<p>Increasing evidence suggests that public health systems governance should focus on organizational leadership competencies in addition to individual competencies to better enable collaborative, equitable, and effective public health systems. As part of a broader study, we conducted 12 interviews to understand the perspectives of public health leaders in Canada regarding the importance of focusing on organizational leadership competencies. Public health leaders viewed organizational leadership as a collective contribution that requires sustained efforts through organizations’ learning environment and culture. According to informants, a focus on the organizational level can enable (1) team building and structural dismantling of inequities, (2) tailoring of leadership responses to different provincial and local contexts, and (3) the building of an ecosystem that promotes nurturing and adaptive spaces to facilitate mindset change and prevent siloing. Interviewees also emphasized the dynamic and changing nature of these competencies, particularly in light of the system-level weaknesses highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic and the global political climate, which necessitate regular review and careful examination to ensure relevance. We conclude by calling for greater focus on organizational leadership competencies for public health governance. </p>