Project Lead

Requisition No: 5386
- Executive Division: Operations
- Division: Western Public Health Unit
- Program: Western Public Health Unit
- Department: LPHU Population Health Promotion M1546
- Enterprise Agreement: Allied Health Professionals (Victorian Public Sect
- Job Function: Allied Health Professionals
- Project:

- **Location**: Sunshine Hospital
- **Employment Type**:Fixed Term, Full Time until December 2028
- **Salary**: MI63 Level 3

**About the role**

Join a dynamic public health team as the Food Systems Connector, leading a collaborative regional partnership ('Food First in the West') to connect and strengthen local-level food systems action to expand access to affordable, culturally-appropriate, local, and nutritious food in Melbourne’s central and western suburbs.

This new role_ _will work autonomously and collaboratively to facilitate the governance, coordination, communications and reporting for the_ _Food First in the West partnership and associated deliverables, as part of the VicHealth Local partnerships for Food First.

**About the Western Public Health Unit**

The Western Public Health Unit (WPHU) is one of three metropolitan Local Public Health Units (LPHUs), and alongside six regional LPHUs forms a collaborative Network to deliver frontline public health for Victoria. The LPHU Network works closely with the Victorian Department of Health to provide for local and regional responses to communicable and non-communicable diseases through community partnerships and local public health initiatives.

Led and coordinated by Western Health, WPHU serves over 1.3 million people across the local government areas of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton, Merri-bek, Moonee Valley and Wyndham. WPHU investigates and manages cases and outbreaks of notifiable conditions under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 in collaboration with the Department’s Community and Public Health Division, manages public health risks and supports public health emergency responses.

WPHU collaborates with local governments, community health networks, and primary care providers to improve health outcomes across its catchment, working to keep people well by leading and supporting practical population health action.

**Key responsibilities**:

- Leading and organising Food First in the West steering committee meetings and working groups to support shared decision making.
- Build and maintain relationships with partners to foster involvement in the development and implementation of Food First in the West partnership.
- Coordinating activities with partners to align strategies and actions, avoid duplication and ensure partnership deliverables are met.
- Maintaining understanding of current implementation challenges experienced by partners and developing comprehensive solutions to address them.
- Track Food First in the West funding and deliverables to meet required milestones.
- Prepare and present appropriately detailed plans, reports, discussion papers and correspondence as required for WPHU, VicHealth, partners or external organisations.

**About you**:

- Proactive and adaptive public health professional with experience coordinating and implementing regional-level population health activities.
- Strong partnership skills, having successfully navigated complex and sensitive issues and thrive in collaborative settings.
- Confident with verbal and written forms of communication with different audiences.

Position Description

**About Western Health**

Western Health is one of the largest healthcare providers in Victoria, caring for a vibrant, diverse and rapidly growing community of one million people in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

With more than 13,000 staff, Western Health delivers 800,000+ occasions of care every year, providing high-quality, person-centred care across every life stage.

We provide a combination of hospital, community-based, at-home and in-reach services to aged, adult and paediatric patients and newborn babies. Specialties include oncology, renal, mental health, women’s health and maternity, chronic diseases, geriatrics and cardiology.

We have remarkable strengths in chronic disease, complex care and developing innovative and sustainable healthcare solutions. Our experience at the coalface of healthcare delivery for some of Australia’s most culturally and socioeconomically diverse and vulnerable populations provides us with unique insights into the most pressing health challenges.

Western Health operates four acute public hospitals: Sunshine Hospital (including Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s), Footscray Hospital, Williamstown Hospital and Bacchus Marsh Hospital. We also operate Sunbury Community Hospital, Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre, Melton Health and Community Services, Bacchus Marsh Community Health Centre, Caroline Springs Community Health Centre and Grant Lodge Residential Aged Care in Bacchus Marsh. Western Health also provides the primary healthcare service at