Health Improvement Principal

Sheffield City Council; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Sheffield City Council is seeking an experienced Health Improvement Principal (Grade 11) to lead Health Protection, Poverty and Inclusion Health within its Public Health service. You will shape priorities, build partnerships and deliver complex programmes that improve health and reduce inequalities across the city.

Reporting to the Consultant in Public Health, you will guide the Health Protection team, strengthen local arrangements, and influence system-wide change.

Job description

Health Improvement Principal (Grade 11) - Health Protection, Poverty and Inclusion Health

Join us to create a fairer, healthier Sheffield.

Sheffield is an ambitious city with a clear vision to close the unfair gaps in length and quality of life. We’re looking for an experienced public health professional with a strong track record of leading people, building partnerships and delivering complex programmes that improve health and reduce inequalities to join our Public Health service.

Reporting to the Consultant in Public Health, you’ll provide leadership across our Health Protection, and Poverty and Inclusion Health teams - shaping priorities, supporting colleagues and influencing change across the wider system.

From strengthening local health protection arrangements and preparing for future threats, to improving financial resilience and reducing health inequalities, you’ll bring together partners across the city to turn ambition into action and deliver meaningful improvements for Sheffield’s communities.

Health protection sits at the heart of this portfolio and we’re looking for someone with experience who can lead in this area. You’ll work with partners across the city to strengthen Sheffield’s health protection system, supporting prevention, preparedness and resilience while also playing a key role in the local response to health protection incidents.

Interviews are planned for week commencing 19th October.

For informal queries please contact Helen Watson, Consultant in Public Health [e-mail]

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full‑time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.