IMO's Organisational Chart

Issued January 1st, 2023

(Click on chart to enlarge image)

Director

Director General: Hildigunnur H. H. Thorsteinsson

The Director General's office is responsible for the administrative role of the Icelandic Meteorological Office, IMO, and oversees public funds. The office handles common issues such as IMO's strategy, human resources, communications, law, and manages internal and external relations as well as international co-operation. The Director General's office oversees administrative tasks related to contracts and responsibilities with ministries, Parliament, and other public bodies. Also, to ensure that quality and safety issues, laws, regulations, management standards and other requirements are followed in the organization's activities. The office is also responsible for IMO's research and development strategy and follows up on the organization's goals in that regard.  

The Icelandic Meteorological Office has two core divisions, on the one hand the Infrastructure Division and on the other hand the Service and Research Division.

Service and Research Division

Managing Director: Matthew James Roberts.

The Service and Research Division carries out research, weather services, natural hazard monitoring and dissemination of knowledge and information in that regard. The purpose of the division is to meet the service needs of society in accordance with the role IMO. Four departments work on the division´s projects each within their specific fields:

• Weather forecasts and natural hazard monitoring. Head of Department: Elín Björk Jónasdóttir
• Climate, weather, water, glaciers, and ocean: Head of Department: Tinna Þórarinsdóttir
• Volcanic activity, earthquakes, and deformation: Head of Department: Kristín Jónsdóttir
• Avalanches and landslides: Head of Department: Harpa Grímsdóttir

The division is responsible for the service policy of the Icelandic Met Office, which focuses on acquiring knowledge and giving council in the field of natural hazards, nature conservation and resource utilization. The role of the Service and Research Division is to define, formulate, lead, and participate in research and development projects within IMO's field of natural science. The division´s projects also concern long-term research, data gathering and processing as well as modelling, along with the development of products and methodologies to improve the organization´s services.

Infrastructure Division

Managing Director: Ingvar Kristinsson

The Infrastructure Division is responsible for the operation and development of IMO's infrastructure, such as observation and data gathering related to monitoring and research on Iceland's natural environment. The role of the division is to ensure the safe collection, handling, sharing and preserving of data that fall within IMO's responsibility.

The division´s scope extends from measures to data services. The Service and Research Division bases its services on the data services provided by the Infrastructure Division. Furthermore, data services serve economic partners and other data obligations to foreign institutions, e.g. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and partner groups, e.g., within EPOS and Copernicus.

Finance and Administration Division

Managing Director: Kristín Björg Árnadóttir

The Finance and Administration Division manages IMO´s finance in accordance with the organization's budget and financial resources. The division supports and provides information to directors and managers within IMO. The division takes care of formal reporting, accounting, and dissemination of financial and operational information to the government, partners, managers, and general employees of the organization with the aim of increased transparency and improved disclosure regarding finances. 

The division is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, e.g., record management, central service desk, real estate management, procurement management and other internal support services.

Centres

The centre for Climate Services and Adaptation is a platform that services urgent projects in the field of adaptation because of climate change. The centre provides climate services supporting the government and industries, cooperating with international organizations, and sharing information and scenarios about the effect of climate change to stakeholders and the public. The centre of Climate Services is also responsible for the relations with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) fulfilling IMO's role as Iceland's National Focal Point to IPCC. 

Director: Anna Hulda Ólafsdóttir

The centre for Natural Hazard Services manages contracts and projects in relations to hazard- and risk assessments for natural hazards as requested by the government. The centre works in close cooperation with ministries, local government and public safety authorities and supervises requests for formal risk assessments of natural hazards and construction contracts for them. In addition, the centre monitors the effectiveness of risk assessment, warning, and response systems. The centre is involved in domestic and foreign cooperation aimed at promoting cooperation, knowledge, and the sharing of information about natural hazards and risk assessment. This includes communications with the centre for Climate Services and Adaptation and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Director: Sigrún Karlsdóttir