* Location: Can be based in Cairns, Townsville, or Mackay.
* Position: Full Time, ongoing.
* Classification: Level 7, base salary commencing from $89,579 per annum.
* Benefits: Salary Sacrifice options up to $15,900 and flexible working arrangements.
The role
As a Senior Service Planning and Design Officer – Health Priorities, you’ll play a key role in shaping how health services are planned, designed and delivered across northern Queensland.
Working within Northern Queensland Primary Health Network’s (NQPHN) Health Priorities portfolio, you’ll lead and support the planning and design of commissioned programs and services that are responsive to community needs, evidence‑informed, and aligned with national priorities and NQPHN’s strategic objectives.
This role suits someone who enjoys working at the intersection of strategy, collaboration and practical delivery, translating data, community insight and policy into high‑quality service models that make a real difference to health outcomes across the region.
What you’ll do
In this varied and impactful role, you will:
* Lead and contribute to service planning and design projects across the full commissioning cycle, from needs assessment and prioritisation through to implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement.
* Apply best‑practice commissioning principles to ensure funded services are effective, sustainable and aligned with PHN objectives, national priorities and community needs.
* Work closely with colleagues across NQPHN to integrate health intelligence, data and stakeholder insights into commissioning decisions and service design activities.
* Collaborate with internal teams to support procurement processes and the establishment of new or redesigned services across the region.
* Engage meaningfully with a diverse range of stakeholders, including community members, people with lived and living experience, service providers, clinicians and government partners, to inform co‑design and service models.
* Contribute to the development of service planning resources, reports, funding submissions, correspondence and presentations that support high‑quality decision‑making.
* Support performance monitoring and reporting to ensure commissioned programs deliver agreed outcomes and meet accountability and governance expectations.
If you are looking for the opportunity to be part of a passionate and driven team and contribute to achieving our mission of ‘northern Queenslanders live happier, healthier, longer lives,’ we’d love to hear from you.
NQPHN aims to be an employer of choice for Indigenous Australians, and we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply for this role.
Key selection criteria
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
* A relevant health tertiary qualification (nursing or allied health will be viewed favourably) and three years’ experience in the planning and design of health programs or similar.
* Demonstrated understanding of health commissioning processes, health service design, development of models of care, and health service delivery in a primary care environment.
* Demonstrated ability to lead and coordinate complex projects to deliver the development and implementation of programs or services, with a comprehensive knowledge of project management.
* Demonstrated ability to prioritise and meet deadlines in a high demand work environment.
* Highly developed interpersonal, communication, influencing, partnering, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, with both internal and external stakeholders, particularly in relation to community and stakeholder engagement within the health sector.
* Demonstrated skills in dealing with confidential and sensitive information in a professional manner.
* Self-sufficient in the use of information technology – Microsoft Office suite including but not limited to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
About us
Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) works together with our partners to connect existing local services to simplify the healthcare system, fund primary care and mental health services based on the needs of local communities, and support primary care and mental health providers to build their skills and deliver the highest quality patient care.
For more information, visit www.nqphn.com.au
Your application should include:
* a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria (maximum three pages)
* your resume.
To view the full position description or for more information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button or email ***********@nqphn.com.au.
Applications close Monday 27 April 2026 at 11:59pm.