Compliance Officer - Licensing (10947)

Compliance Officer – Licensing

• Guildford Borough Council, Surrey
• Salary: £35,593 to £41,110* (37 hours per week)
• Excellent benefits
• Closing date: 29 June 2025

*2025/2026 pay award pending

Guildford Borough is a regional centre for leisure, business, education, retail and culture.

Guildford is a thriving market town that has maintained much of its historic character and is a principal shopping destination with a vibrant night-time economy. The town’s location provides excellent transport links as well as providing the balance of being surrounded by beautiful countryside, including the Surrey Hills, an Area of Outstanding Beauty. All of these factors contribute to a quality of life that makes it one of the best places to live in the UK.

We would like to appoint an enthusiastic and committed Officer with experience in the administration and enforcement of Local Authority Licensing function to join a multi-skilled, Compliance Team. The team regulates a diverse range of disciplines including: environmental protection, public health, food safety, health & safety, licensing, planning, private sector housing and environmental crime. Your role will be to deliver regulatory services in relation to Licensing. Experience in animal activity licensing would be welcomed, but not essential.

This is also an exciting time for Guildford Borough Council as we continue our collaboration journey with Waverley Borough Council. Both Councils have a shared senior leadership team with plans for a single Regulatory Services function to be in place by early 2026. Guildford Borough Council’s Regulatory Services staff will then be employed by Waverley Borough Council.

What’s in it for you?

We are a diverse organisation, delivering a wide range of services and employing people with a broad range of skills. We want to attract the best staff, so we offer excellent benefits, including: a competitive salary; flexible working arrangements; an essential car user allowance; and free staff parking. We also provide health and wellbeing initiatives, an employee assistance programme and staff discounts off a range of well-known high street shops and supermarkets.

On a typical day, you would:

• Determining licensing applications and inspecting premises.
• Responding to licensing related service requests, providing advice and investigating allegations of breaches of licensing conditions.
• Collating evidence, preparing reports and presenting for subcommittee hearings and/or legal proceedings.
• Contribute to the development of licensing related policies and procedures.
• Supporting colleagues in Regulatory Services in relation to multi-disciplinary cases.

To succeed in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and confidence in dealing with people;
• Excellent organisational skills;
• Good knowledge and practical experience of applying licensing law;
• Strong ability to process information, reason, be curious and ask appropriate questions at the right time;
• Ability to make timely and effective decisions;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a high performing team;
• Tenacity, with a problem-solving mindset;
• The ability to adapt to change and use initiative;
• The ability to devise, learn and adapt to new systems and processes; and
• Be willing to work outside of normal office hours occasionally, as required. 

Qualifications

Compliance Officer Level 1: Educated to NVQ level 3 / A Level standard or equivalent experience.

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Mike Smith, Licensing Lead on Tel. 01483 444387 or by Email: mike.smith@guildford.gov.uk.