Senior Environmental Health Officer - Environmental Protection

Buckingham Futures is supporting a Lincolnshire local authority with the appointment of a Full Time Permanent Experienced Senior Environmental Health Officer to play a key role in delivering and developing a broad Environmental Protection service.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Environmental Health professional looking for a role where you can combine technical expertise, leadership and meaningful public protection work.

You'll take the lead on complex and potentially high-risk investigations, provide specialist technical advice, support the development of colleagues and help shape the delivery of essential regulatory services.

Enjoy the flexibility of hybrid working, alongside a varied and rewarding role offering technical leadership, professional development and the opportunity to make a tangible difference to local communities.

This is also a career-graded position, offering the opportunity to join at the initial grade and develop towards the higher grade through additional professional qualifications and experience.

The opportunity

The role covers a broad range of Environmental Protection responsibilities, including:

• Environmental permitting and pollution control.
• Contaminated land investigation and remediation.
• Local air quality management.
• Statutory nuisance investigations, including noise complaints.
• Public health matters, including rodent infestations, filthy and verminous premises and drainage issues.
• Stray dog service oversight.
• Public Health Funerals.
• Planning and licensing consultations.
• Environmental monitoring, sampling and inspections.

You'll also provide day-to-day supervision and technical guidance to officers within the team, helping develop their knowledge, confidence and professional capabilities.

Your responsibilities

Technical leadership and specialist expertise

• Lead on environmental permitting, providing specialist advice, guidance and training.
• Take ownership of complex and high-risk investigations.
• Provide technical advice on contaminated land, air quality, statutory nuisance and pollution control.
• Maintain the contaminated land inspection strategy and assess site investigation and remediation proposals.
• Undertake inspections, interventions, sampling and monitoring.

Enforcement and regulatory delivery

• Investigate breaches of environmental legislation and determine appropriate enforcement action.
• Conduct PACE interviews, prepare evidence and case files, issue statutory notices and represent the service in court and tribunals.
• Apply relevant enforcement policies, legislation and professional guidance.
• Provide expert advice to businesses, residents, elected Members and colleagues.

Team leadership and service development

• Supervise Environmental Protection officers, monitor workloads and support delivery against service targets.
• Coach, mentor and develop colleagues.
• Organise team meetings and regular one-to-one discussions.
• Support absence management and operational coordination.
• Contribute to service improvement, policy development and performance reporting.

Partnership working

• Act as a statutory consultee on planning and licensing applications.
• Represent the service at meetings, committees and working groups.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies and stakeholders.
• Participate in the Public Protection out-of-hours service.

What we’re looking for

You’ll be an experienced and motivated Environmental Health professional with strong technical knowledge, sound enforcement judgement and the confidence to lead investigations and support colleagues.

You should bring:

• At least five years’ relevant professional experience.
• Experience in Environmental Protection, particularly environmental permitting, contaminated land, air quality or noise control.
• Strong knowledge of Environmental Health legislation and enforcement procedures.
• Experience managing complex cases and investigations.
• Working knowledge of PACE, RIPA, GDPR, Data Protection and safeguarding requirements.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and service improvement.
• Experience supervising or supporting colleagues.

Qualifications and career progression

Initial career grade

Applicants must hold the relevant professional Environmental Health qualification and meet the essential experience and competency requirements.

You must also hold, or be willing to work towards:

• Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control Measurement (Institute of Acoustics).
• Certification in Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC).

Advanced career grade

In addition to the initial grade requirements, applicants must demonstrate post-qualification Environmental Health experience, full attainment of the role's responsibilities and:

• Full registration as an Environmental Health Practitioner, including successful completion of the EHP Portfolio and Professional Discussion.
• Successful achievement of the Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control Measurement (Institute of Acoustics).

Your starting grade will reflect your qualifications, experience and demonstrated competencies. Support towards further professional qualifications and progression will be available.

Additional requirements

• Current, valid driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use.
• Ability to undertake site inspections, sampling and monitoring.
• Flexibility to work outside normal office hours when required.
• Confidence in managing challenging and potentially confrontational situations.
• Commitment to continued professional development.