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- Tasks: Lead inspection teams to ensure food safety and compliance across various locations.
- Company: Join the Food Standards Agency, dedicated to ensuring food we can trust.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, pension contributions, and a focus on staff wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on public health while developing your leadership skills in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and the ability to manage competing demands are essential.
- Other info: This role requires a full UK driving licence and is home-based with travel.
The predicted salary is between 25000 - 40000 £ per year.
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Join to apply for the Inspection Team Leader – North role at Food Standards Agency
Home Based.
There is an expectation to travel to multiple locations (approved slaughterhouses) in the Colne area and throughout the cluster.
You will need to live within a distance of 60 miles or 90 minutes by road (one way) commuting of Cluster 07. Please refer to the map in the candidate pack.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.
Job Summary
Do you have excellent communication skills with the ability to build relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders?
Can you prioritise your workload to ensure that you meet multiple and often conflicting demands?
If so, this is an exciting opportunity to join the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as an Inspection Team Leader, and we’d love to hear from you!
The FSA is a non-ministerial department of over 1300 people, with a big vision – to drive change in the food system so that it delivers “food we can trust”. Our primary goal is to continue to protect public health and consumers’ wider interest in food. As we have now exited the EU the FSA faces a significant period of change and activity.
Our inspection teams offer consistency during this time, ensuring that the UK’s food remains closely regulated and safe. Working closely with food producers and other stakeholders, the teams carry out routine and unannounced visits, allowing for the FSA to maintain its high standards across the industry
Job Description
Inspection team leaders facilitate this work by enabling the teams in the local cluster to do their best work. Effective management of personal performance and attendance allows us to ensure that the Agency’s standards and objectives are met, and that nothing slips through the gaps when our inspection teams are on the case.
The FSA’s commitment to staff wellbeing is paramount, too, and the post holders will be excited to help their colleagues progress, identifying individual team training and development needs that will enable every team member to realise their ambitions and full potential within the Agency.
This role will also see the successful candidate working closely with stakeholders such as Food Business Operators, who will occasionally seek to challenge the decisions made by the inspection teams. The ability to communicate and express the importance of the FSA’s decisions to those whose business will be directly affected by such decisions is key. From contractors to trade union representatives, you’ll work closely with a number of external parties and will need to understand how best to communicate with each on an individual basis.
The successful candidate will be an effective leader, who is able to make the best decisions for the situation and enable their team to work to their full potential in order to make sure that the FSA can deliver the vital service it provides. If you are excited to take on this challenge and feel you can help bring the very best out of your colleagues, apply today.
Inspection team leaders facilitate this work by enabling the teams in the local cluster to do their best work. Effective management of personal performance and attendance allows us to ensure that the Agency’s standards and objectives are met, and that nothing slips through the gaps when our inspection teams are on the case.
The FSA’s commitment to staff wellbeing is paramount, too, and the post holders will be excited to help their colleagues progress, identifying individual team training and development needs that will enable every team member to realise their ambitions and full potential within the Agency.
This role will also see the successful candidate working closely with stakeholders such as Food Business Operators, who will occasionally seek to challenge the decisions made by the inspection teams. The ability to communicate and express the importance of the FSA’s decisions to those whose business will be directly affected by such decisions is key. From contractors to trade union representatives, you’ll work closely with a number of external parties and will need to understand how best to communicate with each on an individual basis.
The successful candidate will be an effective leader, who is able to make the best decisions for the situation and enable their team to work to their full potential in order to make sure that the FSA can deliver the vital service it provides. If you are excited to take on this challenge and feel you can help bring the very best out of your colleagues, apply today.
Person specification
Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.
We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.
Licences
Full UK Driving Licence
Behaviours
We\’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
Alongside your salary of £33,481, Food Standards Agency contributes £9,699 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack.
Application and shortlisting
You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.
Technical: You will be asked a question to confirm that you meet the Technical requirements of the role.
- Full UK Driving Licence
If you cannot answer yes to this question – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.
You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Good organisational skills, skilled in prioritising workloads and dealing with competing demands
- Able to adapt their approach and message delivery style to the different audiences and circumstances
- Have the ability to converse confidently and professionally with industry and stakeholder representatives, building relationships and working collaboratively
In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.
Interview
If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours.
Behaviours
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.
Experience
- Have the ability to converse confidently and professionally with industry and stakeholder representatives, building relationships and working collaboratively
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview, including your CV and any statements or examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Expected Timeline
Advert closes: 20/07/25
Sift: Expected to take place w/c 21/07/25
Final panel interview: Expected to take place w/c 04/08/25
Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).
Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to the Food Standards Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.
Determine your eligibility at List
A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission\’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission\’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Gary Manifold
- Email :
Recruitment team
- Email :
Further information
If you wish to raise a complaint then please email in the first instance.
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Inspection Team Leader – North employer: Food Standards Agency
Contact Detail:
Food Standards Agency Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Inspection Team Leader – North
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Food Standards Agency's mission and values. Understanding their commitment to public health and food safety will help you align your responses during interviews and discussions, showcasing your enthusiasm for their goals.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of the FSA. Engaging with them can provide valuable insights into the organisational culture and expectations, which can be beneficial when discussing your leadership style and team management approach.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare specific examples of how you've successfully managed competing demands in previous roles. The ability to prioritise effectively is crucial for this position, so having concrete instances ready will demonstrate your capability.
✨Tip Number 4
Brush up on your communication skills, especially in relation to stakeholder engagement. Being able to articulate complex decisions clearly and confidently will be key in this role, so practice explaining your past experiences in a way that highlights your interpersonal skills.
We think you need these skills to ace Inspection Team Leader – North
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to grasp the key responsibilities and requirements for the Inspection Team Leader position. Highlight your relevant experience in your application.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to reflect the skills and experiences that align with the essential criteria mentioned in the job listing, such as organisational skills and stakeholder communication.
Craft a Strong Cover Letter: Write a compelling cover letter that showcases your leadership abilities and how you can contribute to the Food Standards Agency's mission. Use specific examples to demonstrate your skills.
Prepare for Behavioural Questions: Familiarise yourself with the Civil Service Behaviours that will be assessed during the interview. Prepare examples from your past experiences that illustrate your decision-making and leadership skills.
How to prepare for a job interview at Food Standards Agency
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you thoroughly read the job description and understand the key responsibilities of an Inspection Team Leader. Be prepared to discuss how your skills and experiences align with these responsibilities during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Since the role requires excellent communication with various stakeholders, prepare examples that demonstrate your ability to build relationships and convey important information effectively. Think about past experiences where you successfully navigated challenging conversations.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Qualities
Be ready to discuss your leadership style and provide examples of how you've motivated and developed team members in previous roles. Highlight any specific instances where your leadership made a positive impact on team performance.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
The interview will assess your behaviours against key competencies like making effective decisions and managing a quality service. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses to behavioural questions, ensuring you provide clear and concise examples.
