Public Health Lead - Smoking and Tobacco Control

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

This permanent role has a starting salary of £47,142 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.

We have a great opportunity to join our CVD & Cancer Prevention team as a Public Health Lead (Smoking and Tobacco Control). You will join a team that is supportive and motivating and encourages personal and professional development.

We support hybrid working with the right balance. We come together in person for 2 days per week on average (40 % of the working week) and support working from home the rest of the time.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.

About The Role

The Government’s ambitious proposal for a smoke free generation aims to significantly reduce smoking rates by providing additional funding to local authorities. We have a fantastic new opportunity for a Public Health Lead to work closely with and support the Public Health Programme Manager to deliver against Surrey’s smoke free ambitions.

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic team member, with a public health background, project management skills and knowledge of the tobacco control agenda and wider CVD prevention priorities. You will have a passion for improving the health of our population with a focus in reducing inequalities.

Working within this team you will be required to ensure services and interventions are based on an understanding of needs, that they address health inequalities and are evidenced based. You will be confident in planning and delivering service evaluations and provide evidence for service improvement.

You will support with the commissioning and contract management of stop smoking services and support the management of a budget over £1.8m.

You will work with stakeholders and partners locally and across the Integrated Care System to address nicotine addiction/tobacco dependency.

Shortlisting Criteria

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• A first degree in Public Health /Health Promotion / Health Protection or a relevant subject, or a good level of experience demonstrating application of health improvement knowledge.
• Experience of working in a Public Health environment and a knowledge of tobacco control.
• Achieved or working towards Public Health Practitioner Registration.
• Strong interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills and the ability to engage confidently with all stakeholders, including NHS professionals.
• Proven ability to analyse, interpret and present data in a variety of forms and to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to coordinate and/or manage a range of projects through to completion.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions (Max 300 words per question):

1. What motivated you to apply for this role and what knowledge, skills and experience do you bring?
2. Describe a time when you delivered a health improvement project. What was your approach and what impact did it have?
3. Tell us about a time when you successfully built partnerships across sectors to deliver a public health outcome. What challenges did you overcome?
4. This role is to support on the Tobacco Control and Stop Smoking Grant funded programme, what do you know about the programme, what would you do in the first 6 months?

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 6th April with interviews planned to follow.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Please contact Emma Jones via email or MS Teams.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.