Job description
We have an exciting opportunity to join the newly established Sheffield Community Infection Prevention & Control (CIPC) service.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We are looking for somebody who:

• Has substantial experience in healthcare, social care, or health and safety, with strong knowledge of infection prevention and control.
• Can communicate complex information clearly to a range of audiences, including through training, while building and maintaining positive working relationships.
• Has experience developing and managing audits, including reporting, action planning, and follow-up.
• Brings strong critical analysis skills to interpret and apply data, research, and guidance to practice.
• Is committed to tackling health inequalities, team working, and continuous professional development.

There are many benefits to joining Sheffield City Council. The package includes one of the best pension schemes available as well as flexible working arrangements, and we offer generous annual leave entitlement.
Shortlisting will be based on the specific skills and experience requirements listed above.
Dates for interview will be: 9th or 10th September
Please contact Ruth Granger, Consultant in Public Health ruth.granger@sheffield.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the post.
We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.
It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.
Under the Disability Confident Scheme, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. All successful candidates will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check.
Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.
If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.
Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

THE ROLE

We are looking for those experienced in working with community health and care settings, and with knowledge of infection prevention and control, to join the Community Infection Prevention & Control (CIPC) team. As a Practitioner you will contribute to the provision of all aspects of the Sheffield Community Infection Prevention & Control Delivery Plan.
You will support the team in promoting effective IPC practice and techniques to both staff and service users, with the aim of reducing the burden of avoidable infections, the transmission of infectious disease, and subsequent poor health outcomes across the community. You will help to foster a service that is flexible, convenient, confidential, and tailored to meet the needs of the population.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Service and Programme Delivery: You’ll provide timely specialist IPC advice and support to community settings and commissioners, both proactively and reactively. You’ll also promote compliance with IPC standards using evidence-based and behavioural science approaches, and assist in developing local IPC strategies and best practice. You will contribute to IPC audits and help providers establish effective policies and procedures, and will support outbreak management as necessary.
Performance Management: You will support the effective delivery of the Sheffield Community Infection Prevention & Control Delivery Plan, contribute to improving Public Health Outcomes Framework indicators, and assist in reducing preventable infections in CQC-registered care settings.
Planning: You’ll support the development of policies and plans through partnership working and long-term planning, and contribute to population health surveillance and data analysis to inform strategies and services.
Stakeholder Management: You will build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, commissioners, and health system partners to support collaborative working. You will keep key Sheffield City Council teams and health protection stakeholders informed on IPC issues, service outcomes, and relevant data. You will also use your strong communication skills to engage diverse audiences, deliver training, and handle challenging conversations professionally.
Representation: You will represent the service in relevant forums and communities of practice to support the operational delivery of IPC quality improvement. You will actively contribute to local, regional, and national discussions on antimicrobial resistance, ensuring the service’s interests and expertise are represented.