Public Health Specialist

• Fixed term contract for two years.
• Part time position - 22.2 hours per week.
• Hybrid working model with a balance of home, locality and office working.
• 30 days’ annual leave.
• Masters level qualification or equivalent and 5 years’ experience of implementing public health programmes.

Somerset Council is looking to appoint an enthusiastic and innovative Public Health Specialist 0.6WTE fixed term for 2 years. The postholder will apply a broad range of Public Health knowledge and skills (critical appraisal, analysis and evaluation of data, identifying need, addressing inequalities and following the evidence base) to address the social determinants of health creating healthier places.

The shared vision for health and wellbeing in Somerset is for people to live healthy and independent lives, supported by thriving and connected communities with timely and easy access to high-quality and efficient public services when they need them. Everything around us shapes our health. From our jobs (economy) and homes (housing) to public transport (highways) and access to healthy food (licencing), surroundings play a big role in how long people live and how healthy their lives are. These influences are known as the social determinants of health.

You will be working within a supportive and dynamic public health team and across other directorates in Somerset council and the wider somerset system to create healthier places.

The successful candidate will be educated to master’s level, with a proven track record of delivering programmes that have had demonstrable impact on health and well-being outcomes particularly for vulnerable communities.

The post holder must be an enthusiastic team player able to influence and advocate across the public health team and a wide range of stakeholders to optimise the public health gain for our local population, working through localities across the county.

You will be:

• Able to operationalise public health strategies and priorities.
• Confident in partnership working on complex, whole system issues, with experience of building and maintaining relationships across a range of sectors.
• Confident in using data to determine needs and critically appraising evidence to deliver or commission interventions across a health and care system.
• Positive, committed, adaptable and organised.
• An advocate for the impact of health inequalities and social determinants of health on Somerset’s population and the need for change

The council offers a range of flexible working options and recognises the need to support your continued professional development.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

The salary for this Grade 7 role is £33,060 per annum for 22.2 hours per week.

Closing date for applications is midnight 15th March 2026. Interviews will be held in Taunton on 26^th March 2026

For further information please contact Patsy Temple (Consultant in Public Health) Patsy.temple@somerset.gov.uk