At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose to improve people’s lives.
This might sound simple, but it brings together everything we do, from cleaning the streets to caring for our older people. It is the foundation for our strategy, and we will ensure that it drives our commitments, spending, and service delivery. From ancient cities to peaceful villages, we are dedicated to providing the best services possible to our 200,000 residents.
About The Role:
Statutory Director of Public Health
Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) is a place of beauty, history and opportunity and as a council we are ambitious, forward-thinking and ready to innovate. Our purpose is clear: we want to improve people’s lives.
B&NES offers an exciting opportunity for a dynamic system leader to support the improvement of health and wellbeing outcomes, working across neighbourhoods to address the complex determinants of poor health and inequality, and to contribute to the development of wellbeing initiatives across our communities.
We are looking for an exceptional Director of Public Health and Communities to take on this system leadership role, and welcome applications from both experienced and aspirant candidates.
This is more than a traditional Director of Public Health role. In B&NES, the role brings together statutory public health leadership with a broader portfolio including leisure services, prevention and community wellbeing.
It is an excellent opportunity to lead across the whole system, influence the long-term direction of the council and the wider partnership and help improve outcomes for communities across the district. The role offers a unique platform to shape policy and strategic thinking at both organisational and regional levels, ensuring B&NES remains at the forefront of innovation, prevention and wellbeing.
As a member of the council’s Corporate Management Team, you will have a direct role in shaping the council’s overall strategic direction and collective leadership. You will work across the organisation and with partners to drive a place-based neighbourhood approach to prevention and tackle persistent inequality. You will influence at the highest level locally, regionally and nationally, ensuring public health insight and shape strategic decisions across the whole council and wider system.
You will be an experienced and accomplished senior leader who can step confidently into a significant and complex local authority role. You will bring the credibility, judgement and presence of a corporate and systems leader: someone who can work effectively with elected members; someone who can work across organisational boundaries, navigate complexity, influence a wide range of partners, and remain focused on the outcomes that matter most to residents.
Alongside your statutory and professional public health expertise, you will bring a track record of leading through influence, delivering through partnerships, and translating ambition into tangible improvements in population health, wellbeing and opportunity.
The role offers significant scope to innovate and leave a lasting legacy through new approaches to public health, community wellbeing and prevention.
This is a statutory Director of Public Health post, jointly appointed by Bath and North East Somerset Council and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Candidates must be on the GMC Specialist Register (Public Health Medicine) with a licence to practise, the GDC Specialist List, or the UK Public Health Register at specialist level. Candidates will have membership of FPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment, or equivalent.
For a confidential discussion, please contact Darryl Freeman, Executive Director People ([email protected])
Closing date: 28 August 2026
Interview dates expected during w/c 21 September 2026
- Please note, BANES Council operates a policy of prior consideration for roles for any individual on the Council’s at-risk register (redeployee). This means should a redeployee express an interest in this role, providing they meet the essential criteria for the role they will be considered ahead of external applicants.
Please note that this advert may close earlier than the stated closing date due to high demand. We advise all interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.
