Permanent Role With A Local Authority
Job Purpose
To provide professional Environmental Health services with the overall aim of protecting and improving the health, safety, and wellbeing of residents, workers, and visitors across the Borough. The role will focus on complex food safety and health and safety investigations, regulatory enforcement, inspections, and compliance activities, ensuring the Council fulfils its statutory obligations and delivers high-quality public protection services.
Key Responsibilities
- Carry out food safety inspections and health and safety interventions across the Borough in accordance with relevant legislation and codes of practice.
- Investigate complex health and safety incidents, accidents, dangerous occurrences, and complaints relating to commercial premises.
- Undertake investigations relating to food hygiene, infectious diseases, drainage, pests, refuse, and public health concerns.
- Enforce food safety and health and safety legislation using the full range of statutory powers available, including preparing and serving notices and legal documentation.
- Gather evidence in accordance with statutory requirements, including the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), and assist with legal proceedings, prosecutions, and tribunal cases.
- Conduct inspections of food premises, prepare schedules of work, assess compliance, and undertake follow-up enforcement actions where required.
- Investigate notifiable diseases and liaise with outbreak control teams and partner agencies as necessary.
- Provide professional advice, education, and guidance to businesses, schools, stakeholders, and the public on food safety, health and safety, and public health matters.
- Prepare accurate reports, briefings, presentations, and case records in line with Council procedures and legal requirements.
- Maintain accurate electronic records, databases, statutory registers, and case management systems.
- Work collaboratively with internal departments, external agencies, and regulatory bodies including the Food Standards Agency, Health and Safety Executive, and Health Protection Agency.
- Contribute to service improvement initiatives, knowledge sharing, mentoring, and staff training activities.
- Participate in out-of-hours services and undertake site visits, audits, and inspections as required.
- Ensure compliance with Council policies relating to health and safety, equality, customer care, and professional conduct.
Requirements
Essential Requirements
- Qualified Environmental Health Officer/Practitioner registered with the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB/CIEH) or equivalent recognised qualification.
- Holds a baseline food hygiene qualification as specified within the Food Law Code of Practice.
- Meets or is working towards the competency requirements for an âAuthorised Officerâ under the FSA Competency Framework.
- Strong technical knowledge of Environmental Health legislation relating to food safety, health and safety, and public health.
- Proven experience delivering official food controls within a local authority setting.
- Experience inspecting food premises and applying HACCP-based principles across a range of food business establishments.
- Experience investigating food complaints, infectious disease cases, and health and safety incidents.
- Experience preparing and serving enforcement notices and assessing compliance.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to manage complex or sensitive situations.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines.
- Competent user of Microsoft Office and specialist case management systems.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
- Full UK driving licence with access to a suitable vehicle.
Desirable Requirements
- Recent experience carrying out health and safety interventions.
- Experience collecting admissible evidence and preparing prosecution cases.
- Experience dealing with imported foodstuffs and inland authority enforcement work.
- Experience collecting samples for microbiological or chemical analysis.
- Experience delivering food hygiene training.
Additional Information
- Location: Colindale, Barnet
- Working Pattern: Hybrid Working
- Department: Environmental Health â Consumer and Public Protection
- Directorate: Assurance & Public Protection
- Hours per week: Full Time
- Payment Schedule: Bi-weekly payments