Principal EHO Reactive Team

This is a full time, permanent position. We are seeking an experienced and motivated Principal Environmental Health Officer to lead our Statutory Nuisance service and play a key role in protecting public health and improving environmental quality across the city. This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious Environmental Health professional to lead a dedicated team, manage complex investigations, and help shape the future delivery of environmental protection services.

To provide and maintain a high level of professional expertise and advice in the management, organisation and operation of the Environmental Regulation Section's statutory functions in relation to Statutory Nuisance, Licensing and Planning. To ensure that the relevant aims of the City Council are met, that the service and its decisions are fair, open and accountable, and to provide a high-quality front-line service to its customers.

To act as a member of the Environmental Regulation management team and contribute to the delivery of the Service Area Business Plan with specific responsibility for the actions of an Environmental Health Officer and four Environmental Protection Officers. This requires implementing corporate policies and procedures, being conversant with national policies and initiatives, developing teamwork plans and operational procedures, as well as managing staff performance.

To develop an annual work plan, identify priorities, set targets and monitor performance to ensure that programmes of work are delivered and that associated annual returns are produced on behalf of the Council for the relevant lead bodies including the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Ensure that suitable planning takes place to ensure adherence to targets on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis in order for the authority to meet its targets, balancing reactive and pro-active workloads to achieve this.

To undertake the supervision of Professional and Technical Officers to direct their work to achieve agreed targets and to undertake a personal caseload of the more complex cases, requiring a depth of experience and professional competence. To take the lead role in ensuring officers are competent to exercise their statutory powers, that resources are allocated on the basis of risk and that any enforcement action is consistent with the requirements of the relevant lead body, legislation and Government guidance as appropriate To provide a high level of knowledge and expertise in the areas of specialisation, especially in most complex enforcement and allied functions, and assist in the management of highly interactive client focused services.

Dealing with statutory nuisance, (particularly noise nuisance, but also smoke and odour) can often be challenging for the team in relation to both commercial and domestic sources of nuisance. Those suffering from the effects will often feel that their lives are very disrupted and are likely to be emotionally affected. For the person who is the perpetrator behaviour changes will be needed to maintain a positive outcome.

Within the whole team, strong diplomatic skills are essential, as is empathy when dealing with distressed residents. However, the Principal Environmental Health Officer needs to have skills to negotiate the most challenging situations, which also often involve Members. This also applies to dealing with filthy and verminous properties. For commercial situations, there can be a conflict between existing businesses and residents.

Often solutions involve major investment so the Principal Environmental Health Officer will need to be fully accountable for informal advice given through negotiation and correspondence as well as for the formal action taken, which would eventually be resolved through court proceedings. To contribute to and assist in policy formulation for the Service, by taking a lead responsibility on those policies and procedures relating to statutory nuisance, and other related legislation.

To contribute to and assist in policy formulation for the Service.