Job details
Salary range: £43,421 - £46,464 per annum (or £35,745 - £38,223 for the role of Trading Standards Officer)
Work location: Graham Hill House, Electric Avenue, Oxford, OX2 0BY
Hours per week: 37 - we are open to discussions about flexible working
Contract type: Permanent
Vetting requirements: This role is subject to a criminal records check
Closing date: Sunday 16th June 2024
Interview date: Tuesday 25th June 2024 or Thursday 27th June 2024
A career in trading standards is… anything but standard!
About us
Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards service is an ambitious and forward-thinking team. We undertake every aspect of trading standards activity – including a number of specialist areas such as petroleum and explosives storage, safety at sports ground, HGV weight restriction enforcement and we work in partnership with our Public Health colleagues in areas such as illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes controls and environmental legislation enforcement. We are one of the most rural counties in the South East and we undertake a significant amount of work relating to animal health and farming standards, as well as in relation to the food chain more widely. We are proud about the role trading standards has in helping to ensure a fair trading environment for all, protecting our residents and supporting business to thrive and innovate. As a result, we are increasing work in some of our traditional regulatory areas such as weights and measures, product safety, food standards and fair trading.
We support our officers to dare to do things differently and to always be learning – this includes trying new things, undertaking projects, leading areas of work, representing our service at regional and national groups, both sharing knowledge and learning from others. We will support you fully in your professional ambitions.
About the role
We hope to recruit a qualified, competent and experienced person to the role of Principal Trading Standards Officer. However, we are happy to consider applicants to the position of Trading Standards Officer (where the essential criteria for this role are met).
The successful candidate will work across the Service but be, primarily, based within our Response and Prevention Team enforcing the full range of trading standards regulatory work. This will include:
* Assessing incoming ‘demand’ and deciding on appropriate means of responding to it, in line with Council and Service priorities
* Dealing effectively with non-compliant businesses, traders and emerging issues
* Advising businesses; both those with Primary Authority relationships and those without
* Contributing to inspections targets for the service (e.g. food standards inspections)
* Developing and implementing projects and initiatives based on intelligence and identified trends
* Undertaking complex investigations into breaches of consumer protection legislation, demonstrating a detailed and high level of knowledge and skill in respect of trading standards legislation, criminal court procedures, and disclosure rules
* Carrying out activities to protect our residents from scams, doorstep crime and other forms of financial abuse
.
The role of Principal Trading Standards Officer also includes:
* Supervising and co-ordinating the activity of other staff, including deputising for Team Leaders, on occasion
* Mentoring and training our group of Trainee Trading Standards Officers and other staff, as needed.
* Leading on projects and in assigned trade/legislation specialist areas
* Assessing new legislation and assisting in developing staff and Service enforcement capabilities
* Taking a leading role in joint agency and networking relationships
Applicants for any of these roles will be expected to be able to travel to destinations across Oxfordshire and further afield, when requires. Applicants will be expected to work outside normal office hours, when service delivery needs require.
About you
We are looking for someone who visibly shares and demonstrates our organisational values of:
* Always learning
* Be kind and care
* Equality and integrity in all we do
* Taking responsibility
* Daring to do it differently
.
To be considered for the role of Principal Trading Standards Officer, you’ll need to hold a professional trading standards qualification, including being qualified and competent in two or more of the following areas:
* Weights and Measures,
* Food Standards,
* Animal Feed Standards.
* You will also have a lead auditor/assessor qualification in quality management systems, or equivalent.
* You’ll also have at least 3 years’ experience delivering trading standards work
Applicants for the role of Trading Standards Officer will need to have similar personal attributes and have, at least, 3 years’ experience delivering trading standards work (or similar regulatory/enforcement environment).
Rewards and benefits
* Culture of flexible working
* Technology to support agile working where role permits
* Up to 33 day’s holiday p.a. plus bank holidays
* Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
* Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
* Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
* Enhanced family friendly policies
* Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
* Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development
Would you like to know more?
Please click here to view the Principle Trading Standards Officer Job Description and Selection Criteria
Please click here to view the Trading Standards Officer Job Description and Selection Criteria
For an informal discussion about the role please contact – Kate Davies (Team Leader, Response and Prevention Team) kate.davies@oxfordshire.gov.uk 07770832798
Application Procedure
To apply, please complete an online application form by clicking either of the Apply Now buttons at the top and bottom of this advert. This includes a section asking you to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting. You may attach a cover letter and/or CV to your application form, however it is not mandatory.
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Our commitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support and safe spaces for staff.
Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes
As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.
Our commitment to:
Safeguarding
Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.
Our commitment to:
Flexible Working
We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.
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