Environmental Health Professionals

Job overview
We are looking for a range of qualified Environmental Health professionals, including those nearing qualification, to join our busy Residential and Commercial teams. We are a busy inner London Authority seeking to ensure housing and business compliance is met across the borough.  We are looking for dynamic, hard-working individuals who have a passion for improving standards and taking enforcement action where necessary.
The Residential team deal with enforcing standards in the private rented sector, including through property licensing schemes. There is borough-wide additional HMO licensing and a selective licensing scheme within one ward, although we are due to expand this.  The Commercial team deal with food safety, health and safety at work, infectious disease prevention, public health work and public health complaints regarding commercial premises. Both teams work on a proactive and reactive basis.

Main duties of the job
Residential:
You will be responsible for securing improvements to standards and management in privately rented housing through investigation, engagement and enforcement.  This will involve surveying privately rented properties to identify housing defects, undertake a comprehensive risk assessment of hazards using HHSRS and take appropriate action to remediate.  

You will be required to utilise your expert knowledge of Housing Act and other relevant legislation to identify the most appropriate enforcement action to secure compliance with legal requirements.  You will also be required to collate and present evidence in court and defend council decisions at the Residential Property Tribunal.  As an experienced enforcement officer you will be authorised to undertake the full range of enforcement powers, including Improvement and Prohibition Notices, Prosecutions and Civil Penalty Notices.
You will manage a mixed caseload of reactive service requests, planned licensing verification and monitoring activities, unlicensed and rogue landlord investigations.  You will collect, use and analyse data to support interventions and maintain comprehensive records of actions and decision making.
You will need to establish good working relationships with tenants, landlords, builders, managing agents, lawyers as well as other council officers in order to achieve the best outcomes for private renters.

Commercial:
You will be responsible for securing both food hygiene and food standards improvements to a varied range of food businesses in the borough through inspection, engagement and enforcement.
You will be responsible for investigating RIDDOR reports and health and safety complaints as well as undertaking a range of intelligence led health and safety inspections.
You will be responsible for investigating and resolving complaints of a public health nature, such as odour nuisance or drainage issues, associated with commercial premises.
You will be required to utilise your expert knowledge of relevant legislation to identify the most appropriate enforcement action to secure compliance with legal requirements. You will also be required to collate and present evidence in court and maybe required to present evidence at certain types of licensing committee.
As an experienced enforcement officer, you will be authorised to undertake the full range of enforcement powers, including Improvement and Prohibition Notices, simple cautions and Prosecutions.
You will manage a mixed caseload of reactive service requests, project work and proactive inspections. You will collect, use and analyse data to support interventions and maintain comprehensive records of actions and decision making.

You will need to establish good working relationships with business owners, complainants, UKHSA, FSA, HSE as well as other council officers in order to achieve the best outcomes for service users.
Benefits to working for Islington:
Islington is a vibrant, diverse and dynamic borough and you will play a key role in helping us to create a more equal Islington by supporting our ambition for all private renters to have a safe and decent home.
There are a range of benefits to working for Islington: 

Up to 31 days leave per year (plus 5 days with long-service entitlement)
A range of flexible working arrangements
Excellent pension scheme
Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
Annual season ticket loan
Zone 1-2 Travelcard
Cycle to Work Scheme and discounted gym memberships
Payroll giving
Personal computer incentive scheme
Closing date: Sunday 7th April 2024 at 23:59 
Interviews: to be confirmed

For further information or for an informal conversation about the post, please contact:

Anne Coates - Environmental Health Manager (Residential)
anne.coates@islington.gov.uk
0207 527 3037
or
 Maxine Morgan - Environmental Health Manager (Commercial)
 maxine.morgan@islington.gov.uk
 0207 527 4241