Job Profile for (Senior) Environmental Health Officer / Technical Officer (Food and Health and Safety)

Job Details

Job title: (Senior) Environmental Health Officer / Technical Officer (Food and Health and Safety)

Salary/Grade: 4-5 (See qualification and experience requirements)

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 their 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)

Qualifications (Environmental Health Officer)

• Degree in Environmental Health or equivalent.
• EHRB Registration /Registered EHP / Chartered EHP / Registered Food Safety Practitioner

Qualifications (Technical Officer)

• Higher Certificate in Food Control / Advanced Professional Certificate in Food Hygiene and Standards Control
• NEBOSH diploma
• EHRB Registration / Registered Food Safety Practitioner

Experience

• Meet the FSA Food Law food competency requirements for full authorisation for food hygiene enforcement
• Knowledge & training in evidence gathering and enforcement work – familiar with RIPA & PACE requirements.
• Experience of working in food and health and safety regulation.
• Familiar with LAC 67/2
• Experience of securing regulatory compliance.
• Knowledge of the legislation that governs the work of the team.

Skills and Knowledge

• Developed presentation skills.
• Customer service skills and experience.
• Negotiation and influencing skills to deal with difficult and conflict situations.
• Excellent decision-making skills.
• 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.

Full driving licence.

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

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 customer’s needs and avoid assuming that “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 other’s 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 a lease car
• This post is entitled to a casual car allowance

Qualification and experience requirements for Senior Environmental Health Officer (SEHO/TO)

Career Grade progression for Food Safety / Health and Safety Technical Officer (TO) - (Senior) Environmental Health Officer (S)(EHO)

In addition to the qualification / experience requirements, advancement from one grade to another will be dependent upon: -

1. Good progress and performance in all allocated duties and responsibilities.
2. Increase in duties and responsibilities including ‘higher risk’ / increased complexity case load
3. Completion of at least 20 hours of CPD relevant to the activities that the officer’s authorisation covers.  NB Any officer who is authorised for food enforcement must complete a minimum of 10 hours food CPD annually

Note: An officer appointed on SP25 will be required to have submitted and passed their pathways into the profession and passed their professional exams enabling them to obtain EHRB registration / become a Registered Food Safety practitioner within 18 months of start date. View the pathways to registration guidance PDF

An officer appointed on SP 26 will be required to demonstrate that they meet the FSA Food Law Food Competency framework requirements and can be fully authorised for food enforcement within 18 months of either their start date or of them becoming a registered EHP or registered food safety practitioner. Food and Feed Codes of Practice | Food Standards Agency

Job Profile Updated
May 2026

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