Environmental Health Officer

Job Description

Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities!

We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

Introduction

Join us in the Food and Safety Team at Lewisham as the Environmental Health Service expands. Lewisham is a thriving, exciting and diverse London borough, with major redevelopment and regeneration taking place. The Food and Safety Team is looking for experienced, highly motivated and enthusiastic Environmental Health Officers who will share in our ambition to deliver an outstanding service to the local community.

What’s the role? ……

These roles involve a wide range of regulatory functions - balancing proportionate and effective enforcement interventions with providing advice and support to our local businesses. You will be managing a complex caseload that includes food hygiene and food standards inspections, reactive and proactive health and safety enforcement, infectious disease controls, complaint investigations, prosecutions, sampling, special treatments premises inspections and project work. You will have your own district to take responsibility for and with the support of your colleagues, have the opportunity to apply the full range of your professional skills and knowledge to drive improved standards of compliance.

What’s in it for you?

Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday allowance
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Season ticket and bicycle loans
• A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
• Supportive staff networks

What we’re looking for

You must be experienced in carrying out official food controls, health and safety inspections, complex investigations, the preparation and service of statutory notices and prosecutions. We particularly welcome applications from candidates with experience in local authority health and safety enforcement and event/sports ground safety enforcement.

You must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail and a real commitment to providing good customer care.

We are currently working flexibly from home and the office in a hybrid work pattern, so you will need to be self-motivated, diligent and be able to work well independently. Excellent organisational and time management skills are essential. A full driving licence is required.

Location

The job is primarily based in Laurence House, Catford, London, SE6 4RU but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work from the office for a minimum of 2 days a week.

Special conditions

• Candidates for the appointments are required to have a degree (or equivalent) in Environmental Health and meet the competency requirements of the Food Law Code of Practice. Candidates with the Higher Certificate in Food Control who meet the competency requirements of the Food Law Code of Practice may be considered. Please do not apply if you do not meet this requirement.

The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CV’s.

Applicant handbook - please read the guidance in this handbook when applying. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.

For an informal discussion about this job, please contact Siobhán Mangan on 020 8314 3102 or siobhan.mangan@lewisham.gov.uk

Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification

Salary

£55,353 - £57,495 per annum (P05)

N.B: All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.

Diversity

Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works, which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email JobsAndSkills@lewisham.gov.uk and an advisor will be in touch with you.

The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.

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