Head, Department of Health and Society

Benefits

Additional Information

Role type: Fixed Term for 5 years, Full Time (1.0 FTE) School/Faculty: Melbourne School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Salary: Level D/E attractive remuneration package negotiated commensurate with experience, plus 17% superannuation Advance understanding of the social and behavioural factors shaping health / Foster inclusive scholarship and community engagement / Build a department centred on equity, wellbeing and social justice Provide senior academic leadership in a complex research-intensive environment, fostering interdisciplinary scholarship across health, society, behaviour and equity Investing in you - benefits package including salary packaging, health and wellbeing programs, discounted services, and professional development opportunities. Leadership opportunity The Melbourne School of Public Health is seeking an outstanding academic leader to serve as the inaugural Head of Department of Health and Society. This newly established Department will become the University's academic home for health-related social and behavioural sciences, aspects of social epidemiology and lived experience scholarship. As Head of Department, you will shape its strategic direction, academic identity and culture while fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment that advances scholarship, education and engagement focused on health equity, lived experience and social justice. As a member of the School Executive, you will contribute to enterprise-wide leadership and decision-making, balancing departmental priorities with broader School, Faculty and University objectives. Working closely with colleagues across the Faculty, partner health services, research institutes, community organisations and government, you will strengthen the Department's profile, influence and long-term impact. Strategic priorities Department leadership and establishment - Build and lead a newly created department, establishing its strategic direction, governance, culture and academic identity Social and behavioural science and equity leadership - Advance internationally recognised research and scholarship that deepens understanding of the social, behavioural and structural determinants of health and wellbeing Education and interdisciplinary capability - Drive innovative teaching programs and foster strong integration between research, teaching and graduate research supervision Community engagement and lived experience partnerships - Strengthen relationships with communities, health services, government and research organisations to ensure research is grounded in lived experience and delivers meaningful impact People, culture and enterprise leadership - Foster an inclusive, accountable and high-performing environment while contributing to School, Faculty and University-wide priorities and decision-making About you A Professor or Associate Professor with an internationally recognised record of achievement in social and behavioural science, health equity, lived experience research or a closely related discipline. You bring substantial leadership experience within complex academic, research, health or community environments, with the ability to shape strategy, influence across systems and lead people through change. You have a distinguished record of research excellence, success in competitive funding and a demonstrated ability to build productive partnerships across academia, government, health services, research institutes and community organisations. You bring a contemporary vision for a Department that integrates research, teaching and engagement across disciplines informed by social and behavioural science approaches to health and wellbeing. Equally, you are recognised for fostering collaborative, inclusive and high-performing cultures that enable people and teams to thrive. As a values-driven academic leader, you bring the capability to balance strategic vision with operational stewardship, supporting both departmental success and broader institutional objectives while developing future academic leaders. You bring a strong commitment to advancing equity, lived experience and community-engaged approaches that centre people, relationships and the social determinants of health. Melbourne School of Public Health The Melbourne School of Public Health is consistently ranked among the world's leading schools of public health and is recognised internationally for excellence in research, teaching and engagement. The School brings together leading researchers, educators and practitioners working across a broad range of public health disciplines to address complex local and global health challenges. Through strong partnerships with governments, health services, communities and research organisations, the School delivers evidence-based solutions that improve health outcomes and influence policy and practice. The establishment of a department-based structure represents an important evolution in the

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at unimelb? Share your experience