Place Partnership Programme Lead - Physical Activity

Wirral Council is a values‑driven organisation where employees are empowered to “#BeTheDifference” and help create fairer opportunities for residents. Set in one of the happiest and most scenic areas in the UK, the Council offers an inspiring place to live and work, with a strong commitment to supporting staff and delivering ambitious plans for the borough’s future. Joining Wirral Council means becoming part of a dedicated, forward‑thinking team that is truly valued and encouraged to thrive.

Wirral has been selected as a Sport England Place Partnership, recognising both the scale of inequality and inactivity in the borough and the strength of local ambition to tackle these challenges differently. This role is the first of four roles that we will be recruiting to, to form a small, dedicated team to support this work. These posts will work across organisations, communities and systems to help create the conditions for more people to move, belong and thrive.

Why work on this programme?

• Be part of a nationally recognised place-based partnership
• Help shape the future approach to physical activity, wellbeing and prevention in Wirral
• Work in a collaborative, cross-sector environment
• Influence change that goes beyond single services or organisations

About the role:

This role sits at the heart of Wirral's place-based approach to physical activity, health and wellbeing. Working collaboratively with partners across health, local government, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSE), community organisations and residents, the postholder will help turn shared ambition into coordinated action. The roles focus on:

• Place-based and system leadership
• Building and sustaining partnerships across different sectors
• Supporting community-led approaches and lived experience
• Translating insight and evidence into practical change
• Strengthening alignment between physical activity, prevention, regeneration and wider place priorities

While the role will vary in focus and responsibility, it also requires a commitment to collaboration, curiosity and working beyond traditional organisational boundaries.

About the candidate:

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working across partnerships or complex systems
• Is comfortable influencing, convening and building relationships
• Understands place-based, preventative approaches to health and wellbeing
• Is motivated by tackling inequality and supporting long-term change

Experience in sport or physical activity is helpful but not essential. We are particularly interested in people with backgrounds in health, community development, regeneration, VCSE, public service or systems change.

About the Sport England Place Partnership

The Sport England Place Partnership is a nationally supported programme focused on long-term system change rather than short-term projects. It provides Wirral with funding, expertise and national support to address inactivity and health inequalities in a joined-up, sustainable way.

If you would like to have an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Sarah Robertson, at email: sarahrobertson@wirral.gov.uk

Interviews to be held week commencing 6th July 2026.

We believe in giving you the flexibility to work where you’re most productive. This role offers a hybrid working arrangement, combining the benefits of remote work with the collaboration and connection of in-office days, twice a week.

Eligibility to work in the UK will be verified in the final stages of the selection process. All candidates must either already have a right to work in the UK before commencing employment or meet the Home Office criteria for Visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship should evaluate the Home Office eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa before applying.

Please be advised it is our understanding that this role does not meet the requirements of a skilled worker visa as set out by UK Visa and Immigration.

If you are a Wirral resident, are unemployed or out of work, and require help with your application, please contact Involve Northwest’s employment and skills team on info@involvenorthwest.org.uk or contact 0151 644 4500 or 0151 652 4349.

If you’re already a Wirral Council employee, as part of our Talent Strategy, we’re committed to strengthening opportunities for our people to learn, grow, progress and thrive. We’re passionate about ensuring you feel supported throughout your internal recruitment experience.

Working at Wirral

You’ll also want to know what it’s like to work here so, as a start: Our values are more than just pieces of paper on our walls! We’ve all played a role in developing these, so they reflect the immense pride we have in what we do, what matters to us, what inspires us and inform how we think, approach things and behave. We believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff wellbeing is a priority for us. We’re serious about recognising and rewarding people for the great things they do.

You’ll benefit from our track record of developing, growing and investing in our people. We have a range of staff benefits including staff discounts, an excellent pension scheme which includes a generous employer contribution rate, immediate life cover and ill-health protection. We have a strong flexible working approach, hybrid working, family-friendly employment initiatives and an annual leave package starting with 28 days leave plus public holidays.

We have an inclusive, engaged culture, everyone has a voice, everyone is valued for their contribution and understands the role they play in delivering our strategic priorities. Each voice is heard, each contribution valued. We embrace diversity in our workforce and recognise it is critical to our success. We support an inclusive culture that champions differences and nurtures a sense of belonging. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds, who share our values and our commitment to inclusion to apply for roles with us.

We want you to be your best at work, we create the conditions to help you thrive and we mirror this in our recruitment process. If you’d like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process to make it barrier-free and as accessible as possible please contact recruitment@wirral.gov.uk

Please note that in accordance with the Council’s policy, employees who are in a formal redeployment situation will be considered in the first instance for all vacancies. It is Council policy not to re-appoint any employee who has left under the terms of the Council's Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) scheme or who have left with a voluntary severance (VS) package, unless in exceptional circumstances.

Applications will be accepted until midnight on the closing date. We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. Applications can only be accepted through the Jobs page following registration. Forms received via the post will not be processed. All applicants invited to interview must evidence their right to work in the UK. Details of required documents can be found by clicking the link at the bottom of the Jobs page.

The job description and other supporting documents will not be accessible once the vacancy closing date has passed so if a copy is required you should download it now. We do not accept applications or CV’s from recruitment agencies, unless otherwise stated. Therefore, any candidates submitted via a recruitment agency will not be considered for this role.

How to apply

Please apply online by clicking the link below.