Senior Environmental Health Officer (Port Heath)
* Reference: EN263
* Division: Community Services
* Salary: £39,277.00 - £45,636.00 per annum
* Contract type: Permanent
* Working hours: 37 per week
* Closing date: 28June2026
* Interview date: 06July2026
* Location: Town Hall, Crawley and Border Control, Gatwick Airport
* Extra payment(s): Special responsibility allowance
* Location type: Hybrid
Are you passionate about protecting public health at the UK border? We are seeking a Senior Environmental Health Officer (Port Health) with recent operational experience in port health to join our frontline team.
This is a vital role safeguarding food safety, animal health, and public health at one of the UK’s busiest ports of entry.
Key responsibilities
* implement official controls at the border in accordance with UK legislation
* conduct inspections, sampling, and documentary checks of imported goods, including products of animal origin and food not of animal origin
* enforce food safety legislation and International Health Regulations, including mosquito surveillance
* verify certificates of organic products at the point of import
* provide expert advice and guidance on communicable disease control matters at London Gatwick Airport
* lead on port health matters and support the wider team through training and mentoring
About you
* professionally qualified Environmental Health Officer with a degree or diploma in environmental health
* registered with the Environmental Health Officer’s Registration Board (or equivalent)
* recent operational experience in Port Health is essential
* experience in food safety and health and safety is highly desirable
* strong working knowledge of UK legislation and a proactive approach to enforcement, education, and public health protection
* confident in providing leadership, guidance, and support to colleagues
Crawley is a thriving borough with a dynamic business district and excellent transport links, including its close proximity to Gatwick Airport. Our modern Town Hall, opened in 2023, offers a collaborative and flexible working environment. We embrace agile working, giving staff the flexibility to work from the office, airport (where applicable), home, or on the move.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering better regulatory services and protecting public health at the border. If you’re a talented, dynamic, and flexible professional ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
Recruitment and retention incentive payment
We recognise the challenges of recruiting and retaining skilled professionals in today’s competitive market and offer a recruitment and retention incentive scheme for hard-to-fill roles such as this. This role will attract a financial incentive of up to £6,000 paid over three years, in staged instalments. This time-limited incentive is designed to support both recruitment and long-term retention, helping us attract high-quality candidates while encouraging continuity and stability within our teams. The scheme is market-driven, transparent, and applied in a fair and controlled way, ensuring alignment with our pay and job evaluation framework.
Additional information
You will also be required to cover Port Health Officer duty functions at Gatwick Airport covering weekday and weekend duties on a rota, for which a special responsibility allowance will be paid.
Ability to fulfil the criteria required to achieve an airside security pass at Gatwick Airport. This includes the satisfactory clearance of a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS). The check will be a condition of your employment.
A full clean and current UK driving licence will be a requirement of the role.
Casual car user (mileage can be claimed back via expenses).
Employee benefits
We offer a generous employee benefits package, with a range of discounts, benefits and wellbeing incentives to suit everyone.
At Crawley Borough Council, you will have access to a structured programme of learning from day one, designed to help you succeed in your role and grow your career.
Safer recruitment
Crawley Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer of first choice reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all under represented groups.
#J-18808-Ljbffr