Service Lead Public Protection - 05290

West Berkshire Council; Newbury; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Hybrid work

Training opportunities

Local Government pension scheme

Family friendly policies

Employee discounts

Wellbeing programme

Annual leave 30 days + 5 after 5 years

Job summary

West Berkshire Council is seeking a Service Lead to provide strategic leadership and operational management of the Public Protection Service, delivered through the Public Protection Partnership. You will oversee Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing, guiding the team to meet community needs and ensure a fair trading environment.

The role requires extensive public protection expertise, strong leadership and stakeholder engagement, plus the ability to advise elected members and

Qualifications

• Extensive experience and knowledge in public protection, environmental health, trading standards and licensing.
• Proven track record leading and managing teams to deliver outcomes.
• Strong stakeholder management with internal and external partners.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with elected members and the Council.
• Sound understanding of regulatory frameworks and enforcement practices.
• Ability to analyse complex issues and make informed decisions.
• Proactive and solution‑focused approach to problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Public Protection Shared Service, including Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing.
• Ensure delivery of high‑quality services meeting local community needs.
• Collaborate with internal services and external partners on public protection issues.
• Provide expert advice to the Council and elected members on public protection matters.
• Oversee regulatory compliance and enforcement activities.

Skills

Public protection

Environmental health

Trading standards

Licensing

Stakeholder mgmt

Communication

Regulatory frameworks

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Job description

Are you an experienced leader in public protection looking for an exciting new opportunity within local government? West Berkshire Council is seeking a Service Lead to provide strategic leadership, direction and operational management of the Public Protection Service, delivered through the Public Protection Partnership. This role reports to the Service Director for Community Services.

The Role

• Leading and managing the Public Protection Shared Service, including Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing
• Ensuring the delivery of high-quality services that meet the needs of our local community
• Working collaboratively with other services and external partners to address public protection issues
• Providing expert advice and guidance to the Council and elected members on public protection matters
• Overseeing regulatory compliance and enforcement activities

You will play a crucial role in safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of our residents and ensuring a fair and equitable trading environment.

This post is a Sensitive Post for the purpose of the Local Government Housing Act 1989 and the post-holder is therefore restricted from engaging in any prescribed political activities. In summary, this means that you are prohibited from holding political office and from involvement in any political activity within or outside the workplace. Full details of the restrictions can be found in the Council’s Policy and Guidance on Politically Restricted Posts.

The Ideal Candidate

• Extensive experience and knowledge in public protection, environmental health, trading standards and licensing
• A proven track record of leading and managing teams to deliver excellent service outcomes
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to provide advice and guidance to elected members and the Council
• Sound understanding of regulatory frameworks and enforcement practices
• Ability to analyse complex issues and make informed decisions
• A proactive and solution-focused approach to problem-solving

Why Work for West Berkshire Council?

West Berkshire Council Offer Excellent Employment Benefits Such As

• Flexible working wherever possible between the hours of 07.00-21.00
• Hybrid working wherever possible working 40% in the office
• Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities
• Generous Local Government pension scheme
• Family friendly policies
• A range of local discounts
• Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits
• You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 30 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Join us at West Berkshire Council and make a positive impact in our community while advancing your career. Explore everything that a career with West Berkshire Council has to offer here: Working with Us

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact April Peberdy on 07917 627444 or email [e-mail]

Equal Opportunities

The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.

This role involves regulated activity with adults at risk. As such, appointment is subject to an Enhanced DBS check with the relevant Barred List(s).

In this post you will be required to maintain continuous registration with the DBS Update Service for the duration of your employment.

This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire Council https://info.westberks.gov.uk/pnapplications

AI in Applications

We recognise that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the preparation of their job applications. When used appropriately, AI can be a helpful aid in structuring responses, checking clarity, and improving presentation.

However, applications must reflect your own skills, experience and understanding. If an application appears to rely excessively on AI-generated content, it may not meet the required standard and could be rejected.

We encourage all applicants to ensure their submissions are authentic, tailored to the role, and clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, experience and suitability.