Food Safety Officer

Birmingham City Council; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Membership of West Midlands Pension

Enhanced Holiday Entitlement

My Rewards Scheme

Health and wellbeing support

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a qualified Food Safety Officer to join our Environmental Health team. You will undertake food hygiene inspections, investigate complaints, conduct sampling, and support disease investigations across Birmingham.

Essential: Higher Certificate in Food Control, full UK driving licence, and eligibility under the Food Law Code of Practice. This permanent role offers development opportunities and a strong public health impact.

Qualifications

• Experience undertaking food hygiene and food standards inspections.
• Experience investigating complaints and carrying out enforcement activities.
• Knowledge of Food Safety and Environmental Health legislation.

Responsibilities

• Undertake food hygiene and food standards inspections.
• Investigate complaints relating to food safety and public health.
• Carry out food and water sampling activities.
• Support infectious disease investigations and control measures.
• Inspect licensed, registered, and approved food businesses.
• Assist manufacturing and exporting food businesses with compliance requirements.
• Support the export of products of animal origin.
• Take enforcement action where necessary, including serving notices and preparing legal case files.
• Gather evidence and represent the Council in court proceedings when required.
• Provide professional advice to businesses, residents, government departments, and partner organisations.
• Respond to environmental health incidents and service requests.

Skills

Food safety inspections

Enforcement actions

Communication skills

Driving licence

Education

Higher Certificate in Food Control

Job description

Food Safety Officer Permanent Grade D - £46,579-£55,224 Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Equal Pay Programme Working 36.5 hours per week

Looking for your next Food Safety role?

Do you hold the Higher Certificate in Food Control? Are you an experienced Food Safety professional looking for a fresh challenge in one of the UK's largest local authorities?

Birmingham City Council has exciting opportunities for qualified Food Safety Officers to join our expanding Environmental Health team. This is your chance to make a real impact on public health while working across one of the most diverse and vibrant cities in the country.

With a varied caseload, excellent professional development opportunities, and the ability to work on high-profile food safety issues, this role offers both challenge and reward in equal measure.

As an Food Safety Officer, you will:

• Undertake food hygiene and food standards inspections.
• Investigate complaints relating to food safety and public health.
• Carry out food and water sampling activities.
• Support infectious disease investigations and control measures.
• Inspect licensed, registered, and approved food businesses.
• Assist manufacturing and exporting food businesses with compliance requirements.
• Support the export of products of animal origin.
• Take enforcement action where necessary, including serving notices and preparing legal case files.
• Gather evidence and represent the Council in court proceedings when required.
• Provide professional advice to businesses, residents, government departments, and partner organisations.
• Respond to environmental health incidents and service requests.

As a Food Safety Officer, you will play a vital role in protecting public health by ensuring food businesses across Birmingham comply with food hygiene and food standards legislation.

What you'll need...

We are looking for individuals who are highly motivated, passionate and committed to delivering excellent regulatory services.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Practical experience undertaking food hygiene and food standards inspections.
• Experience investigating complaints and carrying out enforcement activities.
• Knowledge of relevant Food Safety and Environmental Health legislation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• The ability to build positive relationships with businesses, residents, and partner organisations.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Confidence working independently and as part of a team.
• A commitment to high professional standards and enforcing legislation fairly and consistently.

Essential:

• Higher Certificate in Food Control to deliver food hygiene and food standards official controls.
• Ability to meet the relevant qualification and competency requirements of the Food Law Code of Practice (England)*
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. Business travel within Birmingham is required, with mileage reimbursement provided.

*A note on qualifications – these are prescribed in the Food Law Code of Practice (FLCoP) and there is no flexibility to deviate from this. You will be required to demonstrate that you have a suitable qualification as prescribed in sections 3.2.3.1 and 3.2.3.2 of the FLCoP. Alternatives can only be accepted if you are able to demonstrate equivalency in writing in line with section 3.2.3.5 of the FLCoP and this is submitted with your application. Where you are ‘working towards’ your qualification your CV needs to be explicit in the stage you are currently at and the timeline for completion. Applications will not be accepted if you only hold a qualification specified in 3.2.3.4 of FLCoP or you do not meet the requirements of 3.2.3.1 and 3.2.3.2, or 3.2.3.5.

Help protect public health. Make a difference in Birmingham. Join our Environmental Health Team today.

Meet Us at the Birmingham Careers Fair

Interested in finding out more? Come and meet our team and discover what it's like to work for Birmingham City Council.

Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG
30 October 2026
10:00am to 2:00pm
Free tickets available: Birmingham Careers Fair Tickets

What we offer in return…

• Membership of West Midlands Pension Fund – with generous employer contributions
• Enhanced Holiday Entitlement – 30 days, increasing with length of service
• My Rewards Scheme – access to over 800 brands providing discounts and savings
• Health and wellbeing support – independent and confidential employee assistance and counselling

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people.

We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.

Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Birmingham City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our citizens and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. You can view our Corporate Safeguarding Policy | Birmingham City Council here.

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Job Description and Person Specification