Senior Public Health Specialist

Fixed Term Contract / Secondment Opportunity until 31 March 2028, 32.4 hours per week. Hackney is one of the UK’s highest performing local authorities, serving one of London’s best places to live and work. Hackney Council has achieved a huge amount in the past decade: our services, our schools, our public spaces are all amongst the very best. We have changed the reputation, not just of the Council, but of Hackney itself. Bringing jobs and investment into the borough, securing the legacy from the 2012 Games, and making Hackney a place of which we can all be proud.

City and Hackney Public Health Service is a dynamic and dedicated team, serving the populations of both Hackney and the City of London and known for being innovative and passionate about improving the health of our local populations. The team is on a journey to transform both Hackney Council and City of London Corporation to take a ‘Health in All Policies’ approach. The City Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile, dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally‑successful UK, aiming to contribute to a flourishing society, shape outstanding environments and support a thriving economy.

As a Senior Public Health Specialist, you will work within a team of highly motivated public health staff, supporting the Director of Public Health to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities in Hackney and the City of London. You will be expected to be able to work across all domains of public health as and when required to do so and with additional training and support if necessary.

As part of our ’whole system’ approach to tackling obesity, this fixed term role will lead the co‑development, implementation and evaluation of a pilot programme of work to build workforce and community capacity to promote healthy weight. This will involve:

• Strengthening healthy weight competence and confidence among frontline staff and volunteers who support individuals at high risk of obesity, in various service and community settings.
• Improving awareness of, and access to, information about actions individuals can take to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Developing and implementing a plan to address and reduce weight stigma across Hackney and the City.

While based within a central team, the responsibilities of the role will be delivered through collaboration with colleagues across the two local authorities, health and voluntary sector partners, as well as directly with communities. You will be educated to degree level and have significant public health knowledge and skills, acquired through training, experience or formal study. You will have a knowledge of the causes of ill health and inequalities, combined with a knowledge of public health principles and methodologies.

Applicants for this role will need to have a comprehensive understanding of the complex drivers of obesity and the multi‑faceted response required to promote healthy weight. Expertise in community co‑design/co‑delivery and supporting wider services to embed health promotion in routine practice is highly desirable.

If you want to work as part of a high performing and innovative team, and are committed to supporting our values to achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below. A Standard DBS is Required for this post.

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation. Closing date for applications 04 February 2026 (22:59). Interview date W/C 02 & 09 March 2026.

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under‑represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available.