Climate Security Lead

The Climate Security Lead reports to the National Security and Space Partnerships Lead (EL2) and works with the Australian government's national security sector to build relationships that will enable the Bureau to deliver value and impact for their operations.
Your focus will be the national security sector and their climate security needs. The National Security and Space Partnerships team, that you would be a part of, are charged with developing a deep understanding of what our customers do in order represent their needs to internal stakeholders in the development of new products; and to work closely with customers in the realisation of new opportunities.
With this deep national security sector knowledge, you will lead and shape our climate security capability, working with a small sub-team to provide global analysis that combines climate information and national security risks. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential, as you will be contributing analysis to and overseeing the production of climate security products containing insights, translating complex information into simple concepts The Climate Security Lead will engage across the Bureau with teams such as the Australian Climate Service, researchers and climatologists to enhance this capability.
To be successful you will have:

• Strong teamwork and a collaborative and consultative approach, with a natural inclination to share information and bring people together to realise a vision
• Experience working within the national security, international development, foreign affairs or intelligence sectors
• Strong engagement and leadership skills
• Business or opportunity development experience
• Ability to work independently under broad guidance
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with a knack for translating technical information into simple concepts

This role is Canberra-based, however many of the broader team are situated around the country. You should expect to connect internally through Microsoft Teams. Some interstate travel and meetings in person with customers will be required.
What do we mean by climate security?
Climate security refers to the direct and indirect impacts of climate on peace and security.
The increased frequency of extreme weather events and changing weather patterns is exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and tensions such as forced displacement, water and food scarcity, disruptions in international trade and human health. Existing inequalities mean that disadvantaged countries suffer disproportionately from climate impacts and hinder their ability to cope, which further compounds access to resources, increasing social tensions.
The exacerbation of global and regional instability is leading to impacts on Australia, including increased demands for peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance from Australia, such as contribution global efforts to mitigate climate change and support vulnerable communities. Key climate security impacts include:

• Food and water security: food availability, reduced crop yields, depleted water resources and poor water quality; impacting variety and availability, leading to health impacts and increased competition.
• Human security: extreme weather events leading to displacement, loss of livelihoods and heightened vulnerability.
• Economic security: disruption to industries such as agriculture, tourism and fisheries, leading to economic losses, trade implications and reduced productivity.
• Critical infrastructure security: damage to critical infrastructure such as energy production, transportation networks, and communication systems, particularly from extreme weather events and shifting resource availability, leading to disruption to essential services
• Health security: increasing prevalence of heat-related illness, spread of disease and strained healthcare systems.
• National security: exacerbated regional instability and conflicts, posing threats to national security through increased demands for peace keeping and humanitarian assistance.
• Political security: exacerbated social tensions, resource conflicts and grievances, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected regions.

The Bureau, through this team, considers upcoming weather, water, climate, ocean and space weather information and hazards in terms of these impacts, and informs the national security sector and government agencies of potential or exacerbating climate security flash points.