Food Safety Team Leader

Food Safety Team Leader
Location: South East London 
Rate: Up to £60 per hour umbrella (depending on the experience)
Contract: 3 months ongoing
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
Working Pattern: Hybrid working, based on service demand
Start Date: ASAP

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Food Safety Team Leader to join a Regulatory Services team within a local authority in South East London.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced food safety professional to lead and manage a team responsible for delivering the full range of food safety regulatory functions. Alongside the management responsibilities, you will maintain a small caseload, primarily involving more complex food safety cases.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team comprising Principal Enforcement Officers, Enforcement Officers, Assistant Enforcement Officers and support staff.
• Oversee the day-to-day delivery of the Food Safety team's regulatory functions.
• Manage a small caseload, focusing primarily on complex food safety cases.
• Undertake business planning and performance management for the team.
• Ensure policies, procedures and working practices remain current and effective.
• Ensure food safety functions are delivered in accordance with statutory requirements and relevant guidance.
• Ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for both food hygiene and food standards responsibilities.
• Monitor team performance and provide regular supervision, support and guidance.
• Contribute to strategic planning and the development of the service.
• Work collaboratively with the Business Unit Manager and wider Regulatory Services team.
• Support the delivery of wider departmental and Council priorities.

The successful candidate will have:

• Extensive and current experience regulating food safety within a local authority environment.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, food hygiene and food standards legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading, managing or supervising a food safety/enforcement team.
• Experience dealing with complex food safety enforcement cases.
• A strong understanding of statutory food law requirements and relevant guidance.
• Experience of business planning and performance management.
• Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver effective regulatory services.

Essential QualificationSuitable candidates must be either:

• A qualified Environmental Health Officer (EHO) currently undertaking food safety enforcement work; or
• A Food Safety Officer who holds the required qualification set out in the current Food Law Code of Practice.

If you are an experienced local authority food safety professional with strong team leadership and enforcement experience, we would be keen to hear from you.