Job Introduction 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. The starting salary for this role is £73,317 per annum, working 36 hours per week. Are you passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of our residents, with a particular focus on our neighbourhoods and communities that experience the poorest health? We have an exciting opportunity for a Public Health Principal to join us and play a central role in delivering our Public Health ambitions, including the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. 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 a committed, progressive and friendly team that strives to provide a stimulating environment in which to work, offering opportunities for personal and professional development through our commitment to continuing professional development. Our team has strong relationships across the Council, the NHS, district and borough councils, voluntary sector organisations, and wider system partners. The team sits within the Adults, Wellbeing and Health Partnerships Directorate and plays a key role in improving population health and reducing health inequalities across Surrey. As a Public Health Principal, you will provide strategic leadership across a broad portfolio of public health priorities, working collaboratively with partners to improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities and strengthen prevention-focused approaches across Surrey. You will contribute to the development and delivery of public health programmes, influence policy and strategy, and support evidence-based decision making to improve the health and wellbeing of residents. In the period leading up to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), the post will have a particular focus on providing strategic leadership and support for health protection, while also supporting the wider Public Health Leadership Team to maintain effective partnership working, system resilience, and continuity of public health priorities and services throughout the transition. Key responsibilities will include: Providing leadership, specialist public health advice and strategic support across a range of public health priorities and programmes. Leading the development, delivery, management and evaluation of public health initiatives and commissioned services. Building effective partnerships across local government, the NHS, UKHSA, the voluntary sector and wider stakeholders to improve population health and reduce inequalities. Supporting the development of public health policy, strategy and evidence-based approaches to prevention. Managing staff, budgets and resources to ensure effective delivery of agreed priorities. Acting as a key member of the Public Health Leadership Team and deputising for Consultants in Public Health where required. Your Application In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours : A postgraduate qualification in public health or a related discipline, or equivalent knowledge and experience. Extensive knowledge and experience across a broad range of public health functions, including health improvement, health protection, and reducing health inequalities. Experience of working collaboratively with partners and stakeholders to influence, develop, and deliver improvements in population health outcomes. Experience of leading commissioning, programme management, and service improvement. Experience of leading complex public health programmes, partnerships, and service transformation at a strategic level, including responsibility for staff, budgets, resources, and the delivery of measurable population health outcomes. A commitment to continuing professional development and maintaining up-to-date public health knowledge and skills. To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions: Describe a time when you played a leadership role in developing and delivering a public health strategy or programme that improved population health outcomes. Describe a situation where you influenced partners from different organisations to achieve a shared public health objective despite differing priorities. Provide an example of when you identified and responded to a significant health protection risk or emerging challenge affecting population health. How did you provide leadership and shape the response? If you were the Public Health Principal leading this team, what steps would you take to ensure that all team members felt valued and included? Please note, a basic DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check will be required for this role. 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 20/09/2026 with interviews planned to follow. Contact Us Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. For an informal discussion please contact Helen Castledine on MS Teams or via email. Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation and will move to new authorities in April 2027. This role is currently employed by Surrey County Council and will remain so until then. If you are employed by Surrey County Council on 1 April 2027, your employment will transfer under TUPE arrangements to one of the new councils, with your current terms and conditions protected. The provisional allocation for this post is West Surrey Council, subject to final confirmation through the wider transition process later this year. Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council . Our Commitment We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria, as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview. Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.

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