Principal Officer (Food)

Hull City Council; Witham St Hughs; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 42,000; Part time

Job summary

Hull City Council is seeking a Part-time Principal Officer to lead a small team of Food Safety Officers within the Food Safety Team. You will provide day-to-day leadership, guidance and oversight while handling enforcement, advisory and investigative work across the full spectrum of food safety functions.

You will manage workloads, coach apprentices and staff, and represent the authority in court when required, helping to maintain high regulatory standards and protect public health.

Qualifications

• Higher Certificate in Food Control awarded by EHRB or CIEH.
• MSc, BSc(Hons), Degree or Diploma in Environmental Health.

Responsibilities

• Managing, supporting and providing professional guidance to Food Safety Officers
• Conducting food hygiene and food safety inspections and investigations
• Investigating food-related complaints, incidents and outbreaks of infectious disease
• Advising businesses on legal requirements and supporting compliance
• Supporting food export certification and related regulatory functions
• Planning and delivering food sampling programmes
• Gathering, assessing and presenting evidence
• Preparing prosecution and other formal enforcement case files
• Representing the authority in court and other legal proceedings
• Working with local, regional and national partner agencies

Education

Higher Certificate in Food Control (EHRB or CIEH)

MSc, BSc(Hons), Degree or Diploma in Environmental Health

Job description

Number of Vacancies: 1 Time Type: Part time Worker Type: Regular Proposed Interview Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026 Hours of Work: 27 Hiring Manager: David Sayers Contact Number: 01482 414949

Job Description Summary

This is a part time, permanent position. If you would like an informal discussion about the position, call David Sayers, Food, Health & Safety Manager, on 01482 414 949. We are seeking a highly motivated and suitably qualified person to join our Food Safety Team. This is an excellent opportunity to take on a leadership role within a supportive and professional service, protecting public health, supporting responsible businesses and helping to develop the next generation of Environmental Health and Food Safety professionals.

About the role

As a Principal Officer, you will provide day-to-day leadership and professional support to a small team of Food Safety Officers. You will be their principal point of contact, providing guidance, oversight and support while helping them to manage their workloads and deliver consistently high standards of regulatory work. Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will undertake a varied range of enforcement, advisory and investigative work across the full spectrum of food safety functions.

Your responsibilities will include

• Managing, supporting and providing professional guidance to Food Safety Officers
• Conducting food hygiene and food safety inspections and investigations
• Investigating food-related complaints, incidents and outbreaks of infectious disease
• Advising businesses on legal requirements and supporting them to achieve and maintain compliance
• Supporting food export certification and related regulatory functions
• Planning and delivering food sampling programmes
• Gathering, assessing and presenting evidence
• Preparing prosecution and other formal enforcement case files
• Representing the authority in court and other legal proceedings
• Working collaboratively with local, regional and national partner agencies

You will also play an important role in supporting the professional development of colleagues. This will include coaching and mentoring apprentices, trainee officers and less experienced staff, helping them to develop their technical knowledge, professional competence and enforcement skills.

The successful candidate must hold

• A Higher Certificate in Food Control awarded by the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB) or CIEH
• An MSc, BSc (Hons), Degree or Diploma in Environmental Health

You will have

• Significant experience of working within a food safety regulatory environment
• Experience of investigating and enforcing legislation across a broad range of food safety matters
• Experience of preparing prosecution or formal enforcement files and presenting evidence
• Experience of providing clear and practical advice to businesses and members of the public
• Strong partnership-working skills and experience of working with local, regional or national agencies
• Experience of supervising, coaching, mentoring or supporting apprentices, trainees or less experienced officers

We are looking for someone who

• Demonstrates sound professional judgement, integrity and accountability
• Has excellent investigative, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Communicates confidently and professionally with businesses, members of the public, legal professionals and partner agencies
• Is organised, self-motivated and able to manage competing priorities
• Can provide effective leadership and support to colleagues
• Is committed to developing others and promoting high professional standards
• Takes a fair, proportionate and evidence-based approach to regulation and enforcement

ROLE AND PURPOSE

To ensure that the statutory duties for which the postholder is responsible are carried out effectively so that the Council complies with its legal obligations. These duties are primarily but not exclusively involve enforcement of food safety legislation in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice (England) and the control of infectious disease under direction from the the "Proper Officer" (UK Health Security Agency). To act as a member of the Food and Health and Safety management team and contribute to the delivery of the Service Area Business Plan; with specific responsibility for the actions of staff within the Food Safety Team. This requires implementing corporate policies and procedures, being conversant with national policies and initiatives, developing team work plans and operational procedures, as well as managing staff performance. To develop an annual work plan with respect to food safety, identify priorities, set targets and monitor performance to ensure that programmes of work are delivered for the relevant lead bodies including the Food Standards Agency. 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 discharge the responsibilities as Lead Officer for Food Safety - this is a statutory function. Failure to comply with food safety standards can have a national as well as a local impact. It is also a vital part of ensuring Hull’s reputation as a city is not tarnished by poor standards of compliance. This role plays a large part in the relationship management between food businesses and the authority. To manage the development and training of Environmental Health Officers and other team members on a day-to-day basis to ensure that they gain the necessary experience for them to be able to progress through the FSA competency framework which has been set up by the Section Manager.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Strategy – To assist the Food and Health and Safety Manager by developing and monitoring adherence to an annual work plan and by implementing and monitoring policies and work programmes to enable the performance of the Section to be managed against objectives. To take a lead role in the day-to-day work in areas of specialisation, a role which may also involve the management of Contractors and external specialists as well as external high-level stakeholders.
2. To identify priorities to ensure that statutory services are undertaken in accordance with the relevant legislation and guidance including that issued by the Food Standards Agency and UK Health Security Agency. To act as a point of contact at Hull City Council for the Food Standards Agency and be a ‘Lead Officer’ for Food Hygiene.
3. To be responsible for, and have the discretion to, initiate investigations to detect and rectify serious breaches of a wide range of legislation. To interview witnesses, take statements, collect, prepare and collate evidence correctly, thoroughly, professionally and in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and departmental procedures, to prepare prosecution reports and to act as a witness in court on behalf of the Council.
4. Customer Focus – To conduct detailed inspections and audits at the highest risk business premises, to determine standards, secure improvements and ensure compliance with legal requirements, so as to safeguard work force and public health, safety and welfare. Investigate the most complex service requests, officer identified contraventions, to identify breaches of legislation