H25_5154

Chief Health Officer and Deputy Director-General, Population Health

Applications close: Sunday 7th September 2025

Lead Queensland’s public health strategy at the highest level, shaping policy and responses to major health challenges, including disaster preparedness and chronic disease prevention.
Serve as the state’s statutory Chief Health Officer, providing expert medical advice to government leaders and acting as the public face of Queensland Health during critical health events.
Drive health equity and system-wide improvements in collaboration with First Nations communities, Hospital and Health Services, and national counterparts, influencing outcomes for millions of Queenslanders.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This executive role offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on public health in Queensland.

Lead Queensland’s Public Health Vision
Take the helm in shaping statewide health strategies, guiding responses to emerging health threats, and influencing policy at the highest levels to enhance the well-being of all Queenslanders.

Drive System-Wide Impact and Innovation
Oversee critical public health initiatives, including communicable disease control, health protection, and prevention strategies, while fostering cross-sector collaboration to achieve measurable health outcomes.

Champion Health Equity and Leadership Excellence
Partner with diverse stakeholders to advance First Nations health equity, mentor future health leaders, and represent Queensland on national platforms, reinforcing your legacy in public health leadership.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Director-General and as a member of the department’s Executive Leadership Team, the Chief Health Officer leads the State’s preventive health, public health and public health information agendas.

The role is responsible for supporting public health relevant to the disaster coordination, emergency response and emergency preparedness activities for Queensland at a system-wide level and maintaining the State’s capacity to identify and respond to communicable diseases and other health threats. The position also has responsibility for leading health information campaigns to address issues relating to chronic disease and emergent health trends, in order to reduce the future impacts on the State’s health system and to raise awareness about issues relating to personal responsibility for health outcomes.

THE CANDIDATE

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate:

Experience in a senior medical role with significant authority and accountability in administering statutory obligations and leading regulatory activities; and demonstrated experience in managing and responding to emergent and significant health threats including health pandemics.
A track record of being able to navigate highly sensitive issues with government focussed on achieving effective policy outcomes.
Highly developed negotiation skills, political astuteness and intellectual flexibility.
Be an experienced media operator able to communicate complex issues with clarity and perform well under pressure.
Deep relationships/credibility with stakeholders across government, non-government and the private sector.
Be recognised as an assertive and confident decision maker, willing and able to make high stakes decisions.
Be highly resilient and be used to a highly demanding work environment.
The ability to work within a complex system or organisation with devolved accountabilities and responsibilities that require a detailed understanding of system leadership, risk management, strategic direction-setting and the challenges facing modern healthcare service delivery.