Job profile for Senior Environmental Health Officer

Job Details

Job title: Senior Environmental Health Officer

Salary/Grade: Career Grade 4/5

Service: Environmental Health

Reports to: Environmental Health Manager

Manages/Supervises: N/A

Job purpose

To provide an Environmental Health Service within Braintree District Council, undertaking appropriate functions in the specialist areas of either Public Health, Housing & Pollution, or Food, Health & Safety & Licensing.

Principal Accountabilities

1. Carry out a programme of work as agreed with the Environmental Health Manager.
2. Investigate complaints and requests for service in the area and function for which you are responsible.
3. Ensure that all matters of Environmental significance occurring within the area are recorded and pursue action, either personally or through others, to secure Environmental Health compliance.
4. Carry out the work within a team of officers and cover the work of absent colleagues.
5. Support, contribute and comply with quality practices as described within the Corporate Quality Policy and as directed by departmental and team plans/management.
6. Attend and advise Area Committees, if required, to present reports on any functions for which you are responsible.
7. Ensure that the Council and Directorate safety policies are observed.
8. Apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
9. Advise the Environmental Health Manager if any of the duties and responsibilities of the post cannot be carried out.
10. Willingness and ability to work outside normal office hours when required.
11. Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business continuity and during civil emergencies.
12. To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery/
13. Carry out any other duties as directed by the Head of Service.

Corporate Accountabilities

• To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance. 
• To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
• Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or his representative.
• To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
• Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business
  continuity and during civil emergencies.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

(Tested at application and interview stage)

Experience & Qualifications

Essential criteria

Education/Qualification/Training

• Holds a Degree in Environmental Health or equivalent, or in final year of an accredited BSc or MSC qualification.
• Must have completed and passed the CIEH Environmental Health portfolio.
• Further details on these elements, such as which courses are “accredited”, can be found at https://www.cieh.org/professional-development/professional-registration/pathways-to-registration/qualifying-as-an-ehp/

Equalities criteria related to Effective job performance (e.g. Knowledge of Equal Opportunities Legislation)

• Understanding of the principles of equalities.
• Knowledge of Equal Opportunities.
• Understand the needs of all customers in respect of the various activities that are regulated by the team.

Experience

• Experience of securing regulatory compliance though various means.
• Experience of working in Environmental Health.
• HMO licensing and HHSRS enforcement experience.
• Statutory nuisance investigation experience.

Special Skills and Knowledge

• Developed presentation skills.
• Customer service skills and experience.
• Experience of dealing with members of the public.
• Negotiation and influencing skills to deal with difficult and conflict situations.
• Analytical approach and ability to make fair and accurate decisions.
• Proficient IT skills.
• Ability to prioritise, manage own workload and work to deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a range of audiences.
• Effective team member.
• Knowledge & training in evidence gathering and enforcement work – awareness of RIPA & PACE requirements.
• Knowledge of the legislation that governs the work of the team.

Qualities

• Highly motivated and organised.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish a highly effective working style with people at all levels.
• Ability to work alone and as part of a team
• Ability to provide appropriate professional advice.

Others: Travel, any unusual working, Arrangements

• Use of own transport.
• Full driving licence

Desirable criteria

• Be a registered practitioner with the CIEH (i.e. registered under the former EHRB system).
• 2 years’ experience working in relevant discipline(s)
• Post graduate qualification / relevant additional training, e.g. Institute of Acoustics Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control.
• Direct experience in work relating to contaminated land enforcement activities and contaminated land site assessment/classification and policy involvement.
• Experience specifically relating to permitted processes.
• Experience of presenting information to groups (e.g. landlords forums, residents meetings, etc).

NB. A candidate who does not meet all of the criteria specified need not automatically be rejected.  It may be possible to adapt the job to provide training soon after the appointment.

Competencies

(Tested at the interview stage)

Communicating Effectively 

Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation

• Present spoken communication in a polite, friendly and respectful manner seeking to ensure mutual understanding.
• Listen well and seek clarification and understanding, avoiding jumping to conclusions or making assumptions.
• Present information and ideas in a clear and understandable way which avoids jargon.
• Seek to understand the communication needs of colleagues and customers, being mindful of equality issues and the diverse needs of the range of people we work with.
• Choose the most appropriate method of communication for the situation, seeking to avoid using one fixed style or approach.

Performing efficiently and effectively 

Promote good performance, developing clear, structured and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results.  Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems.

• Ensure that all work carried out by you is in line with business and service plans and supports the overall aims and ambition of the Council.
• Plan your workload effectively, reporting achievements and problems to appropriate managers and project leaders.
• See tasks and objectives through to completion.
• Approach challenges with drive and enthusiasm.
• Strive for continuous improvement in your work and manage your learning and development to enable you to perform to the best of your ability.
• Create novel solutions to improve services and ways of working and challenge conventional practices.
• Seek out income generating opportunities and efficiencies and aim to provide more for less to achieve the best possible value and high standards of service delivery.
• Be enthusiastic about the Council’s services and look for opportunities to promote and sell them.
• Treat the Council’s money as if it were your own.

Using and managing resources efficiently and effectively 

Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc.

• Take responsibility for managing your time, seeking efficient ways to carry out your work, maximising your output and minimising wastage.
• Use and acquire materials effectively and efficiently minimising wastage, recycling where possible, and striving for cost effectiveness.
• Seek out ways to improve the use of resources.

Engaging with the customer

Understand the needs and requirements of their customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services.

• Provide a helpful and friendly service to customers both internally and externally.
• Take responsibility for following up on enquiries and solving customer issues.
• Make efforts to fully understand the customers needs and avoid assuming “we know best”.
• Ensure that you have a full understanding of the needs and requirements of the customer.
• Seek feedback from internal and external customers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the service you provide.

Working well together

Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers in order to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition.

• Co-operate and work well with colleagues at all levels of the organisation seeking collective responsibility for the achievement of goals.
• Demonstrate consideration and respect for others feelings and opinions and avoid judging and making assumptions.
• Maintain positive working relationships with external contacts in order to maintain the reputation of the Council.
• Seek to actively solve problems and avoid passing the issue on to others or leaving the problem unresolved.
• Demonstrate self-awareness of your style of working and develop flexibility and adaptability in order to work well with others.

Other conditions

• This post doesn't require a DBS check 
• This post is not politically restricted
• This post is entitled to lease a car
• This post is entitled to a casual car allowance

Job Profile Updated April 2024

Values and Behaviours

We have corporate values and behaviours that set the standard for the organisation and all our staff. These are integrated in all we do including recruitment, induction, performance review, apprenticeships and all our learning and development programmes.

• P - Perform well and get things done
• R - Respect and value customers and staff
• I - Improve and learn
• D - Deliver that bit extra
• E - Efficient and effective

Following a number of workshops, which were attended by more than 100 members of staff from across all levels of the organisation, we have now developed a series of behaviours to support our PRIDE values.

Moving forward these will be implemented across the Council and will be used as part of performance reviews, induction procedures, the apprenticeship programme, and all training interventions.

P, Perform well and get things done

R, Respect and value customers and staff

I, Improve and learn

D, Deliver that bit extra

E, Efficient and effective

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