CSIRO support costs must fall dramatically by July 2025, Chief Executive Doug Hilton has warned, as the restructure of Enterprise Services takes shape.
Top level changes to CSIRO’s organisational structure have been confirmed, with the announcement of a new Deputy Chief Executive position to oversee functions including strategy, corporate affairs and policy.
Meanwhile, the role of Chief Operating Officer will be responsible for business infrastructure and services, information management and technology, legal, finance and governance.
Elsewhere, Professor Hilton provided more information explaining the rationale behind the changes.
“While there have been cost increases across all CSIRO, a disproportionate part of this growth has been in Enterprise Services. Although efforts have been made to reduce costs, we have not been successful to date and it is clear that the current and projected costs for Enterprise Services cannot be sustained.”
While CSIRO Executive have claimed that the impact of these initial, top-level changes on staff would be ‘limited’, Professor Hilton has warned that significant cost reductions must be achieved by July 2025, setting the scene for significant job cuts.
“Specifically, the Enterprise Service Reform process has identified our need to reduce total costs (labour and operating) by 25 per cent across Enterprise Services by the 2025-26 financial year,” Professor Hilton said.
With the implementation of the new structure currently underway, the second phase of the restructure project is set for wider staff consultation in May.
The Staff Association has set up a working group to represent the views of workers throughout the Enterprise Services restructure.
Enterprise Services employees who are Staff Association members and are potentially affected are encouraged to contact the union to arrange support and individual representation.
