Public Health Specialist
Public Health Specialist
Public Health team – London borough of Barking and Dagenham
Working Pattern: Full Time, Permanent
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: PO4, £40,869 - £43,860
DBS Check: No
Reference: PHEA00001
Location: Barking Town Hall (The Public Health Team are currently working from home; therefore, the successful candidate will also be working from home until the working arrangement is reviewed by the Council)
About the Role
Do you want to be a part of shaping health partnerships, policies and strategies to improve health and wellbeing, and reduce inequalities in Barking and Dagenham?
This is an exciting opportunity for someone that wants to make a real difference to our local communities. Barking and Dagenham has some big public health challenges, including the worst childhood obesity in London and lower life expectancy than the England average. We are one of the 20% most deprived boroughs in England and about 22.5% of our children live in low-income families. However, it is also a borough of great change - there is so much going on in Barking and Dagenham, even Hollywood wants to be part of it! Coming years will see the addition of film studios and city markets to our industries, and many new residents joining us in our new developments (such as our Healthy New Town - Barking Riverside). These will add to the many assets that our borough already has, and you can help us make sure they help the health of our residents to flourish!
Working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the key deliverables of the Department, responsible for providing support as required across a range of public health projects and initiatives, including our response to COVID-19. In this role you will be responsible for supporting planning, development, implementation, delivery and evaluation of health policies and strategies, including reviewing and interpreting evidence. You will work with a range of partners across the system and facilitate communication with residents on key health topics.
If you want to use and further develop your public health skills and knowledge across a range of challenging and interesting work areas, this is the job for you!
If you would like to discuss the role please do not hesitate to contact Pauline Starkey (Pauline.starkey@lbbd.gov.uk) to arrange a phone call with our Public Health Consultants - Rebecca Nunn or Dr Usman Khan.
Special requirements for this post
A degree level or equivalent experience is essential in this role. You will need a working knowledge of current social, political and economic issues relating to the public sector. An understanding of areas such as research and policy development, governance, community and corporate planning, commissioning or performance and assessment is also important.
About you
The successful candidate will have a curious mind, excellent analytical skills, an aptitude to problem solve, and be motivated by delivering robust academic evidence to inform action.
As a forward-thinking Council, we are looking for likeminded individuals that are confident, innovative and willing to take lead on key projects. You will be self-motivated and a confident influencer with sound political judgement; have strong organisational skills; be a very strong team player and know the benefits of collaboration. You’ll also be able to work cross-organisation – the post requires working on both CCG and Local Authority projects and workstreams, liaising with multiple stakeholders.
The right person for the role will have experience of planning, development, delivery and evaluation of health partnership policies and strategies. Be able to undertake analysis of evidence in order to support effective incorporation of a public health evidence approach to strategy and policy across the Council and with its partners. You will be able to facilitate multi-agency public health working and communication with the public to support policy and strategy development.
You will have a performance and change management ethos and have and understanding of project and programme management disciplines. You must be able to work collaboratively and successfully with partners in other council departments and external organisations.
About us
About the PH team
If appointed, you will join a supportive and multi-disciplinary team, working across organisational boundaries, applying your skills to complex public health challenges and sharing findings with others.
The Public Health Department is a forward-looking team with ambitions to significantly improve the health and wellbeing of our borough’s population through innovative and integrated working whilst also reducing health inequalities. We are a small, but dedicated, team.
As part of a matrix working team, you will have opportunity to work across the many public health challenges faced by our residents including the traditional health issues (e.g. long term conditions, healthy lifestyles, mental health, obesity, etc.) and the wider determinants of health (e.g. regeneration, employment, housing, etc.). This is great for getting your teeth into the big public health challenges that we have in Barking and Dagenham.
About Barking and Dagenham
As Local Government Chronicle Awards 2018’s Council of the Year, and with Silver Investors in People status showing our commitment to our staff, there has never been a more exciting time to work for Barking and Dagenham Council. We have been on a journey over the last few years, transforming the way we work and deliver our services. Our goal is to harness the borough’s potential as London’s growth opportunity and to deliver growth that is inclusive and benefits all our residents – one borough, one community, no one left behind. As a council, we are agile, responsive and data-led, with the needs of our residents at the forefront of what we do. We offer a competitive pay package, a positive approach to flexible working, investment in your learning and development, and a commitment to your wellbeing.
Closing Date: 31st July 2021