Hong Kong authorities have launched an unprecedented open recruitment exercise for director roles spearheading information services and environmental hygiene, with “strong political acumen” being a common requirement.
The government posted the two job advertisements on its website on Wednesday to publicly recruit the directors for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Information Services Department.
The positions will report to the permanent secretaries for home and youth affairs, and environment and ecology (food), respectively.
Common requirements for both positions are “strong political acumen” and the ability to lead changes, with the information service role even calling for “strong intellectual ability”.
The director of information services will be tasked with “projecting an accurate image of the city within and outside Hong Kong”, providing strategic public relations advice and support to the city leader and senior officials on policy addresses and budget matters, and actively engaging the media to enhance understanding of the government’s policy thinking.
The director of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will be responsible for providing services “in tandem with the changing needs and expectations of the community”, as well as providing input to the bureau on the formulation of policies including food safety, public hygiene and licensing of food premises.
Both posts have been served by administrative officers since the city’s handover.
