Healthy Food Officer

We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population. At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together underpins all that we do.

The Healthy Food Officer will be responsible for leading Southwark’s Food and Fun Programme, which operates each Easter, summer and winter during the school holidays. The Food and Fun Programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) grant. This funding has been recently confirmed for 2026‑2028.

The post holder will have responsibility for:

• DfE grant management and impact reporting (£1.5m per annum for each of the three years)
• Holiday club provider commissioning and delivery oversight (30+ providers)
• Holiday club risk management arrangements
• Quality assurance
• Electronic booking system development and mandatory training oversight for holiday club providers

The post holder will ensure the programme is equitable, data‑led and evidence‑based. They will use public health expertise to ensure the programme is tailored according to need and improves health‑related outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people in Southwark. The post holder will line manage the Public Health Project Officer, Healthy Food, delegating tasks such as quality assurance, administrative duties, payment processing, club enhancement arrangements and records management. They will be responsible for ensuring these tasks are completed efficiently and delivered on time.

A motivated, enthusiastic team member who wants to work to improve the health of children and adults in Southwark is sought. You will have great organisation skills, data analysis, project and budget management and commissioning experience.

Benefits include: 27 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays, competitive pension scheme and excellent support for learning and development. Since 2018, the Department for Education (DfE) has funded the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) scheme, providing healthy meals and fun activities for disadvantaged children during school holidays. Funding is now confirmed for 2026‑2028. HAF runs three holiday periods per year, with an annual commissioning cycle for providers and enhancements. Reporting includes quarterly updates to DfE and monthly updates to Public Health and the Finance Business Partner. Please note, this is a fixed term position until 31 March 2029.