Food and Safety Technical Officer

Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Part time

Job summary

A district council in Suffolk is seeking a part-time Food and Safety Technical Officer to support their Food and Safety regulatory service. The successful candidate will conduct inspections, audits, and investigations related to food safety, while managing administrative duties. They should have relevant qualifications, excellent analytical and negotiation skills, and a commitment to public service. The role includes hybrid working options and a competitive benefits package, aiming to improve the lives of local residents.

Benefits

Generous leave entitlement

Local Government Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programs

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience with food and safety regulations.
• Ability to work with external agencies and customers.
• Clean driving licence and access to a car for work.

Responsibilities

• Conduct food safety inspections and audits.
• Investigate food poisoning incidents and private water supplies.
• Maintain accurate records and reports.

Skills

Analytical skills

Auditing experience

Negotiation skills

Administration skills

Communication skills

Education

Relevant qualification at NVQ Level 4 or equivalent

Tools

Assure software

M3 software

Job description

Overview

• Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
• Address: Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX
• Salary: £37,280 - £44,075 per annum pro rata
• Hours: Part Time, 22.2 hours per week
• Contract: Permanent

Join our team

We are looking for a Food and Safety Technical Officer to join our Food and Safety Team. If you share our values and you are motivated to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities, we would love to hear from you.

About the role

You will carry out and be responsible for a range of technical and administrative duties in support of the Food and Safety regulatory service, both in and out of the office.

Your duties will include:

• collecting samples and information from premises and households, assist with food poisoning and private water supply investigations
• carrying out healthier catering award assessments of retail food businesses
• carrying out audit assessments of low-risk food businesses
• carrying out caravan licence inspections and issue licences
• maintaining and update computer-based and paper records including complex spreadsheets and produce reports from the data
• processing requisitions, invoices and payments for supplies and services
• maintaining equipment, stocks of consumables and work out low-cost ways of replacing consumables for ongoing projects.

You will need to have a clean driving licence and access to a car to enable occasional travel for work purposes.

About you

We are looking for an experienced Food and Safety Officer with relevant qualifications at NVQ Level 4 or equivalent knowledge gained through experience in a similar role.

You will need to demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of Food and Safety regulations as well as a working understanding of local government.

You will have had experience of liaising with external government agencies and customers in a service industry.

You will also:

• be able to analyse and interpret varied information or situations and to solve problems
• have experience of auditing, investigation and enforcement
• use persuasive, negotiating and training skills e.g. aimed at seeking agreement/compromise or developing understanding of legal and technical guidance
• have the ability to ask questions, seek clarification and exchange information using tact and diplomacy with a range of different people and groups
• have good administration skills including a knowledge of Assure and M3 software
• have working knowledge of environmental health services and some experience in this field
• be skilled in dealing with members of the public and commercial operators, often in stressful and difficult situations
• have good communication skills
• have previous experience working in a customer orientated service.

About us

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in.

We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors.

We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

• 60 conservation areas
• two National Landscapes
• many picturesque market towns

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK (United Kingdom).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs.
• Private Health Care Options.
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting).
• Great learning and development opportunities.

For more information, visit our Employee Benefits page.

Our ways of working

We believe work is what we do, not just where we go.

We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

For more information

For an informal discussion, please contact Sally Haggerstone, Food and Safety Manager by either calling 07545 500826 or emailing [e-mail]

Please read the Job Description and Person Specification (pdf) before applying for this job opportunity.

Closing date: 5pm, 20 February 2026.

How to apply

Please ensure your:

• application form is fully completed, including employment and education history
• supporting statement clearly addresses how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.