Senior Public Health Lead

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

This permanent role has a starting salary of £63,823 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week. 

Surrey County Council is seeking an experienced Senior Public Health Lead to join our Public Health team. Initially based in Reigate within the Sexual Health Team, this post will transition to West Surrey from 1 April 2027 as part of Local Government Reform.  

We are a committed, progressive, and friendly team that provides a stimulating and supportive environment in which to work. We are passionate about improving health and wellbeing for Surrey residents and offer excellent opportunities for personal and professional development through our strong commitment to continuing professional development.  

The Public Health team sits within the Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships Directorate and plays a pivotal role in improving population health and reducing health inequalities across Surrey. We have well-established partnerships across the Council, the NHS, district and borough councils, voluntary and community sector organisations, and wider system partners, enabling us to drive effective, system-wide approaches to prevention and health improvement. 

We support hybrid working with the right balance, on average 40% of the working week is in person or with partners, and support working from home the rest of the time. 
 
Our Offer to You 

• 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension 
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year 
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing 
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.

About The Role 

We are looking for an experienced public health professional with a strong track record of leading and delivering complex programmes, commissioning services, and developing effective partnerships to improve population health outcomes. You will bring significant expertise in sexual and reproductive health and HIV, alongside experience of translating evidence into policy and practice, managing budgets, contracts, and staff, and influencing strategic decision-making at senior levels.  

You will be a collaborative and influential leader, skilled at building productive relationships across organisational boundaries and working with partners to tackle health inequalities and improve outcomes for local communities. You will combine strong programme management, analytical and communication skills with a commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and evidence-based practice. Experience of line managing and developing staff, creating an inclusive and supportive team culture, and enabling colleagues to perform at their best through effective supervision, coaching and professional development is also essential. 

In this role, you will provide strategic leadership for Surrey's sexual and reproductive health and HIV portfolio, including responsibility for commissioning, contract management and performance oversight of the sexual health service provider. You will lead the development, delivery and evaluation of evidence-based prevention programmes and work closely with partners across the health and care system to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and support residents to live longer, healthier lives.  

This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant contribution to improving the health and wellbeing of Surrey residents while shaping the future of sexual health services within a changing local government landscape. 

Your Application  

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours: 

• Masters Degree in Public Health or a related subject, with UKPHR registration or working towards registration.
• Proven track record of people and performance management
• Significant experience of leading and delivering public health programmes and projects across a range of topic areas
• Expertise in translating evidence and intelligence into effective practice and policy.
• Experience of commissioning, contract management and budget oversight.
• Experience of working collaboratively with health, local authority, voluntary and community sector partners.

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions (maximum 500 words per question): 

1. Describe a time when you provided strategic leadership for a health improvement project. What was your approach and what impact did it have? 
2. Tell us about a time when you successfully built partnerships across sectors to deliver a public health outcome. What challenges did you overcome? 
3. Surrey County Council is going through significant change. How would you guide the team through that change, manage team uncertainty and ensure successful transition? 
4. Can you describe your experience of commissioning public health services, including how you have managed contracts to ensure quality, value for money, and compliance with service specifications? 

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey. 

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 18/11/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

A basic DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) will be required for this role.

Contact Us 

For information relating to this role please contact Julia Groom, Consultant in Public Health: Julia.Groom@surreycc.gov.uk.