Food Safety Team Leader

About Southwark

We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities.? Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities.

We want our people feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.

What does a Food Safety Team Lead do at Southwark?

Leading a team of Food Safety Officers, you’ll be overseeing food law regulations and infectious disease controls, monitoring service performance and quality in line with the Food Law Code of Practice, council guidance, and values.

Working in close collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, you’ll be establishing and leading partnerships with key agencies like the Food Standards Agency, assisting the unit manager with long-term business planning, ensuring the team meet national performance indicators.

Additionally, you’ll be managing a small casework generated from fieldwork, contributing to the strategic management and policy development of the business unit, division, and department.

Who are we looking for?

We’re seeking an experienced and ambitious Environmental Health Practitioner/Officer or Food Safety Officer who is committed to public health and food safety. You’ll hold a relevant degree or equivalent professional qualification, with a thorough understanding of food safety matters, and the requirements set by the Food Standards Agency.

Current or very recent experience in food law regulation is a must, with extensive post-qualification experience in food law enforcement. You’ll have a proven track record of leading and managing a team, with the ability to motivate and develop people and drive up performance.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills are vital, as you will need to engage with various stakeholders including council departments, government agencies, external partners, and the public. You’ll also be able to evidence strong problem solving skills, comfortable in handling complex and contentious issues with sensitivity.

Additional Information

Closing date: Sunday 15 December 2024

Interviews: W/c: 6 January 2025

For an informal conversation, contact Earl Legister email: .uk

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

•  Members of the Armed Forces and veterans•  Are currently in care, or have previously been in care•  If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Please note, this advert may close earlier than stated should we receive a high-volume of applications to shortlist from. 

Attachments

• Please Click Here For the Job Description and Person Specification