Trading Standards Enforcement Officer

Birmingham City Council; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Trading Standards Enforcement Officer to join our busy team in Birmingham. You will investigate and enforce legislation to protect consumers, undertake inspections, gather evidence and support prosecutions, often in challenging environments.

The role is physical, requires travelling across Birmingham, and involves flexible hours including evenings and weekends when needed. A Basic DBS check and a full UK driving licence are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in criminal enforcement or regulatory investigations.
• Willingness to perform flexible hours and travel across Birmingham.
• DBS check and driving licence required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct inspections and participate in enforcement operations.
• Gather, bag and store evidence and prepare case files.
• Draft witness statements and assist in court proceedings.
• Support investigations from initial intelligence to prosecution.

Skills

Criminal enforcement

Evidence handling

Investigation support

Job description

Birmingham City Council is one of the largest local authorities in Europe, serving a diverse and vibrant community across the city. The Trading Standards team plays a vital role in protecting consumers, tackling illegal trading activity, supporting legitimate businesses, and enforcing a wide range of legislation. You will be joining an established team of 18 officers within Trading Standards, creating a supportive and knowledgeable working environment.

Your new role

As a Trading Standards Enforcement Officer, you will play a crucial role in investigating and enforcing legislation designed to protect consumers and disrupt criminal trading activity. Working as part of a busy enforcement team, you will undertake inspections, participate in raids and enforcement operations, gather and manage evidence, and support investigations from initial intelligence through to prosecution.

The role will involve preparing case files, witness statements and court or hearing documentation, as well as attending legal proceedings when required. You will be responsible for ensuring evidence is correctly bagged, tagged and stored in accordance with legal procedures, while supporting wider criminal enforcement activity across the city.

This is a varied and hands‑on position that combines investigative work with operational enforcement duties. It is important to note that the role can be physically demanding at times, with responsibilities including moving and handling seized goods and evidence, which may vary in size and weight.

Flexibility is essential, as the nature of enforcement work means activity does not always take place during standard office hours. Evening and weekend working will be required when operational needs dictate. Where additional hours are worked, Birmingham City Council offers flexibility through adjusted start times or time off in lieu arrangements, recognising that enforcement activity often needs to take place when offences are occurring.

To be successful in this role, you will have previous experience within a criminal enforcement environment, ideally within Trading Standards or a similar regulatory, compliance or investigative setting. You will have experience supporting investigations, handling evidence and preparing documentation for court proceedings or hearings.

Strong organisational and communication skills are essential, together with the ability to work methodically and professionally in sometimes challenging situations. You will be comfortable working both independently and as part of a wider enforcement team and will be able to adapt to changing priorities and operational demands.

Candidates must be willing to obtain a Basic DBS check, possess a full UK driving licence and have access to their own vehicle, as travel throughout Birmingham will form a key part of the role.

What you'll get in return

In return, you will receive a competitive rate of £20.86 per hour PAYE inclusive of holiday pay, alongside the opportunity to gain valuable experience within one of the country's largest local authorities. You will join an established and knowledgeable Trading Standards team, undertaking meaningful work that has a direct impact on protecting consumers and tackling criminal activity across Birmingham.

This is a 3-month ongoing contract offering 35 hours per week, with the potential for extension and future opportunities within the service. The role provides a varied workload, exposure to complex investigations and the chance to make a real difference through frontline enforcement activity.

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