Environmental Health Officer/Housing Standards Officer – Health and Housing - Fire Safety

Contract Type Fixed Term Contract

Working Hours 35 Hours

Job Category Environmental Health

Location

Town Hall

160 Whitechapel Road

LONDON

E1 1BJ

Salary £40,503 - £47,736

Grade I - J

Closing Date Feb 12, 2023

Environmental Health Officer/Housing Standards Officer – Health and Housing

Fire Safety Team

The multi-disciplinary Fire Safety Team works with the Department of Levelling up Housing & Communities, London Fire Brigade, London Government Agency, freeholders, developers, and managing agents to determine the External Wall Systems of all private blocks over 18m and soon from 11m (awaiting Government instruction), to identify materials and buildings of concern and work to remediate. The team monitors the pace of remediation and works towards enforcement action when appropriate.

Benefits and Allowances

We offer a 35-hour working week with the option to earn flexi-time and approximately 6 weeks of paid holiday depending on your public service experience.

Role Purpose

Although these roles sit within the Environmental Health and Trading Standards Service, they will be jointly managed by the cross-directorate Fire Safety Team.

As an Officer with delegated authority, use accredited specialist multi-faceted skills and techniques to carry out a programme of proactive and reactive functions which will contribute to managing fire safety in tall buildings. 

Key Responsibilities

Using delegated powers and specialist skills (i.e. inspection, enforcement powers, negotiation, and persuasion) to gain and ensure compliance with Housing legislation so that safety standards are maintained for residents. To ensure that our tall residential buildings in Tower Hamlets are compliant with Fire Safety requirements. 

Requirements

The successful candidate will have experience in enforcing Housing legislation and supervising staff (Principal Officer).

To have experience in inspecting tall buildings in relation to Fire Safety.

Additional Information

Tower Hamlets is a fascinating borough, a multi-cultural community steeped in history. The contrasts and challenges in Environmental Health work range from the “Curry Capital” of Brick Lane to the expanding high-tech corporate worldwide financial institutions in Canary Wharf, employing thousands of people using the services that Environmental Health is responsible for. Our Service is forward-looking and has many exciting challenges to face. 

We are looking for an experienced Officer to carry out the full range of duties within our Tall Residential blocks dealing with cladding issues including supervising and Managing Staff (Principal Officer), developing our IT systems to enhance customer experience (Principal Officer), proactive inspections, issuing notices and preparing legal proceedings, to be Housing Health and Safety Rating System Trained

For an informal discussion about this post please contact David Tolley, Head of Environmental Health & Trading Standards on 020 7364 6724

Please visit our Fire Safety Recruitment micro-site for more information about this recruitment.

Application Details

This is a 2-year fixed term with a possibility of extension pending funding approval.

Tower Hamlets vision for our borough is that: people are aspirational, independent, and have equal access to opportunities; we are a borough that our residents are proud of and love to live in; and we are a dynamic, outcomes-based council using digital innovation and partnership working to respond to the changing needs of our borough. We want people who aspire to our TOWER values: Together; Open; Willing; Excellent; Respect.

Tower Hamlets has a zero-tolerance approach and works to eradicate, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, status as a civil partner, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and maternity and looks to employ a diverse workforce representative of those groups. We recognise that people can also be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.

We welcome applicants interested in flexible working arrangements and applicants who live in the borough.