Vic industries farewells CIO

Victoria's Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has started looking for a new chief information officer, with incumbent Susan Greenwood to leave the position.

The department did not comment on the nature of her departure at press time, but has advertised Greenwood's job. DPI manages and regulates the use of the state's natural resources (such as fishing, agriculture, mining and forestry), with some 2,500 staff scattered in more than 80 locations around Victoria.

Greenwood's replacement will be paid between AU$120,098 to AU$166,795, and report to the department's deputy secretary of Business and Corporate Services, Alan Young. The job has been advertised as a five-year position based in Melbourne.

One of the new CIO's duties will be to coordinate DPI's involvement in Victorian whole-of-government IT and knowledge management initiatives. Like other states, Victoria has in the last couple of years invested significant effort into unifying its strategic IT direction and purchasing across government departments.

One of the more unusual items to note in DPI's advertisement is that Greenwood's replacement may be "required to assist with fire fighting and other emergency responses" from time to time.

Those with CIO experience won't be surprised to learn that "attendance at after hours meetings may be required", and that the role will involve "lengthy periods of computer work", "sitting for lengthy periods" and "sedentary desk work".

However, due to the geographically dispersed nature of the department, "lengthy periods of car travel" are also on the cards for the new CIO.

DPI will stop taking applications for the role after 16 March.