Senior Health Protection Officer

POSITION SUMMARY:

Located within the Regional Health Protection South team, the Senior Health Protection Officer reports to the Manager Health Protection and oversees regulatory responsibilities. This diverse role provides quality health protection advice on a range of areas, including communicable diseases, food safety, immunisation, environmental health, and emergency management. The role involves coordinating incident and outbreak management activities and legislative and regulatory functions in partnership with central public health programs and other operational teams.

The position engages with regional government agencies, local councils and other external stakeholders as required, to address health protection and related issues.

Are you

• Able to negotiate, communicate and build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders in the community sector?
• Able to understand, interpret and apply legislation?
• Experienced in adapting to change and managing complex environments?

Accountabilities

• Act as a key source of advice for local government and external stakeholders on public health and related matters and promote linkages between local governments and other relevant stakeholders, leading to better compliance, sharing of knowledge and the encouragement of best practice.
• Assist with regional public health incident and emergency management planning and response and provide support to regional DFFH/DH staff in emergency management more broadly.
• Develop strategic, sustainable partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Undertake complex, sensitive investigations, negotiate resolution and where necessary, prepare and present evidence for remedial strategies in line with regulatory frameworks.
• Develop project plans and formulate options to address specific industry or sector issues to achieve required outcomes.
• Provide advice, recommendations and innovative program options and solutions to senior management.
• Prepare and present detailed, comprehensive reports and Ministerial briefings on policy and operational/program issues, policy options and ad hoc reports and correspondence.
• Keep accurate and complete records of your work activities in accordance with legislative requirements, the department's records, information security and privacy policies and requirements, maintaining consistent record keeping practices in line with established standard operating procedures for the division.

Mandatory Vaccination Policy

The department is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its workers and clients. As it is an essential element of any role within the department that employees be able to attend work onsite and to do so safely, employees are required to be up-to-date with their vaccinations against COVID-19 as a condition of their employment. This requirement applies unless they have a medical condition which means they cannot be vaccinated against COVID -19. Therefore, the department will ask any prospective employee, who has been identified as the preferred candidate for a role within the department, to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status prior to any offer of employment being made. If a prospective employee has a relevant medical condition which means they cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19, they should contact the department to discuss their individual circumstances.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants are encouraged to apply online, submitting a cover letter and a current resume.

The Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE) Recruitment Policy allows for priority consideration for Victorian Public Service (VPS) and select employees of the Victorian Public Sector who apply through the Jobs Skills Exchange (JSE) jobs board platform.

As such, these employees are strongly encouraged to submit their application through rather than via external advertisement.

For this position, you are not required to address each of the key selection criteria in a separate written document.

Preferred candidates will be required to complete pre-employment screening, including national police check and misconduct screening.

Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa. Work eligibility will be checked as part of the recruitment process.

For further information please visit the
https://www.vic.gov.au/department-health

Click 'Apply Now' to submit your interest in this position.