Job Description

Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.

This role is a temporary position with an expected commitment of 23 months. Expressions of interest are invited from eligible staff in bands A-B.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has a wide and diverse remit, encompassing policy, science and operational delivery across food and feed safety, standards and authenticity, together with diet and nutrition.

The post holder sits within Food Standard’s Scotland Local Authority Delivery Division and will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate support is provided for Local Authority Environmental Health teams to enable the effective regulation of the food industry. The post holder will also represent FSS at local authority forums, support local authority delivery of food official controls and be a subject matter expert in the delivery of food official controls enabling the support of local authorities and other internal/external stakeholders.

The postholder will also provide risk management advice in support of incident handling and lead the review and maintenance of key local authority support materials, including the Food Law Code of Practice.

Key responsibilities

• Lead projects to facilitate the review of local authority support materials
• Take responsibility for the oversight and day to day management of specific team priorities
• Provide subject matter expertise to others within the team and other teams within FSS as required to support organisational priorities
• Lead on the provision of risk management and enforcement advice in relation to food safety incidents
• Represent FSS at local authority facing meetings and lead on local authority engagement, focusing on building and enhancing relationships
• Work with other teams throughout FSS to ensure a collaborative and joined up approach
• Take the lead in providing updates to local authorities and associated professional bodies at seminars, events and committees, as required
• Take the lead in ensuring that communication to the FSS Board, Scottish Ministers and key officials within other government departments is timely and effective
• Any other duties commensurate with the grading of the role

Based on the ODP Competency Framework

1. Connections and Communication – Practitioner
2. Operational Leadership – Working

3. Data and Insight – Working

Essential Professional Qualifications or Accreditation

Diploma in Environmental Health awarded by the Royal Environmental Health Institute in Scotland (REHIS), or equivalent; or

Higher Certificate in Food Premises Inspection awarded by REHIS and the Higher Certificate in Food Standards awarded by REHIS, or equivalent; or

Higher Certificate in Food Control awarded by REHIS, or equivalent

Experience required

Direct significant experience of regulating the food sector, including formal enforcement, in-depth experience of inspecting and auditing high risk food processing and manufacturing sector.

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide

In line with our current ways of working, our team follows a hybrid working approach, where colleagues use a mix of office based and remote working (working from home) depending on the requirements of the role and personal circumstances.

The post is a full-time role, but staff with different working patterns are invited to apply, and we will assess proposed working patterns against the business requirements for this post.

Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.