Trading Standards Operations Manager

WMJobs; Stafford; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Staffordshire County Council is seeking an ambitious Trading Standards Operations Manager to lead a countywide, intelligence-led service. You will drive performance, shape priorities, and work with partners to protect residents and support compliant businesses.

Based in Stafford with flexible working options, the role expects strategic leadership and responsible governance. The ideal candidate will have a recognised Trading Standards qualification, senior management experience and a proven

Qualifications

• Recognised Trading Standards qualification (Diploma in Trading Standards/DCATS or equivalent).
• Leadership qualification to NVQ Level 4 or higher.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams within regulatory services.
• Ability to manage conflict and make evidence-based decisions.
• Strong strategic thinking with ability to translate priorities for staff.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and partnership-working skills.
• Full current driving licence and travel capability.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for a modern, intelligence-led Trading Standards service.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement using data, technology and processes.
• Protect communities by targeting high risks with intelligence-led regulation.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams and foster accountability.
• Support economic growth by partnering with local, regional and national partners.
• Ensure governance, lawful enforcement and effective resource management.

Skills

Trading Standards qualification

Leadership qualification

Team leadership

Decision making

Strategic thinking

Negotiation skills

Driving licence

Education

Diploma in Trading Standards

NVQ Level 4 equivalent

Job description

Staffordshire County Council,

Our Trading Standards service is dedicated to protecting consumers and businesses by promoting a safe and fair trading environment. We enforce regulations across a wide variety of legislation, aiming to prevent harm and financial loss to consumers by working with businesses to ensure compliance and fairness.

We are seeking an ambitious, professional, dynamic and motivated experienced leader to join our Trading Standards management team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in providing strategic direction and leadership for the Service.

You will be required to work effectively in partnership to influence others and will play a key role in shaping and delivering frontline services that keep people safe, protect vulnerable communities, and enable residents to thrive.

As Trading Standards Operations Manager, you will provide operational leadership for our countywide Trading Standards service, ensuring that we meet our statutory responsibilities and deliver effective, intelligence-led and proportionate regulation. You will lead and support professional teams working to protect vulnerable residents, tackle offending, support compliant businesses and maintain a fair and sustainable trading environment.

You will also act as the Council’s Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures and play a central role in shaping service priorities, improving performance and strengthening partnership working.

You will be based in Stafford with the opportunity to work flexibly subject to business requirements.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for a modern, intelligence-led Trading Standards service aligned to Council priorities and focused on delivering measurable outcomes.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement through better use of data, technology, systems and processes to maximise impact and productivity.
• Protect communities by targeting resources at the highest risks, using intelligence-led regulation to prevent harm, exploitation and financial loss.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous professional growth to deliver excellent services.
• Support economic growth and strong partnerships by helping compliant businesses thrive and working with local, regional and national partners to tackle complex issues.
• Ensure effective governance and public confidence through responsible resource management, lawful enforcement, statutory duties and advocacy for the value of Trading Standards.

The Ideal Candidate

The minimum criteria that will be used to shortlist for this role will be:

• A recognised Trading Standards qualification, such as the Diploma in Trading Standards, DCATS or an equivalent qualification.
• A management/leadership qualification equivalent to NVQ Level 4 or willing to work towards this.
• Substantial experience of leading and managing multidisciplinary professional teams, including performance management within a regulatory services environment.
• The ability to manage conflict, handle difficult situations and make sound, evidence-based decisions when problem-solving and delivering service improvement.
• Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to translate priorities into clear and practical direction for staff.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation and partnership-working skills, with the confidence to build effective relationships at all levels.
• A full current driving licence and the ability to meet the travel requirements of the role.

It would also be desirable if you have:

• Strong knowledge of national, regional and local government policy, including current issues and trends affecting Trading Standards.
• A sound understanding of quality-assurance processes and their practical application within a service environment.
• The ability to interpret and implement complex legislation, policies and operational plans.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly to different audiences.
• Experience of financial management, resource prioritisation and identifying opportunities to generate income.

If this sounds like a good match to your skills, we look forward to hearing from you. In return we can offer you an exciting and diverse role which is rewarded with a competitive salary and benefits package within the high performing and supportive Regulatory Services and Community Safety team.

Don't feel you meet all the requirements? We value transferrable skills, experiences, and qualifications so for an informal chat about the role, please contact: Mark Wilson, Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety on 01782 279004 or email: [e-mail]

Interviews (In-person at SP1): Friday 16th October 2026

Our Recruitment Process:

We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

Please note: The minimum essential criteria in the ideal candidate section detailed above will be used if you are applying under one of our Interview Guarantee Schemes.

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.