Public sector jobs in Dudley

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust is the biggest public sector employer in Dudley. It describes itself as the main provider of hospital, adult community and some primary care services for the borough, so its jobs go well beyond the wards at Russells Hall Hospital. Dudley Council, the schools and the West Midlands police, fire and ambulance services also employ locally. NHS pay starts at £25,272 on band 2 from April 2026, and council pay at £25,614 on the NJC spine.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

The trust is based at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley. It also uses the Guest Outpatient Centre in Dudley, the Corbett Outpatient Centre in Stourbridge, and the Brierley Hill and Stourbridge Health and Social Care Centres. Its adult community teams work in people’s homes and from more than 40 centres across the borough.

In October 2024 the trust took on two GP surgeries, Chapel Street Surgery in Lye and High Oak Surgery in Brierley Hill. A trust advert can therefore be for a primary care role as well as a hospital one. The trust says it serves Dudley, large parts of Sandwell and smaller communities in South Staffordshire and Wyre Forest, so some patients come from outside the borough.

NHS pay and pension

The trust pays Agenda for Change rates for England. From 1 April 2026, band 3 is £25,760 to £27,476, band 5 is £32,073 to £39,043 and band 7 is £49,387 to £56,515. The pay bands guide lists all of them. Staff join the NHS Pension Scheme, where the contribution rate rises in steps with pensionable pay. In 2026/27 it is 6.5% on £13,260 to £28,854 and 9.8% on £35,156 to £52,778.

Dudley Council

Dudley is a metropolitan district, so the council is responsible for adult and children’s social care, education support, housing, highways and waste across the borough. Pay follows the NJC spine from SCP 3 (£25,614) from 1 April 2026, and employees can join the Local Government Pension Scheme. The council advertises its own jobs on its website, and how to get a council job explains the application process.

Schools

Dudley has maintained schools, academies and special schools. Teachers outside London start on £34,069 (M1) from 1 September 2026. The government has accepted the award, and the statutory pay document was published on GOV.UK on 16 October 2026, so maintained schools apply it from 1 September 2026, with backdating where needed. School support staff are paid on the NJC spine, pro rata and usually term time only. The teaching assistant pay guide explains why an advertised full-time figure is higher than the money you receive.

Police, fire and ambulance

Dudley is one of the seven metropolitan districts in the West Midlands police area, so West Midlands Police covers it. A new constable earns £32,255 from 1 September 2026. West Midlands Fire Service names Dudley among the seven authorities it serves. Firefighter pay is £31,539 in development and £40,358 once competent, from 1 July 2026. West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust serves the wider region.

Nearby options

Wolverhampton and Birmingham are both close, and both have large hospital trusts and councils, covered in public sector jobs in Wolverhampton and public sector jobs in Birmingham. Run your expected salary through the take-home pay calculator before weighing a longer commute against a higher band.