Job Title: Environmental Health Officer - Food
Salary: £45,624 – £52,038 per annum
Grade: F
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: 37 hours per week
About the Department
The Food Safety Team plays a key role in protecting public health across Thurrock. We work with local businesses, residents and partner agencies to ensure food is safe, legal and produced to the highest standards. Our work includes food hygiene and standards inspections, complaint investigations, sampling programmes, infectious disease investigations and responding to food incidents
Based within Corporate Services, the team also delivers specialist import and export food controls, reflecting Thurrock's strategic location and proximity to major port facilities. This provides a varied and interesting workload across a wide range of food safety and regulatory activities.
We are a supportive and professional team committed to high-quality service delivery, regulatory excellence and improving public health outcomes for our communities.
About the Role
We are seeking a motivated and experienced Environmental Health Officer (Food) to join Corporate Services and play a key role in protecting public health, supporting local businesses, and ensuring compliance with food law across the borough.
This is an exciting opportunity to work within a dynamic regulatory service, undertaking a varied workload that includes food hygiene inspections, food standards enforcement, food sampling, complaint investigation, and health and safety regulation. You will work with a wide range of food businesses, from local independent operators to larger commercial enterprises, providing professional advice and taking proportionate enforcement action where required.
The successful candidate will contribute to the delivery of the Council’s statutory responsibilities under food and health and safety legislation, helping to ensure residents and visitors can have confidence in the safety and standards of local businesses. You will also support service improvement initiatives, participate in partnership working, and contribute to the development of less experienced officers within the team.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone who is:
- a qualified Environmental Health professional with a passion for public health protection and a strong commitment to customer service, regulatory excellence, and effective enforcement.
- The ideal candidate will have experience of delivering food law interventions within a local authority setting and be confident in exercising professional judgement in complex and often challenging situations. You will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to work effectively with businesses, residents, elected members, partner agencies, and the courts.
- You will be able to manage your own workload, prioritise competing demands, and deliver high-quality outcomes within statutory timescales. A collaborative approach, sound technical knowledge, and the ability to balance education with appropriate enforcement action are essential.
Candidates should also demonstrate:
- Strong knowledge of food safety legislation and regulatory enforcement.
- Experience of undertaking food hygiene inspections and investigations.
- Excellent report writing, record keeping, and case preparation skills.
- The ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively.
- Experience of gathering and evaluating evidence and applying enforcement policies.
- A proactive and flexible approach to service delivery.
Essential qualifications:
- A Degree or Diploma in Environmental Health.
- EHORB Registration (or equivalent recognised professional qualification).
- Current competence to carry out food hygiene inspections in accordance with the Food Standards Agency Food Law Code of Practice.
DBS Check: Basic level is required for this post
Benefits of Working with Us
At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
- Ongoing training and professional development
- Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
- Staff discounts and local offers
- A supportive and inclusive working environment
Important Dates
Closing Date (Redeployment Only): 16th July 2026
Closing Date (Internal & External): 26th July 2026
Interview Date: 28th -30th July 2026
Additional Information
If you have any questions about the role or interview process, please contact:
Gareth Olive, Regulatory Manager
golive@thurrock.gov.uk | 01375 652110
To view the Job Profile and Person Specification, please follow the link below:
Environmental Health Officer - Food in Grays employer: Thurrock Council
Thurrock Council is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment where your contributions directly impact local governance and community development. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, you will receive comprehensive support in your role as a Political Assistant, fostering both professional and personal development. The hybrid working model promotes a healthy work-life balance, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment in public service.
