Impact and Intelligence Service Manager in Barnsley

As Impact & Intelligence Service Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for public health intelligence, research, and evaluation across the Public Health & Communities Directorate. This is a newly established function, offering a rare opportunity to design, build and embed the Impact & Intelligence team from the ground up, establishing new ways of working, culture and processes and putting your stamp on a high‑profile area of work.

The successful candidate will lead the recruitment, development, and leadership of a multidisciplinary analyst team. Reporting to the Head of Service, you will ensure that robust epidemiological analysis, evaluation and insight drive service improvement, policy development, and strategic transformation. You will work closely with senior leaders, the Business Intelligence team, the NHS, and system partners, influencing culture and practice so that evidence‑led decision‑making is embedded as routine across the directorate and beyond. This is a senior leadership role with significant scope to shape direction, standards, quality, and impact.

• Provide senior public health intelligence and impact leadership across the council, NHS, and partner organisations.
• Lead, develop and continuously improve the Impact & Intelligence function, including research and evaluation capability.
• Ensure the effective integration of data, epidemiology, and research to support an intelligence‑led directorate.
• Set strategic direction for research and evaluation programmes, embedding an outcomes‑focused and equity‑driven approach.
• Influence organisational culture to ensure evidence routinely informs service design, commissioning, and policy.
• Oversee budgets, funding opportunities, and evaluation coordination across programmes, ensuring quality and value for money.
• Maintain high standards of analytical quality, governance, and continuous improvement.

About us: Are you looking for an opportunity to join a dynamic and innovative Public Health team within an award‑winning council focused on placing local people at the heart of everything we do, listening to and doing good for our communities? Here at Barnsley Council, we live and work by four important values: honesty, teamwork, excellent service, and taking pride in what we do.

This is a rare opportunity to shape and lead a new Impact & Intelligence Service within our award‑winning Public Health & Communities Directorate, placing high‑quality public health intelligence, research, and evaluation at the heart of decision‑making across the council and our wider system.

• To provide strategic and operational leadership for the Impact and Intelligence function within the Public Health and Communities Directorate, in collaboration with the Business Intelligence team.
• This role involves leading the Impact and Intelligence function, including research capabilities, to ensure effective use of data and research for evidence‑based decision‑making, evaluation, and improvement.
• The post holder will also champion evaluation and research within Public Health and Communities.

• Willing to work flexibly in accordance with policies and procedures to meet the operational needs of the council.
• Willing to undertake training and continuous professional development in connection with the post.
• Work in accordance with our values and behaviours, as part of an inclusive and high‑performing council.
• Able to undertake any travel in connection with the post.

• Level 7 Qualification that includes epidemiology, public health intelligence OR significant equivalent professional experience in a public health analytical setting plus Level 6 Qualification or equivalent in relevant public health, wider determinants or numeracy based subject.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.

• Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills with the ability to deal with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Skilled in developing and applying intelligence reporting solutions to produce high‑quality and audience‑appropriate outputs (such as dashboards and reports) using relevant software.
• Skilled in budget management and able to manage resources effectively.
• Proven ability to apply research and evaluation skills to public sector relevant subject areas.
• Strong organisation, administration, and time management skills with the ability to work under pressure.
• Skilled in researching and producing quality documentation both independently and through effective cross‑cutting team leadership.
• Ability to chair multi‑agency meetings, alongside leading a team and motivating others.

• Significant experience working at a senior level in public health intelligence and significant practical experience of applying statistical, analytical, epidemiological and evaluation skills.
• Significant experience of using a range of analytical methods, information, evaluation and evidence address health and wellbeing challenges to support and improve service delivery.
• Experience in leadership and management, working within a cross‑cutting/multidisciplinary environment at a senior level.
• Experience of managing a team of insight/analytical staff.
• Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to colleagues at all levels of seniority, external agencies and other forums on a regular basis.
• Experience of managing mixed‑methods research and evaluation, and working collaboratively with internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Experience of intelligence, research and evaluation within a local government, academic, NHS or public health.

• Significant knowledge of local and national strategies, policies and legislation relevant to the work area.
• Significant knowledge of the wider determinants of health which influence healthy life expectancy, health and wellbeing indicators and health inequalities.
• Interpretation of these to identify local priority areas.
• Advanced knowledge of statistical analytical techniques and methodologies for needs analysis, research and evaluation, and prioritisation.
• Quality assurance processes within local authority or public sector research.
• Understanding and application of Data protection, Caldicott, confidentiality and data sharing and storing procedures.

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.