Public Health Principal

About the role

Are you passionate about improving people’s health and wellbeing? Are you looking for a new challenge?

We are looking to recruit a Public Health Principal to join our friendly and forward-thinking Public Health team in North Northamptonshire Council. Working within our dynamic, knowledgeable and diverse Public Health team, we have an exciting and valuable opportunity to lead a defined portfolio and work closely with the Public Health leadership team.

We are looking to appoint a Public Health Principal with broad expertise to provide system knowledge and technical advice across a range of public health areas. This role is an exciting opportunity to lead a defined portfolio, likely covering public mental health, substance use, and serious violence. You will also work with the wider team to contribute to the broader public health agenda.

As a team, we’re welcoming, open to new ideas and approaches and committed to investing in you and your development. The successful applicants will join our friendly and enthusiastic team committed to taking an asset-based approach to reducing health inequalities and improving health outcomes in North Northamptonshire.

If you would like an informal discussion, please contact Leigh Bell, Consultant in Public Health, leigh.bell@northnorthants.gov.uk

The closing date for this role is Tuesday 13th January 2026. Face-to-face interviews are expected to be held on Monday 26th January.

What will you be doing?

As a Public Health Principal, you will be responsible for:

• Providing specialist public health knowledge across multiple areas of public health, including public mental health, substance use, and serious violence.
• You will contribute to the regular assessment and identification of health needs, and work with local communities to ensure the prevention/promotion agenda is at the forefront of key strategies and programmes.
• You will develop, manage and implement public health strategies, large programmes and projects in support of the Director of Public Health and Public Health Senior Management team. This includes support to commissioning strategies, service planning and budget management.
• Using your influencing skills, you will work with all partners across the Integrated Care System (ICS) to develop initiatives and services in a way which aims to reduce health inequalities and improve the health and well-being of communities across North Northamptonshire.
• You will provide day-to-day management for members of the Public Health Team and lead them in the delivery of improvements across key public health outcomes. You will take an active role in training, workforce development and research.

Our vision is to make a difference to our communities and our environment, and we would love you to join us in our mission!

About you

Applicants must have a professional specialist knowledge gained through degree and postgraduate qualification, a master’s in public health (MPH) or relevant Masters level study. Applicants with demonstrable equivalent experience that are currently working towards a postgraduate qualification in an area related to public health will be considered.

The post holder will be required to have overarching and in-depth expert knowledge in Public Health, with direct experience of managing large programmes, tender processes and team management.

You will have excellent interpersonal and partnership skills to deal with the expected practicalities of what can be achieved. Experience working with communities to improve health and wellbeing, and skilled in community engagement.

You will have high-level technical skills, such as project management and the ability to analyse data and apply research to practice to support and inform the public health team and the delivery of the public health work programme.

Being able to demonstrate a good level of knowledge and understanding of local authority and NHS policies, statutory duties, and responsibilities is required.

Excellent oral and written communication. Ability to present complex information to groups in a simplified and relevant way, which may include multi-agency senior stakeholders.

The team will be pleased to consider development opportunities for the right candidate as we are out to spot top talent through our shortlisting and interview processes.

Our Benefits

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Why choose us?

We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

About us

Our Values and Behaviours

Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

Customer-focused
Respectful
Efficient
Supportive
Trustworthy

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

Disability Confident Employer

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Our Employment and Disability Service provides bespoke support to individuals facing barriers to employment, helping them work towards their goals to start, stay and succeed in employment. For further information please click here The Employment and Disability Service (EADS) | North Northamptonshire Council

Armed Forces Community

The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).

Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)