Senior Public Health Project Officer – Primary Care

Do you want to be part of an innovative and forward-thinking team in Public Health? Are you passionate about health improvement and tackling health inequalities? Do you want to make a difference? If so, we want to hear from you. Medway Public Health is looking to recruit a highly motivated and dynamic Senior Project Officer to work with Primary Care managing commissioned contracts for the NHS Health Checks and Stop Smoking Services in Medway.

The NHS Health Checks programme and Stop Smoking Service support the achievement of national targets relating to cardiovascular disease prevention, reducing smoking prevalence and achieving a Smokefree Generation by 2030, preventing ill health and reducing health inequalities. The postholder will evaluate and measure outcomes for both programmes, driving performance to meet targets. They will act as an expert for primary care on NHS Health Checks and Smoking Cessation, ensuring adherence to Best Practice, NICE, NCSCT and NHS Health Check Competency Framework guidelines.

The postholder will occasionally be required to deliver training on Smoking Cessation and/or NHS Health Checks as part of the Medway Public Health Champions training programme. They will work with a broad range of staff in GP surgeries across Medway who are commissioned to deliver services as well as promoting broader Public Health initiatives and messaging. The role will require the ability to build positive working relationships with primary care to support the performance management of the contracts and support practice staff in the delivery of services. This will require strong influencing and negotiating skills.

The postholder will be responsible for monitoring data, identifying challenges or areas of underperformance with the ability to think quickly of solutions to ensure targets are met. The role will be working closely with the wider NHS Health Checks and Stop Smoking team, providing cover and support when necessary, as well as working collaboratively with other teams in Public Health and external stakeholders across the system.

The postholder will be responsible for encouraging and supporting the marketing of both services in primary care, including developing ideas and contributing to content. They will work closely with Medway Council’s Communications and Marketing team to ensure campaigns/posters/promotions are delivered in a timely manner and target the services audience including the use of social media.

Although this post involves hybrid working at Gun Wharf, the Smokefree Advice Centre and at home, the postholder may occasionally be required to travel further afield and must be able to do so in a timely manner. The role will require some evening and weekend work and the postholder must be a non-smoker with a full driving licence.

If this role appeals to you, please outline on your application your knowledge, experience and/or skills in the following areas:

• Demonstrable experience of using data and intelligence to inform decision making and find creative solutions.
• Proven track record of meeting challenging targets.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, consultation and influencing skills tailored to meet the needs of a wide range of audiences and stakeholders.
• Develop and/or implement standards, protocols, and procedures, incorporating national ‘best practice’ guidance into local delivery systems.
• An understanding of how to leverage organisational priorities, policies and strategies to leverage mutually beneficial outcomes.

Public Health are seeking to appoint an experienced Senior Public Health Project Officer – Primary Care. You will meet the requirements of the person specification fully and can demonstrate applied knowledge, experience and skills in this role. All elements within the person specification are essential.

You will be supported through induction, probation and a supportive Performance Appraisal and Career Conversation, which can include identifying and supporting the achievement of professional goals. Career Progression Frameworks (CPF) have been introduced for all roles at Medway Council. These frameworks provide a mechanism for employees to take ownership of their development within their post and be rewarded accordingly. This means that the salary you will be offered will be at level A unless, based on an assessment against the CPF criteria, you demonstrate that you are meeting the criteria of level B or C. There will be further opportunity once in post to progress from level A to B, and B to C.

When writing your application, it is important to ensure you identify your suitability against the requirements of the job profile, as this information will be used for shortlisting and may contribute to the CPF assessment. Your application may be rejected if the minimum required criteria is not met.

Further information relating to the requirements for this role can be found in the CPF Guidance document attached. The person specification of a job profile is split into three levels:

• Level A details the essential criteria that all applicants must be able to demonstrate through their application and interview.
• Level B details the developed competencies that an individual who is practised in this role would be able to demonstrate and will be a progression of knowledge, experience and skills from level A.
• Level C requires the highest level of competence and applicants would need to fully meet and demonstrate all aspects of the job profile, including qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience.

If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager, Kate Bell on.

In return we offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers

The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here.

We are committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency. Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change.

Our organisation: Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula. Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London. We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively. Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

Important Information - Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile.

Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement: Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction. For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.

Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email. Please visit for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support. We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.