Public Health Programme Manager - Health Improvement

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Salary: Grade 12, £53,460 - £57,379 per annum.

37 hours per week

Temporary for 3 years

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Your role:

Your role will be to lead a three-year Smoke Free and wider health improvement transformation programme across Wigan, Wrightington and Leigh Hospital Trust to support delivery of Wigan Borough’s prevention ambition. You will champion a “one system” approach to tobacco dependency treatment and health improvement, aligning hospital and community services, redesign referral pathways, support smoke-free policies and embed health improvement across wider hospital trust polices. Working within WWL and across the health system, you will drive collaboration, digital innovation, and data-led improvements to reduce smoking and obesity prevalence, increase physical activity levels and improve health outcomes.

About you:

You will have experience in public health programme management, ideally in tobacco control or health improvement. Strong partnership skills are essential, with the ability to influence across complex systems. You will be confident using data to identify gaps and drive change and have excellent communication skills to engage stakeholders. Knowledge of national strategies for tobacco dependency treatment, health improvement and reducing health inequalities is desirable. Experience of working in or with hospital trusts settings is also desirable.

About us:

Wigan Council has been voted ‘Overall Council of the Year’ at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

Wigan Council and WWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to improving health and wellbeing through collaboration and innovation. You will join a supportive team that values evidence-based practice and system-wide working. We offer flexible working arrangements, professional development opportunities, and the chance to make a real difference to the health of our population.

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits click here to find out more about working for #TeamWigan.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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About the Role’s Positioning

Supporting information

Wigan Council and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) share a strong and long-standing commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of the borough’s population. Both organisations recognise that achieving better health outcomes requires a collaborative, system-wide approach that bridges the gap between community and acute care settings.

This partnership is central to Wigan’s ambition to create a Smoke Free borough and tackle health inequalities through integrated working across Health Improvement areas. By aligning strategies, policies, and interventions, we aim to deliver consistent, high-quality support for residents wherever they access care.

The Programme Manager will be employed by Wigan Council but hosted within WWL Hospital Trust, ensuring close engagement with clinical teams and operational processes. This unique arrangement enables the role to act as a connector between hospital services and community-based public health initiatives.

The post will operate under a matrix management model, receiving strategic direction from Wigan Council’s Public Health team while being embedded within WWL to influence and implement change on the ground. This dual accountability ensures that the role can champion a “one system” approach, aligning priorities across organisations and driving collaboration to improve health outcomes.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Michelle Forder 07825420706.

Priority Candidates Interview date: Monday 20th April 2026

Interview date: Monday 27th April 2026

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

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