Job summary
Waltham Forest Council is looking to appoint a Senior Public Health Strategist to join its Public Health team. This role is an important position within the team, with lead responsibility for the Healthy Child Programme and 0-19 service commissioning, reporting to a Consultant in Public Health.
The role has a substantial commissioning and performance management element, and, working with the Consultant in Public Health, will lead on commissioning the 0-19 service (health visiting, school nursing and Family Nurse Partnership) ensuring high performance and continual improvement of commissioned services, using and responding to the latest data, evidence and the public health guidance to shape the service.
The role has a significant partnership working remit and will involve close partnership working with Early Help, Education / Early Years and other partners to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for young children and families, through the delivery of the Family Hubs programme. This position will have a senior role in the delivery of health and wellbeing elements of the Family Hubs programme, including leading delivery of public health projects relating to this work, providing strategic input, expertise on local need, evaluation and making evidence based recommendations.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking someone with public health commissioning experience and knowledge. and the role would ideally suit a candidate with experience of work at a senior level, including work relating to child and maternal health with knowledge of the Healthy Child Programme. The role would suit someone with strong technical public health skills, who is proactive and who has excellent organisational and project/programme management skills. The post is likely to line manage one or more members of the Public Health team and so would suit someone with experience of line management.
The post holder should have experience of analysing and responding to complex public health issues, undertaking needs assessments, strategy development and research and critical appraisal skills to inform evidence-based public health interventions. The post holder will have the ability to cope with multiple and changing demands and be able to meet tight deadlines including flexibility and resilience in a demanding and fast changing environment.
A high level of intellectual rigour, political awareness, negotiation and motivation skills and flexibility are required and an ability to advise, challenge and advocate to enable effective working across organisational boundaries and influencing without direct authority.
About us
Waltham Forest is bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work.
We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents.
London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of Londons Good Work Standardemployers. This accreditation is a proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To lead, plan, develop and deliver an expert professional service within the relevant service area. To support the development, management and delivery of Council services. Manage staff responsible for service delivery / support within the service area. Ensure the Council maximises service outcomes in relation to cost.
Leading the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme and the commissioning and performance management of the 0-19 service contract
Developing and delivering work programmes and strategies to meet the high impact areas of the Healthy Child Programme, and reduce health inequalities for children and families
Make contact with people of varying levels of seniority, up to senior managers, directors, members and equivalent level external contacts, of key stakeholders partners and providers, to: Identify / meet requirements, generate and co-ordinate original ideas and develop council and partnership wide policy and service delivery
Provide expert advice, guidance and support on highly complex / sensitive issues.
Communicate changes in policy, strategies and working practice both internally and to partner organisations / stakeholders.
Build and sustain effective relationships with all internal and external stakeholders.
Work in partnership with internal and external contacts to develop and maintain joint working and promote the Council position.
Co-ordinate partnership working activities and internal / external working groups.
Influence stakeholder decisions to improve health and wellbeing of residents.
Potential contacts with residents as part of community engagement work.
Manage highly complex / high risk issues within a framework of policy and regulatory guidelines. Objectives and targets are developed and agreed in line with service plan. High level of discretion and use of initiative in deciding what course of action to take. Exercise expert judgement in assessing complex stakeholder requirements, potential risk and managing quality assurance of service. Significant expert knowledge and significant experience is required to resolve highly complex issues and proactively anticipate and mitigate problems. Design and develop innovative solutions which enhance the quality and efficiency of services and reputation of the council. Occasionally the post will be expected to work from other locations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To lead, plan, develop and deliver an expert professional service within the relevant service area. To support the development, management and delivery of Council services. Manage staff responsible for service delivery / support within the service area. Ensure the Council maximises service outcomes in relation to cost.
Leading the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme and the commissioning and performance management of the 0-19 service contract
Developing and delivering work programmes and strategies to meet the high impact areas of the Healthy Child Programme, and reduce health inequalities for children and families
Make contact with people of varying levels of seniority, up to senior managers, directors, members and equivalent level external contacts, of key stakeholders partners and providers, to: Identify / meet requirements, generate and co-ordinate original ideas and develop council and partnership wide policy and service delivery
Provide expert advice, guidance and support on highly complex / sensitive issues.
Communicate changes in policy, strategies and working practice both internally and to partner organisations / stakeholders.
Build and sustain effective relationships with all internal and external stakeholders.
Work in partnership with internal and external contacts to develop and maintain joint working and promote the Council position.
Co-ordinate partnership working activities and internal / external working groups.
Influence stakeholder decisions to improve health and wellbeing of residents.
Potential contacts with residents as part of community engagement work.
Manage highly complex / high risk issues within a framework of policy and regulatory guidelines. Objectives and targets are developed and agreed in line with service plan. High level of discretion and use of initiative in deciding what course of action to take. Exercise expert judgement in assessing complex stakeholder requirements, potential risk and managing quality assurance of service. Significant expert knowledge and significant experience is required to resolve highly complex issues and proactively anticipate and mitigate problems. Design and develop innovative solutions which enhance the quality and efficiency of services and reputation of the council. Occasionally the post will be expected to work from other locations.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Candidate should show evidence of successfully developing, delivering and evaluating health related policies/strategies within a local authority/health and/or community/voluntary sector context.
- Evidence of successful management of complex multi-agency working with public, private and voluntary / community sector
- Knowledge of best practice in management information systems, knowledge management, and records management (including electronic document and records management systems) and their application within the NHS and Local Authority.
- priorities, and how this relates to public health.
Qualifications
Essential
- At least 3 years experience of operating as a public health strategist or equivalent mid-level public health practitioner
- Experience of working in health services, local authority or relevant voluntary or public sector setting sufficient to develop an understanding of how complex public sector and/or voluntary sector organisations work and a demonstrable ability to negotiate relationships with internal and external partners.
- Indicative Qualifications
- Educated to degree standard or equivalent vocational qualification in relevant subject area
- Post graduate degree qualification in public health/health promotion or in a related discipline or equivalent knowledge gained through substantial experience
- Demonstration of public health competencies through achievement of Part A Public Health examination, or other evidence of learning and development in public health competencies (e.g. PH portfolio; UKPHR registration; scientific publications; conference presentations; significant evidence-based public health outputs)
- Management qualification or demonstrable equivalent knowledge
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Key Facts and Figures Enable others to understand changes and developments in relevant area and learn new processes / procedures. Responsible for ensuring contractors / providers deliver to agreed standards. May manage project teams of both internal staff and external contractors / consultants
- Awareness of national and local political environment and
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential
- Effective communication skills - oral, presentational, written and producing reports and action plans.
- High standard of report writing skills, demonstrated by the ability to write and contribute to reports of varying length and complexity, for a variety of audiences, in a format which is understood and informs strategic decision making.
- Effective usage of technical public health skills in relation to critical appraisal of evidence, and interpretation of health intelligence
- Good time management and prioritisation skills, ability to use own initiative to manage a number of projects simultaneously, ensuring planning, organising and prioritising work load to meet project deadlines.
- Evidence of continuous personal and professional development.
- Good time management and prioritisation skills, demonstrated by the ability to use own initiative to manage a number of projects simultaneously, ensuring planning, organising and prioritising work load to meet project deadlines. Written solutions which enhance the quality and efficiency of services and reputation of the council. Occasionally the post will be expected to work from other locations.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Candidate should show evidence of successfully developing, delivering and evaluating health related policies/strategies within a local authority/health and/or community/voluntary sector context.
- Evidence of successful management of complex multi-agency working with public, private and voluntary / community sector
- Knowledge of best practice in management information systems, knowledge management, and records management (including electronic document and records management systems) and their application within the NHS and Local Authority.
- priorities, and how this relates to public health.
Qualifications
Essential
- At least 3 years experience of operating as a public health strategist or equivalent mid-level public health practitioner
- Experience of working in health services, local authority or relevant voluntary or public sector setting sufficient to develop an understanding of how complex public sector and/or voluntary sector organisations work and a demonstrable ability to negotiate relationships with internal and external partners.
- Indicative Qualifications
- Educated to degree standard or equivalent vocational qualification in relevant subject area
- Post graduate degree qualification in public health/health promotion or in a related discipline or equivalent knowledge gained through substantial experience
- Demonstration of public health competencies through achievement of Part A Public Health examination, or other evidence of learning and development in public health competencies (e.g. PH portfolio; UKPHR registration; scientific publications; conference presentations; significant evidence-based public health outputs)
- Management qualification or demonstrable equivalent knowledge
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Key Facts and Figures Enable others to understand changes and developments in relevant area and learn new processes / procedures. Responsible for ensuring contractors / providers deliver to agreed standards. May manage project teams of both internal staff and external contractors / consultants
- Awareness of national and local political environment and
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential
- Effective communication skills - oral, presentational, written and producing reports and action plans.
- High standard of report writing skills, demonstrated by the ability to write and contribute to reports of varying length and complexity, for a variety of audiences, in a format which is understood and informs strategic decision making.
- Effective usage of technical public health skills in relation to critical appraisal of evidence, and interpretation of health intelligence
- Good time management and prioritisation skills, ability to use own initiative to manage a number of projects simultaneously, ensuring planning, organising and prioritising work load to meet project deadlines.
- Evidence of continuous personal and professional development.
- Good time management and prioritisation skills, demonstrated by the ability to use own initiative to manage a number of projects simultaneously, ensuring planning, organising and prioritising work load to meet project deadlines. Written solutions which enhance the quality and efficiency of services and reputation of the council. Occasionally the post will be expected to work from other locations.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).