Research Operations Manager

CSIRO; Canberra; On-site; AUD 163,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, is seeking a Research Operations Manager to support the Agriculture & Food Research Unit Director in managing people, finances and facilities. You will coordinate planning, reporting and advisory services to ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly and align with CSIRO's strategic goals.

You will collaborate with Operations Managers across CSIRO’s Research Units to support leaders in delivering precincts, regional sites and enterprise initiatives.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated planning, financial, project management and change management experience at national unit scale.
• Ability to think strategically and manage problems in ambiguous situations.
• Strong communication, relationship-building and influencing skills across stakeholder groups.

Responsibilities

• Manage operational planning and monitor performance with the Research Unit Director.
• Coordinate CSIRO and external support functions and respond to inquiries.
• Lead and support major Research Unit projects and enterprise change initiatives.
• Provide specialist operational advice and act as trusted adviser to client needs.
• Coordinate health, safety, environment, quality assurance and regulatory requirements across facilities.
• Manage budgets and secure external funding aligned with unit goals.
• Lead staff development, allocate resources and monitor team outcomes.
• Contribute to strategic decisions and external forums.

Skills

Planning

Financial management

Project management

Change management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Education

Relevant professional qualifications

Job description

Acknowledgement of Country

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation .

Role highlights

• Drive operational planning to support Agriculture & Food research
• Coordinate resources, research infrastructure and specialist facilities
• Deliver operational improvements, major projects and change initiatives

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

The opportunity

As Research Operations Manager, you’ll support the Agriculture & Food Research Unit Director to manage the unit’s people, physical and financial resources. Through operational planning, reporting and specialist advice on research infrastructure and activities, you’ll help keep day-to-day operations running smoothly. Your role will complement, rather than duplicate or manage, the services provided by CSIRO's Enterprise Support Functions.

You’ll also collaborate with Operations Managers across CSIRO’s Research Units to support leaders in delivering CSIRO’s strategic goals for precincts, regional sites and major enterprise initiatives.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Manage operational planning and monitor performance, helping the Research Unit Director identify issues and improvement opportunities.
• Partner with CSIRO and external support functions, monitor service levels and coordinate responses to complex or sensitive inquiries and information requests.
• Lead and support major Research Unit projects, assess implementation needs and oversee the delivery of enterprise change initiatives.
• Provide specialist operational advice and act as a trusted adviser, responding to changing client needs and market conditions.
• Coordinate health, safety and environment, quality assurance and control, ethics and regulatory requirements across laboratories, field stations and specialist facilities.
• Manage operational functions, negotiate budgets and secure external funding, aligning resources and activities with Research Unit goals.
• Lead and develop staff, establish work plans and allocate and monitor resources to deliver team outcomes.
• Contribute to strategic decisions and organisational policy, building collaborative networks and representing the Research Unit in external forums.

Role particulars

Location and office arrangements: Brisbane, QLD or Canberra, ACT preferred

Salary: AU$163k - AU$180k per annum per annum plus 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Indefinite ; Full-time

Reference: 104525

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

Essential

• Demonstrated planning, financial, project management, change management skills and experience at the level of a national unit of comparable size and scale to the Research Unit.
• Ability to think laterally and strategically and to anticipate and manage problems in ambiguous situations
• Demonstrated ability to communicate openly and effectively and to build strong relationships with staff, stakeholders and clients at all levels and across boundaries together with superior interpersonal, negotiation and influencing skills;
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of risk management, incident response, organisational requirements, policies and procedures, and external regulations relevant to the Research Unit, and a strong track record in supporting CSIRO's values
• Relevant professional qualifications are highly desirable

For full details about this role, please review the Position Description.

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don't let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please contact Laura Mason at [e-mail] and let us know how we can support you.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, and Australian Permanent Residents. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy.

Applications close

15 November 2026, 11:00pm AEDT