The Role

The Role will lead the development of the Directorate of Force Health Protection (DFHP) in the Health Protection and Policy (HPP) Branch. The Director will be responsible to lead and promote a population based health approach to Force Health Protection to optimise the health of the Force and oversee the functions of the five cells within the Directorate.

The Role will be responsible for review, assessment and evaluation of current Force Health Protection measures to identify gaps and improve systems to develop a Public Health Capability to suit the requirements of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The role will oversee the provision of supervision and training to support public health programme trainees and strengthen the ADF public health workforce.

The Director will represent the DFHP on relevant domestic and international ADF health forums, will liaise with relevant key stakeholders within the ADF and relevant Government agencies and organisations. There will be a requirement to provide Ministerial and Executive briefings as needed. The Role will report to the Assistant Secretary Health Protection and Policy, Joint Health Command.

The Role will report to the Assistant Secretary Health Protection and Policy, Joint Health Command.

About our Team

The Force Health Protection Directorate sits within the Health Protection and Policy Branch, Joint Health Command. This newly established Directorate will be responsible for supporting and delivering Force health protection capability to optimise the health and health readiness of ADF members. The Directorate has five cells; Health Surveillance, Public Health and Disease Control, Environmental Health, Occupational and Musculoskeletal injury, and Health Promotion.

The Directorate will coordinate an ADF wide health surveillance system to support the development of relevant policy and programmes. It will provide technical advice and actionable insights on disease burden and prevention strategies. It will provide operational support for the delivery of population health activities and public health response within the ADF.

Our Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate is a motivated and enthusiastic individual who can work effectively alone and as part of a team. They will have a strong background in public health, epidemiology and health promotion, and extensive experience in leading public health teams. They will have the ability to plan, manage, and prioritise tasks to ensure timely delivery of outputs. They will have strong coordination and liaison skills to negotiate and provide strategic public health advice to key stakeholders. They will have a keen interest in training and building the ADF public health workforce.

Our ideal candidate will have an understanding of health in the military context, and frame strategies and outputs appropriate to each context. They will demonstrate a sound understanding of compliance with legislative frameworks, government direction, policy requirements and the ADF mission. They will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills for effective stakeholder engagement.

Application Closing Date: Friday 27 June 2025

For further information please review the job information pack, reference DPG/04599/25 on www.defence.gov.au/apscareers.