“Political acumen” is required for senior food safety and government public relations roles
The Hong Kong government has launched open recruitment for two directorate-level positions, and listed “political acumen” as an entry requirement in job advertisements, according to vacancy advertisements.
Advertisements for jobs exit Food and Environmental Health Department (FEHD). exit It was issued by the Information Services Department (ISD) on Wednesday.
This is the first time that the government has conducted an open recruitment process for the two positions, breaking the long-standing tradition of appointing career administrative officials to senior positions. According to To local media outlet HK01.
Aside from admission requirements such as education and work experience, the job ad also says the FEHD chief must have “strong political acumen to deftly manage political sensitivities,” with knowledge and experience in law enforcement work preferred.
Among the admission requirements, the head of the Strategic Dialogue Institute must have “strong intellectual capacity, political acumen, interpersonal and communication skills, strategic thinking and leadership skills, (and) the acumen needed to embrace changes and challenges.”
Both positions also require a “successful score on the Basic Law and National Security Law examination.”
Hong Kong authorities have shown an increasing focus on national security in recent years. The Civil Service Code of Conduct, which was updated in 2024, states that maintaining national security is a “core value” for city government employees.
In June, the FEHD began Including items related to national security Under the Public Health and Municipal Services Act.
Restaurant licenses can be revoked if license holders and “related persons” engage in “abusive conduct” against national security or the public interest.
The conditions are intended to deter behavior contrary to national security, FEHD said.
The position of Director of Information Services will be vacant as the current president, Apollonia Liu, will take over as Permanent Secretary of Security on March 30, according to the government. statement Wednesday.
Liu previously served as Vice Minister of Security from December 2018 to May 2024.
Insiders had previously suggested that the former chief superintendent Jun Tse could take over the top role In ISD.
FEHD and ISD directors receive a monthly salary of between HK$287,990 and HK$296,535 according to the government salary scale for directorate positions.
