Trading Standards Officer / Senior Trading Standards Officer

We are looking for three highly motivated and enthusiastic people to join our Trading Standards team. Two of these positions are permanent posts and one will be offered on two year fixed term contract/secondment with the potential to become permanent subject to funding.

These posts will build upon our established work, protecting consumers and legitimate businesses across Medway.

We are looking for people with strong communication skills who can comfortably work with our partners, both internal and external to the council.

To be considered for one of these posts you will need to have either a professional qualification in Trading Standards or extensive investigatory experience in a regulatory role, with a thorough knowledge of relevant legislation and codes of practice, such as PACE, RIPA, CPIA and the Protection of Freedoms Act.

These posts will especially suit those currently in a law enforcement or a regulatory role who want the routine of office hours with the potential to work from home and flexible working.

Medway Council has a career grade for Trading Standards Officers and your starting salary will be dependant of qualifications, experience and competences.

These positions allow for the successful candidates to work from home for part of the week, subject to operational needs, with the main office base being Deangate Ridge, Hoo.

You must hold a full driving licence and have access to a vehicle, that is insured for business use, for which the appropriate allowance will be paid.

In return we offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers
• The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

We're committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency.  Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change.

Our organisation:

Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.

Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.

We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.

Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager please call David Cross on 01634 333175

Interviews are likely to be held virtually via Microsoft Teams.  Full details on how this will work will be sent to you, if your application is successfully shortlisted.

Important Information-

Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile

Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.

For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.

Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted.  All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.

Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.