Health Improvement Project Officer (Healthy Families)

This opportunity is currently being offered on a fixed term contract basis for 6 months; however, if budgets allow the contract length may be extended and/or become permanent, though this is not guaranteed.  If an internal council employee wishes to apply for this role, a secondment opportunity may be considered (please state this on your application).

According to the World Health Organisation, the life course approach aims to identify opportunities to minimise risk factors and enhance protective factors through evidence-based interventions at important life stages. For the Healthy Families workstream this informs the support we deliver from the antenatal period through to early childhood – the first 1001 days.

This role will actively support, monitor and review a range of projects delivering healthier outcomes for both pregnant people and their families. This will include providing expertise, advice and assistance, as required, to ensure effective project implementation in line with budgets and timescales.

The role will be required to work in the context of Medway’s ‘Joint Local Health & Wellbeing Strategy’ and the Public Health Outcomes Framework to reduce health inequalities.

The role will involve liaising with influential stakeholders in a way that promotes the vision and values of the Council.

Accountabilities and Outcomes

The role will actively contribute to the development, delivery, and evaluation of evidence-based projects that deliver to plan, enhance the well-being of Medway residents, support the achievement of local and national targets and reduce health inequalities.

The successful candidate will be confident in building alliances and partnerships to plan, implement, and/or monitor projects that can be time limited and that share goals and priorities to enhance service awareness, availability, access, and uptake and also ensure compliance with statutory legislation and practice requirements, including mandatory training. 

The role will require the delivery formal presentations and training to a range of clinical and non-clinical teams, i.e., GPs, Local Authority meetings, Senior Manager meetings, and to other key stakeholders. The role will see the application of the principles of social marketing, and/or behavioural science, to reach specific groups and communities with enabling information and ideas, raising awareness of ‘A Better Medway Lifestyle Services’ and advocating public health principles and action.

It is paramount to demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity, identifying service strategies to deliver equitable and fair services for users and employees, challenging discriminatory practices and actively managing and promoting diversity. This will also include adherence to professional codes of conduct, occupational membership codes, employer behaviour frameworks and practice standards. The role requires the candidate to act with integrity, consistency and purpose, and take responsibility for own personal development, ensuring that service specific knowledge and understanding is maintained and developed.

At the discretion of the line manager, such other activities as may, from time to time, be agreed consistent with the nature of the job described above.

In return we offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers
• The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

We're committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency.  Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change.

Our organisation:

Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.

Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.

We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.

Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager, please contract either Jemima Ward or Emma Dawson on jemima.ward@medway.gov.uk or emma.dawson@medway.gov.uk

Important Information-

Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile

Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.

For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.

Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted.  All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.

Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.