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 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 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.