Are you interested in a career in consumer protection, regulation, and enforcement? We are offering a fantastic opportunity for you to start your new career as a Trading Standards Professional as we look to recruit the next generation of Trading Standards Officers.
About the Role
The role will have a primary focus around our tobacco and vape enforcement work, however there will be an opportunity to work across a variety of activity areas including animal health and welfare, fair trading, feed, food, product safety, and weights and measures.
The role will provide you with the chance to gain a recognised professional Level 6 qualification while earning and developing a variety of skills and knowledge in investigative and enforcement work.
What will you be doing?
As a Trainee Trading Standards Officer, you will be involved in a wide range of activities aimed at ensuring a fair, safe, and legal trading environment. Your responsibilities will include:
Study and attain a Level 6 Trading Standards Professional Apprenticeship: You will undertake training and studying which will lead to a professionally recognised Level 6 qualification, which along with any additional qualifications attained while in post will lead to your development as a Trading Standards Officer. Full details of the apprenticeship course can be found below.
Conducting Investigations, Inspections and Audits: You will undertake inspection work, audits, investigations, and other enforcement or administrative activities relevant to the Trading Standards programme. This includes visiting farms, factories, and business premises to ensure compliance with legal standards, ensuring that businesses trade fairly, Warwickshire residents are protected and the supply of products within Warwickshire are safe.
Sampling and Testing: You will take samples and test purchases of foods, consumer goods such as toys, cosmetics, electrical items, and animal feed to have them checked against legal standards.
Advising Businesses: You will provide information, guidance, and advice to businesses on how to comply with legislation, helping them trade fairly and legally.
Protecting Consumers: You will work with partners to protect consumers and businesses from frauds and scams, including focusing on tackling illegal tobacco, vapes, and underage sales.
Investigating Rogue Traders: You will investigate rogue traders, prepare criminal cases, and give evidence in court. This includes seizing evidence, making contemporaneous records for evidential use, and report writing.
Collaborating with Agencies: You will work with Trading Standards colleagues nationally as well as other enforcement agencies such as the Police, HMRC and Environmental Health colleagues. You will also work with partner agencies, such as the Office for Product Safety & Standards and Public Health, as well as internal colleagues.
You will be supported through a structured training programme with a talented and experienced team around you. With a defined career path, you will qualify as a Trading Standards Officer capable of working across various disciplines, including animal health and welfare, environmental protection, fair trading, feed, food, product safety, and weights and measures.
Level 6 Apprenticeship
You will undertake the Level 6 Trading Standards Professional Apprenticeship and will have the opportunity to continue developing beyond your qualification through specific training. Our apprenticeship training is provided by Credit Services Association (CSA). More details on the apprenticeship we are offering can be found below:
Trainee Trading Standards Officer (with a Tobacco & Vapes enforcement focus)*
About You
We are looking for an enthusiastic person with a desire for public service who will relish the opportunities for self-development, training and teamwork provided by the role. We are looking for a candidate who is passionate about consumer protection and Trading Standards, has excellent attention to detail, acts in a professional and personable manner who can remain calm and confident under pressure along with the ability to communicate well.
Education: A good standard of general education and the aptitude and commitment to study towards a professional qualification. We require a minimum of 5 GCSE grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) which must include Maths and English Language and 2 A Levels or equivalent. We cannot accept applications with predicted grades. You must have already attained the grades required.
Skills: First-class communication and customer service skills, high attention to detail, and great organisational skills. You will need to develop the ability to understand and interpret complex legislation.
Personal Qualities: Perseverance, patience, the awareness to quickly read situations, have a questioning mindset and can remain calm in sometimes difficult circumstances.
Driving Licence: A full UK driving licence (or working towards obtaining) and use of your own vehicle is desirable, as you will need to get around various locations easily and efficiently – pool cars are normally available during work activities.
To be considered for this role applicants must not currently be employed in Trading Standards, not already have or be part way through any trading standards qualifications and must not have achieved a Level 4 Regulatory Compliance Officer (RCO) apprenticeship.
For further information please see the Job Description and Person Specification.
Working for Warwickshire – This is the difference you make
Warwickshire County Council is a place where everyone feels valued, included, safe, supported, and welcome. Our people are at the heart of this vision, could you be one of them!
At Warwickshire County Council we are committed to ensuring Warwickshire’s economy is vibrant and supported by the right jobs, training, skills and infrastructure. Our people vision for Warwickshire County Council is a great place to work where diverse and talented people are enabled to be their best.
Your future matters to us, we provide a generous pension scheme which includes an employer contribution rate of typically around 19 percent per month, to help support your financial security during retirement. The scheme also offers a valuable package of benefits for members and their dependants. To find out more please visit: Warwickshire Pension Fund homepage – Warwickshire Pension Fund'
The benefits we offer include agile working, a valuable part of the pay and reward package for employees working in local government, generous annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays and an additional day at Christmas, and access to Vivup benefits and discounts platform.
Additional Information
Warwickshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Please be advised successful applicants will be subject to a range of pre-engagement checks, including a relevant Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). In accordance with the DBS code of practice and our own policy, should an individual have a declared criminal offence an individual assessment will be completed. Warwickshire County Council adheres to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
The Fluency Duty is outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers. The Fluency Duty for this role is Required. You must be able to speak and provide advice in accurate spoken English to the public.
To discuss either of the two roles available or to find out more information, please contact Mike Chambers (Service Manager – Trading Standards). Email:
[email protected] or Telephone: 01926 736475.
Application Closing Date: Thursday 11th June
Anticipated Interview Date: Week Commencing 22nd June
Should you require application forms in an alternative format / language or any adjustments to be made throughout the application process or upon appointment, please contact
[email protected] and we will make every effort to meet your specific requirements.
Warwickshire County Council is committed to equality of opportunity for all employees and is keen to address areas of under representation in its workforce.
