The government on Wednesday advertised two director-level vacancies, marking the first time it has opened applications for the posts of Director of Information Services and Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (DFEH).
The salary for both posts is at the Directorate Pay Scale Point 6, ranging from HK$287,990 to HK$296,535 per month.
The successful candidate will be appointed on civil service agreement terms for three years, which is renewable at the government’s discretion. The appointee will not be eligible for posting, promotion or transfer to any other posts in the civil service.
The closing date for the application is February 25. It is understood that both positions are also open to internal candidates.
According to the job requirements, DFEH must possess strong political acumen to manage political sensitivities adeptly. Candidates with solid experience in staff management and driving change in an organization, as well as knowledge and experience in law enforcement work will be preferred advantages.
Candidates should also demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and have a strategic vision in policy, enforcement and operations, coupled with strong forward-planning and organizational capabilities.
The DFEH reports to the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food) and oversees the licensing functions and duties undertaken by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) in relation to Places of Public Entertainment Licences under delegated authority from the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs.
For the Director of Information Services, candidates are required to have a good understanding of the media sector and a strong track record in handling matters relating to public relations, and demonstrate strong intellectual capacity, political sensitivity, interpersonal and communication skills, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities.
The director is required to lead the Information Services Department (ISD) and reports to the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs in providing professional public relations advice and promoting government policies and services with a view to projecting an accurate image of the city within and outside Hong Kong.
Since the handover, all 11 directors of Information Services were from the Administrative Officer (AO) grade, including Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun. The current director, Apollonia Liu Lee Ho-kei, was also from the AO grade.
Appointed as ISD Director two years ago from her role as Deputy Secretary for Security, the government announced that Liu will return to the Security Bureau as Permanent Secretary starting March 30.
The current DFEH Donald Ng Man-kit was appointed to the post in November 2024 and has served over a year in the role.
The public recruitment notice stated that entry requirements for both posts include holding a bachelor’s or higher degree from a Hong Kong university, or equivalent, with at least 15 years of administrative and management experience, including at least seven years in senior positions. Excellent command of written and spoken Cantonese, Putonghua and English, and a passing result in the Basic Law and National Security Law Test are also required.
In response, the government said it adheres to meritocratic principles when appointing department directors, emphasizing that the open-cum-in-service recruitment approach maximizes opportunities to attract top talent and fresh perspectives to drive departmental reforms forward.
