Are you passionate about high quality regulatory services and ready to lead a team delivering real impact for our communities?
If you’re someone with significant post‑qualifying experience in food safety, health and safety or port health, and ready to step into a principal role with operational and strategic responsibility, we’d love to hear from you. You’ll be comfortable working in a political environment, dealing with complex and sometimes confrontational situations, and building strong relationships with colleagues, businesses, partners and elected members.
What’s the role all about?
As a Principal Environmental Health Practitioner, you will provide day‑to‑day operational leadership for Food and Safety, acting as the council’s lead officer in a national and international centre of food manufacturing, storage and distribution. You will support the Commercial Regulatory Manager in setting strategic direction, ensuring statutory obligations are met and services are delivered using a risk‑based, intelligence‑led approach.
You will play a key role in developing a positive, proactive and high‑performing culture, ensuring the service contributes effectively to public health outcomes and the wider ambitions of North East Lincolnshire Council.
What will your day look like?
* Leading and managing a number of officers within a multidisciplinary regulatory team covering food, health and safety, port health and trading standards responsibilities, ensuring resources are deployed effectively
* Acting as the lead officer for Food Safety in line with national codes of practice
* Managing a small operational caseload to maintain professional competence
* Providing expert advice and preparing reports and briefings for senior leaders, elected members and committees
* Leading projects, partnerships and joint operations with internal and external stakeholders
* Using innovative and commercial approaches to improve service delivery, manage demand and maximise income
* Handling complaints, enquiries and complex regulatory matters
* Supporting staff through coaching, development and change, promoting reflective practice and continuous improvement
* Some out‑of‑hours working in line with service needs
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for a qualified Environmental Health Practitioner, or an individual with equivalent qualifications who is registered and deemed competent by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, with significant experience working in a regulatory environment and a sound understanding of criminal and civil procedures. You will bring detailed specialist knowledge of food safety, health and safety, port health and public health legislation, alongside proven experience of leading and managing people, performance and change. You will be confident communicating with the public, businesses and senior stakeholders, able to work effectively in partnership across agencies to deliver shared outcomes, and committed to continuous professional development and maintaining high professional standards. A full driving licence and the ability to work agilely are essential.
Why join us?
Joining North East Lincolnshire Council as a Principal Environmental Health Practitioner offers a rewarding opportunity to take on a senior role with real influence, where your expertise will shape services, protect public health and contribute to the wider ambitions of the council. You will work in a varied and impactful role that combines strategic leadership with hands‑on professional practice, leading a skilled team, influencing key decisions and working closely with partners, businesses and elected members. We offer a supportive and values‑driven working environment that encourages innovation, continuous improvement and professional development, giving you the space to lead, challenge and make a meaningful difference to the communities we serve.
Benefits
As part of your RewardNEL package, you will have a generous leave entitlement (including bank holidays) and enrolment into a local government pension. You will also have access to our exclusive RewardNEL platform. The platform includes a variety of salary‑sacrifice schemes including Cycle 2 Work, Holiday Extra and Tusker (Car Lease), discounts at local coffee shops and bars, direct access to in‑house wellbeing support, free and discounted local car parking and instant access to new savings at major retailers, entertainment and hotels. NELC staff can also benefit from flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities and a fostering friendly scheme.
Key Dates
* Closing date: 4 May
* Interviews – W/C 18 May
For more information please contact Neil Beeken at Neil.Beeken@nelincs.gov.uk.
We reserve the right to close our advert early if we have received a significant volume of suitable applications.
We regularly review data to ensure our recruitment processes are fair, transparent and promote equal opportunities for all. We also have an in‑house Equalities Champions Group that works to promote and embed inclusivity in the workplace, helping us identify areas where we can take positive action and make the organisation a safe space for colleagues to feel connected.
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