Health Improvement Specialist

Job Title: Health Improvement Specialist
Starting Salary: £38,220 progressing to £41,771 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 37
Location: Stevenage/Hybrid
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract until 31st March 2028
Directorate: Public Health

About the team

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to join the successful and highly regarded Public Health and Community Protection Directorate in Hertfordshire.

As a Health Improvement Specialist, you will be contributing to the Council’s ambition for a happy and healthy Hertfordshire and in particular lead on several adult health improvement goals, reporting to the Health Improvement Manager – Engagement, Access and Partnerships for Hertfordshire Health Improvement Service (HHIS) and contributing to the development and delivery of the service’s key performance indicators.

HHIS are a well-established, successful frontline team who specialise in the commissioning and delivery of NHS Health Checks and Stop Smoking Services across the county. An integral team part of the Public Health and Community Protection directorate, HHIS work internally and externally across all teams and key partners to ensure that residents have an opportunity to improve their health, with a focus on addressing Health Inequalities across the county.

You will join our existing team and will contribute by leading on the delivery of HHIS training commitments. Our training schedule offers delivery of Making Every Contact Count (MECC), Brief Advice, full practitioner training for the delivery of stop smoking and NHS Health Checks across all providers and professionals.

Alongside HHIS Health Improvement Managers, Specialists, Advisors and Business Support colleagues, this role will ensure our services are promoted, delivered, and reported on, communicating with stakeholders, providers, and internal colleagues to work towards our agenda. Led by a HHIS Senior Health Improvement Manager, the Specialist role will sit within a strongly established team, progressing objectives within their own portfolio of work that contributes to the wider HHIS aims and objectives.

About the role

The Health Improvement Specialist will support the research, creation and delivery of HHIS training packages, focussing on increasing awareness to individuals who work within Hertfordshire and contribute to the Public Health Strategy 2022-27. By delivering HHIS training across Hertfordshire, the HI Specialist will upskill providers commissioned to deliver health improvement services through tailored behaviour change training with a targeted focus on Making Every Contact County (MECC) training. They will support the HI Manager to include HHIS training as part of the Integrated Health and Wellbeing online training platform, participating in project groups on behalf of the HI Manager when required, to create and maintain a resourceful, effective training software. This role will research, create and implement new initiatives to enrich the HHIS training offer and heighten engagement.

In addition, the Health Improvement Specialist role will ensure there are continuous quality improvements in service delivery and will have their own clinical case load to support Hertfordshire residents to stop smoking and/or deliver NHS Health Checks. They may also be required to contribute to communication and marketing strategies, developing resources to support service delivery, the promotion and delivery of clinical services, engaging with primary or secondary care NHS organisations, promoting tobacco control and workplace health, or other projects to improve health and wellbeing.

About you

Essential:

• Degree level or equivalent – A post graduate qualification or significant evidence of equivalent work experience at this level in a relevant discipline (e.g. health, public health, health promotion, education, psychology)
• Experience in the statutory or voluntary sector in health, public health, education or community-based work
• Experience and understanding of working with patients, community groups, and providing 1-1 advice through behaviour change techniques, specifically for a Stop Smoking Service
• Up to date knowledge of pharmacological treatments available to smokers and the indications for their use, contraindications and cautions as applicable to each product
• Demonstrate up to date knowledge and understanding of local, regional and national Stop Smoking objectives, including work practices, systems, processes and procedures
• Demonstrate up to date knowledge and understanding of local, regional and national NHS Health Checks, including work practices, systems, processes and procedures
• Evidence of excellent interpersonal and communication skills, alongside the skills to motivate and inspire others
• Taking clinical measurements such as blood pressure, pulse, height, weight, CO monitoring
• Identify facilitators and barriers to making a lifestyle behavioural change in the context of the individual’s culture and lifestyle whether a mental health or pregnant client
• Experience of working towards and achieving targets, developing own and provider action plans and implementing changes where required
• Evidence of delivering training to stakeholders and colleagues
• Evidence of networking and collaborating closely with stakeholder and colleagues
• Demonstrate the ability to follow policies and procedures
• Competent with Microsoft packages and be able to accurately complete written documentation
• Car driver and the ability to travel throughout Hertfordshire, working flexibly, including evening and weekend work regularly to meet the demands of the role

Desirable:

• Evidence of high-profile project management to support a wider Public Health initiative
• Experience of budget monitoring
• Previous experience in delivering NHS Health Checks and conveying results to residents
• Qualification in assessment and/or training
• Trained to NCSCT full stop smoking practitioner and additional modules in pregnancy, mental health or swap to stop.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 10. Please locate the job profile here:

Job profiles - Health and social care

To hear more about this opportunity please contact karl.winchester@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: 19th May 2026

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Secondment
This role is open to secondments for eligible employees who work for HCC or a Local Authority. If you wish to apply on a secondment basis, you must have your line manager’s approval before submitting your application. You will be asked to confirm this within your application form. If you are not eligible for a secondment (e.g., you are currently on a fixed‑term contract that would end before this position ends) or you indicate that your manager cannot support a secondment, your application will be considered on a fixed‑term contract basis instead.

Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.