Senior Environmental Health Officer

Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values.

Over the past twenty years, the Council has built up first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti-racist borough. But the work doesn’t stop there; we are proactive in our approach to bringing fairness to all aspects of life including gender, neurodiversity, and across the poverty divide.

We are looking for a Senior Environmental Health Officer to join Hackney Council’s Environmental Health Team.

This role has recently been revamped to attract officers who are new to the profession and who have successfully completed the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Environmental Health Practitioner portfolio. Those who are also eligible for the Registration of Environmental Health Practitioner (EHP) are encouraged to apply. Equally, if you are an experienced officer and would like to make a move to a Borough that will provide you with an exciting career challenge, stimulation, and growth, then Hackney is the place for you!

The role will focus on food safety, standards, health & safety, and infectious disease control. You will report to an Environmental Health Manager and manage a busy and complex caseload of work. We need someone who can build effective working relationships with our diverse communities and other internal and external stakeholders. You will have good communication skills and be able to negotiate sensitive issues in a professional manner.

You should be able to stay level-headed under pressure and prioritize a competing workload. You will also be part of the 24/7 environmental health out-of-hours service, which attracts an on-call allowance.

We need someone with an analytic mind and experience in enforcement and compliance. You should be a strategic thinker, keen to develop policies that support our ambitions for the borough. On top of that, we also need someone with an eye for detail who understands the importance of accurate record keeping and effective administrative systems.

You will need an appropriate Environmental Health qualification and have evidence of meeting the current Food Standards Agency (FSA) Food Law Code of Practice Framework. You will have industry experience and/or be commercially minded. You will have demonstrable experience in a similar role, and you are someone who can work on their own initiative and is self-driven and motivated by outcomes.

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CVs.

To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application. As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency-based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge, and experience outlined in the job description.

Closing date for applications: 16 March 2025 (22.59).

Interview W/C: 31 March 2025.

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included, and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently underrepresented in our workforce.