Advanced Public Health Practitioner – 2 posts
Maternity Cover (6 months) / Fixed Term (12 Months)
INTERNAL ONLY (DCC Employees Only)
An exciting opportunity to join the friendly, dedicated, and highly professional Public Health Devon team. Initially these roles will be supporting implementation of the Drug and Alcohol strategy, whilst working across portfolios to support other business needs.
Advanced Public Health Practitioners
The role of Advanced Public Health Practitioner (APHP) is an excellent opportunity for people aspiring to develop a career in public health. APHPs work collaboratively on local public health programmes, providing support, expert advice, and leadership.
The roles will support the development, implementation, and delivery of public health programmes to improve health and wellbeing, and reduce inequalities.
To be successful you will need to be educated to degree level in a relevant discipline and passionate about health and wellbeing improvement. You will be keen to develop and expand your skills, curious, flexible, an excellent communicator, collaborative, adaptable, and able to work both independently and in teams.
The Advanced Public Health Practitioner team are an agile team whose areas of focus flex to support the wider needs of the core Public Health team which deliver a busy work programme across the domains of health improvement, health care public health, and health protection.
These roles will initially join the Public Health Complex Lives team. This Team has a large and varied work programme, including delivery against the national, via the Devon Drug and Alcohol Strategic Partnership.
The Maternity Cover role will have an initial focus on Drug and Alcohol Strategy, including reducing drug-related deaths. This will involve:
1. Coordinating the Local Drug Information System; enabling all to share and respond to risks arising from, for example contaminated drugs or novel substances
2. Leading on our process for learning from drug and alcohol deaths through the prevention of drug and alcohol related harms (PDARH) panel
3. Developing and delivering harm reduction communications
4. Implementing the Naloxone Strategy
5. Then more broadly supporting local implementation of the drugs strategy.
The primary focus of this role will be to ensure we review and learn from drug and alcohol related deaths, and embed learning across the system. The role will also act as the Local Drug Information System Coordinator enabling all to share and respond effectively to risks arising from, for example, emerging risks due to contamination or novel substances.
More broadly the roles will support implementation of the Drug and Alcohol Strategy, and work across other related areas such as inclusion health and public mental health as well as the wider public health programme as business need requires.
About you
We are looking for dynamic and enthusiastic individuals, preferably with some background in drug and alcohol work or supporting or promoting the health of inclusion health groups.
The following skills and attributes would be essential in these roles:
6. Partnership working, networking, relationship building skills
7. Strong interpersonal, diplomacy and communication skills
8. Experience of working in a complex system
9. Demonstrable track record of achieving positive outcomes and being able to evaluate and measure success
10. Ability to manage competing priorities and multiple projects
11. A commitment to learning, and sharing learning and insight with others
About us
We are a vibrant and award-winning Public Health team within Devon County Council, committed to making a difference to the health and wellbeing of our residents, reducing health inequalities and enabling people to live healthy lives. We are comprised of a team of colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds, and work across the three domains of Public Health; Health Improvement, Health Protection and Healthcare Public Health. You will be welcomed into a positive and supportive environment where there are on-going opportunities for further learning and development.
Additional Information
The interviews for this post are provisionally planned for the week commencing 8th September 2025. The expected duration of the maternity cover is initially 6 months, but may be extended.
What we’ll offer in return
We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding; you will be working as part of a collaborative team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Devon. We offer a wide range of opportunities for training and development, as well as some other great benefits:
12. We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements to work remotely from home, as well as office working from County Hall in Exeter.
13. A starting annual leave entitlement of 26 days
14. Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
15. Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
16. Cycle to work scheme
If you would like to find out more about public health and these roles, please contact John Amosford - to arrange a friendly chat.
Closing Date: 1st September 2025
How to apply
Please ensure when completing your application form that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the person specification of the job description. Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed.
Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.
Please click Apply Now to see the Job Description.
17. DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our.
18. - The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
19. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
20. This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
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