continuous improvement in practices and processes to maintain alignment with regulatory requirements
- Shape policy, standards, and strategic direction across the PBR landscape, contributing to the effective administration and advancement of intellectual property rights in Australia
- Develop relationships and engage with domestic and international stakeholders, representing IP Australia and on behalf of the General Manager
- Oversee business operations and workflow processes, contribute to workforce planning and optimise resources to support operational needs
- Lead data stewardship, management, and analysis to inform decision-making.
Job specific capabilities
To be competitive, you will need to be able to demonstrate strong capabilities in people leadership, stakeholder engagement and strategic thinking, with an ability to apply or quickly build your existing relevant subject knowledge. Knowledge and/or awareness of intellectual property, plant breeding, the agricultural sector and/or a related area is highly desirable.
Candidates will be assessed against the following capabilities:
- Agility and Innovation – demonstrated ability to drive and inspire a culture of agility and innovation across the organisation
- Customer Centricity – including a demonstrated ability in ensuring compliance with performance standards for service delivery and a knowledge of intellectual property regimes
- Data Literacy – including a demonstrated ability to analyse a range of information types and draw sound logical conclusions that will support decision-making
- Engages with Risk – including the ability to anticipate the shifting environment and manage moderate risk
- People, network and self-leadership – a demonstrated ability to inspire and drive a culture of authentic leadership including the provision of guidance, mentoring and development of staff and the facilitation of performance improvement
Looking for more information?
Our candidate kit contains more details including the capabilities required, the contact officer, and how to apply.
Please use the link below to access the candidate kit:
Applications Close
Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday 23 November 2025.
Please note: Due to the upcoming holiday period, the recruitment process will be run across 2025 and into 2026. Candidates will be kept up to date via email and we strongly encourage you to use a personal email in case you are on leave.