VicHealth, the world's first health promotion foundation is seeking an exceptional systems thinker and health promotion leader to drive real change for Victorians. With government funding recently confirmed for the coming financial year and with a focus on impact and equity, this is an outstanding opportunity for a senior executive to join a globally respected organisation at a pivotal moment.
Work type: Full time, Executive Contract
ABOUT VICHEALTH
The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) is a pioneer in health promotion — working to reduce and eliminate the barriers Victorians face to good health. As the world's first health promotion foundation, and a Collaborating Centre in Health Promotion Leadership with the World Health Organization and a technical partner to UNICEF, VicHealth occupies a unique and influential position in Australia's health system.
Through world-class research, community partnership and strategic engagement at all levels of government, VicHealth works to reshape the systems that shape health. Its three core systems — neighbourhood and built, commercial and economic, and food — form the backbone of a multi-year strategy aimed at addressing growing health inequities across Victoria.
Further information: www.vichealth.vic.gov.au
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Executive Manager, Health Promotion Systems leads an engaged and passionate team of 24 to execute strategy and deliver VicHealth's state-wide health promotion activities. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this senior executive holds shared responsibility for approximately $30 million in annual expenditure and is a key member of VicHealth's Executive Leadership Team (ELT). With VicHealth’s strategic framework now established, this role is focused on delivering tangible, measurable impact across Victoria's health promotion systems through effective delivery and implementation of established multi-year systems change initiatives and partnerships.
The role is responsible for:
- Delivering clear, ambitious and strategic leadership, championing a focus on impact, systems thinking and better ways of working that drive a high-performance and care culture
- Providing direction and oversight to VicHealth's evolving models of systems-based health promotion at scale, including with community based organisations and regional partners
- Leading the execution of and learning from systems-focused investments to maximise outcomes across the health promotion spectrum
- Supporting VicHealth’s First Nations Health Promotion team to continue to build strong relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Victoria
- Building strong partnerships across the broad health promotion sector to advance collective impact
- Organisation-wide leadership to optimise the efficiency, learning and impact of each activity and investment
ABOUT THE CANDIDATE
You will be a health promotion expert and senior executive leader with a demonstrated record of driving reform at scale and across systems. You will be a respected voice in the public health and health promotion sectors, a compelling communicator across a wide range of audiences and channels, and someone who brings the diversity of their lived experience to their work. Importantly, this is a delivery-focused role – the strategy is set, and the organisation is looking for a leader who excels at implementation, enabling a diverse and highly skilled team to drive programs and partnerships from initiation to outcome at scale.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the delivery and continued evolution of VicHealth's multi-year strategy for health promotion
- Lead a team of dedicated professionals to design, implement and evaluate evidence-based health promotion programs across food, commercial/economic, and neighbourhood/built systems
- Deepen VicHealth’s relationships with Victoria’s First Nations communities to support greater self-determination in health promotion investment and outcomes
- Work with partners, stakeholders and suppliers to build trust and deliver innovative solutions that address complex systemic issues
- Provide expert advice to the CEO, VicHealth Board and government on health promotion policies, practices and interventions
- Represent VicHealth publicly to inform and influence better health outcomes for the Victorian community
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
- A demonstrated record of public health and health promotion leadership, with substantial experience in leading and delivering evidence-based programs
- Relevant tertiary qualifications in public health, health promotion, or allied health, or demonstrated equivalent experience in systems leadership, public policy or applied research translation
- Experience at senior or executive management level, leading similar-sized teams within a knowledge-based organisation, with evidence of team development and delivery of outcomes
- A track record of working with and through diverse communities, with genuine respect for community-led approaches
- Experience in delivering on self-determined approaches with First Nations communities and partners
- Visionary thinking – the ability to energise and inspire a team around purpose and generate innovative approaches to systems change
- Strategic acumen – translating strategic direction into operational plans and enabling collaborative decision-making
- Outstanding stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build enduring relationships across government, community and sector partners
- Experience with broadcast media and public communication (desirable)
WHAT VICHEALTH OFFERS
This is a rare opportunity to make a tangible difference to the lives of Victorians by leading health promotion strategies at state and systems level, at a genuinely energising moment in VicHealth's history. Renewed funding, new executive leadership, and a clear long-term strategy combine to create an environment of real momentum and opportunity to see the tangible impacts of the work.
VicHealth offers a competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience, a comprehensive benefits package, and a flexible and creative workplace that supports professional development.
VicHealth is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity and inclusion in its workforce. People of all genders and cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
More Information
Download a comprehensive briefing pack from the link on the right hand side of this page.
How to Apply
Searchlight Group is assisting VicHealth with this appointment. To apply, please upload a cover letter addressing your relevant skills and experience, together with a current CV, via this webpage. For a confidential discussion, contact Michael Holdway on 0400 006 513
Applications close: midnight on Wednesday 17th June 2026
