Environmental Protection Officer Tier 1 (Gr F - G)

Job Category : Facilities & Environmental Services
Location : Guildhall 2, Royal Borough of Kingston
Hours Per Week : 36.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:00
Salary: £18.95

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the NHS have created a pooled fund to invest in programmes to help people live healthier lives and support families across the borough.

About the role
We are looking to recruit an Environmental Health professional for a fixed term position until the end of March 2025. You will join our existing teams who are delivering the Service’s responsibilities in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

The role offers the chance for you to utilise a wide range of skills and knowledge whilst managing your own workload, both proactively and reactively. This role will see you actively Assisting Regulatory services with business engagement work, conducting visits, assisting in the investigation of complaints and conducting food inspections.

The focus of this role is all about publicising and increasing uptake of health prevention programmes, such as stop smoking services, and encouraging behaviour change around alcohol consumption and healthy eating through the provision of advice and support to businesses.

In carrying out the duties of this role, you will;

Provide advice and guidance on ‘Living with COVID’ including infection control, ventilation and advising on risk assessments.
Promote vaccine and booster uptake (for covid and other diseases) and any other public health messaging as required by the Director of Public Health in the business community, by undertaking visits to businesses
Providing support and guidance to businesses on the Healthy Catering Commitment and compliance with the High Fat Salt and Sugars legislation.
Promoting the borough’s School Superzones – a concentrated effort in a specific area of deprivation in the borough looking to increase the offer of nutritious food in food business operators in order to give children a healthier start in life.

The role is suitable for an officer who is confident in holding direct face to face conversations with businesses to promote public health messaging.

As part of a multidisciplinary service, the role will also encompass:
identifying and providing advice to shisha cafes
providing support to businesses on food hygiene and food standards interventions
sharing of smoking cessation offer for businesses and individuals
providing advice and guidance on single use plastics legislation
monitoring and enforcement of licensing compliance (training provided),

The post holder will also be responsible for undertaking food hygiene and food standards inspections (as directed), with a minimum expectation of C rated and below, however where qualifications and experience allow the carrying out of all category inspections may be required.

We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic professional to join us and make a difference to the lives of people in Kingston.

About you

We are seeking someone with wide experience of the remit of an Environmental Health service. We would like to hear from you if you are an Environmental Health professional or graduate in a related subject who can demonstrate competency as required by the Food Law Code of Practice.

You may already be competent in the Healthy Catering Commitment scheme, or be willing to complete the training, but must be able to audit and maintain current members of the scheme whilst encouraging new businesses to join. You must have an understanding of the High Fat Sugar and Salt legislation and be able to provide advice to businesses on this subject.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate experience of being reactive to food and safety service requests and undertaking investigations.

You will be organised, diligent and flexible. Excellent record keeping and communication skills are essential as the ability to work on your own initiative. You will have an eye for detail and be comfortable working independently, under pressure and with changing priorities as well as working with other teams within the Regulatory Service to resolve issues identified in a range of service areas. Familiarity with the IDOX Uniform database is desirable.

We offer very agile working facilities with up-to-date messaging and video technology provided by Google applications. You will initially be expected to almost exclusively work in the district, and must have access to transport, a full driving licence and business insurance. You will also be able to access flexible working spaces in Kingston’s Guildhall Complex.