Manager - Epidemiology and Surveillance (525205)

Department Of Health, Tasmania; Hobart; On-site; AUD 155,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel and relocation assistance

Professional development

Fitness Passport

Job summary

Department of Health Tasmania is seeking a Manager - Epidemiology and Surveillance to lead a complex program spanning surveillance, outbreak management, immunisation governance, and policy development. The role requires strategic oversight of notifiable diseases and collaboration across Public Health Services and national partners.

The successful candidate will provide professional leadership to a multi‑professional team, influence departmental decisions and drive continuous service improvement

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification(s) in communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance.
• Demonstrated high-level leadership to a multi-professional team in epidemiology and surveillance.
• Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication to liaise with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead a complex program of epidemiology and surveillance and provide strategic planning and operational oversight.

Skills

Leadership

Epidemiology

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Education

Postgraduate qualifications in communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance

Job description

The Team

• The Communicable Diseases Prevention Unit (CDPU) sits within Public Health Protection which sit more broadly in Health Service Operations – Population Health.
• The Epidemiology and Surveillance team is integral in the multidisciplinary Communicable Diseases Prevention Unit.
• CDPU delivers an integrated public health function spanning:
• Surveillance and intelligence: Monitoring notifiable disease data, identifying emerging risks, and providing epidemiological analysis to inform decision-making.
• Public health response: Coordinating case and outbreak management and providing infection prevention and control advice.
• Immunisation programs: Stewardship of Tasmania’s implementation of the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and state‑funded programs, including vaccine supply, provider oversight, and safety surveillance.
• Policy and strategy: Developing evidence‑based policy, guidelines, and advice to support the prevention and control of communicable diseases.
• System governance and assurance: Maintaining data governance, reporting, and compliance with statutory and national requirements.

The Role

The Manager - Epidemiology and Surveillance is responsible for leading a complex program, including providing leadership, strategic planning and operational oversight of communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance and for other notifiable conditions of importance to Public Health and the Department of Health.

You will need

• Relevant postgraduate qualifications in communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance, together with extensive professional expertise and experience in communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance.
• Demonstrable high‑level ability to provide professional leadership to, and empower, a multi‑professional team to undertake high level communicable disease epidemiology and surveillance activities that influence and inform Departmental decision‑making and response and add to continuous service improvement.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills, including oral and written communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, that result in the ability to develop and maintain networks and liaison with a broad range of stakeholders across Public Health Services, within the Tasmanian health system and nationally.

Note: - Please refer to the Statement of Duties for all the selection criteria of this position to address in your application.

Why Tasmania

The Department of Health Tasmania oversees various hospitals across the state, including the Royal Hobart Hospital, Launceston General Hospital, Northwest Regional Hospital, and Mersey Community Hospital, as well as district hospitals and ambulance services. Additionally, it provides community health, mental health, and primary healthcare services to the Tasmanian community through more than 300 sites.

Tasmania, Australia's only island state, offers unparalleled natural beauty and a luxurious lifestyle. Pursuing your health career in Tasmania’s public health system means building strong connections with colleagues and patients. It also means embracing a lifestyle where you can enjoy extraordinary experiences outside of work while making a significant impact on the community during work.

Details of appointment

Fixed term full time, day worker position, working 76 hours per fortnight, commencing 4 January 2027 until 31 December 2027.

• Notwithstanding hours to be negotiated with the successful applicant.

Applicants should note that, for a period of twelve months from the date of publication, this selection process may be used to fill subsequent or similar full time, part time, and casual vacancies.

Salary

$154665 to $156671 per annum. Our Employer 12% superannuation contribution is on top of this amount.

• Salary range is in accordance with Allied Health Professionals Public Sector Unions Wages Agreement No. 2 of 2025.

Allowances

The following allowances calculated on the salaried incremental point may be available:

• Professional Development Allowance of up to $1200 per annum, paid on a fortnightly, pro rata basis.

Benefits available to eligible candidates

• Travel and relocation assistance support available up to $15,000 for eligible appointees from overseas, and up to $10,000 for appointees from interstate.
• Professional development and accelerated pathways.
• A range of leave entitlements, including study leave and Professional Development Support.
• Fitness Passport – You, and your family can access 40+ fitness facilities across Tasmania for just $14.50 per week per person, or $28.05 for a family.

More information about our Employee Benefits can be found here.

Eligibility

Successful applicants will be required to meet the essential criteria.

• Tertiary qualification/program of study from a recognised tertiary institution with an epidemiological research component, usually at the postgraduate level.
• Eligible for membership with the Australian Epidemiological Association
• Registration/licences that are essential requirements of this role must remain current and valid at all times whilst employed in this role and the status of these may be checked at any time during employment. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that registration/licences remain current and to advise the Employer if their circumstances change. This includes notifying the Employer if a registration/licence is revoked, cancelled or has its conditions altered.

Desired qualifications

Applicants should note the following criteria are desirable:

• Extensive experience in emergency management processes as they relate to public health
• Experience in notifiable disease surveillance and reporting
• Demonstrated experience in managing a team of professionals

Position features

• Based in Hobart, however both intra- and inter- state travel may be a requirement of the position

Note: - Please refer to the Application Guide for more information of pre‑employment check.

Download the Statement of Duties and any Associated Documents

We encourage you to review the Statement of Duties, Applicant Guide, prior to applying for an overview of the duties, program, selection process and application guidance.

Statement of Duties

• Manager - Epidemiology and Surveillance HP5,2.docx

Application Guide

• Applicant Guide.docx

What it is like working at the Department of Health?

Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Excellence are the key values to work in Department of Health. Listen to some of the lived experiences from within the department through some of our wonderful staff and hear about their journey in relocating to Tasmania!

Move to Tasmania | Tasmanian

One Health Podcast - Spotify

One Health Podcast - Apple

Tasmanian Health Careers | Tasmanian

Department of Health has achieved the “Carer Accredited Employer Status” providing support to employees with caring responsibilities. (Find out more under the Carer Recognition Act 2023).

Respecting diversity is the foundation of everything that Department of Health do.

This allows us to instil trust and collaborate through honest and fair communication and helps cultivate an environment of growth and innovation.

We strongly encourage applicants from key communities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, LGBTIQA+ people, and people living with disabilities.