Join our Port Health Team and play a crucial role in delivering a range of environmental health functions, focussed around the activities that take place at the ports of Milford Haven, Pembroke and Fishguard, including the assessment of vessels against international ship sanitation guidelines, communicable disease control and the investigation of nuisance complaints, contributing to the international system of infectious disease control, biosecurity at our borders, and mitigating potential harms and causes of nuisance which might impact on local communities. In addition, you will play a key role in ensuring food safety and standards compliance, especially those involved in the fish and shellfish sectors, as well as contributing to food safety and standards enforcement across the wider County.
Key Responsibilities
1. Conduct vessel inspections and visits to assess compliance with international ship sanitation controls and for issuing requests for Ship Sanitation Certificates, responding to infectious disease reports and requests for drinking water sampling and the disposal of expired drugs.
2. Take appropriate action to control statutory nuisances arising within the port health district, with a view to maintaining the quality of life of residents living in and around the port areas.
3. Process applications for the approval of factory vessels and other fish and shellfish establishments as covered by EC Regulation 853/2004 laying down specific rules for the hygiene of food of animal origin and conducting inspections to ensure that applicable conditions are met.
4. Undertake sampling for both classification and monitoring of shellfish production areas taking action where necessary to protect public health, and to investigate reports of illegal harvesting.
5. Contribute to the wider programme of food safety and standards inspections, and respond to food safety and standards complaints and requests for service relating to food premises inspected by the Team.
6. Following the establishment of Border Control Posts, you will conduct physical, documentary and identity checks on imported products to ensure that only 'safe-to-eat' products enter the food chain, and perform the role of Official Fish Inspector (OFI) and assist Official Veterinarians (OV) with relevant checks on imported products, and ensure that any illegal imports of food or feed which present an exotic disease risk to animals (e.g. ASF and FMD) are dealt with effectively where detected.
To ensure the effective discharge of the Council's responsibilities and appropriate service delivery to customers, you will be expected to work as part of a shift system, with Service cover available 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including out-of-hours standby cover for Public Protection emergencies, for which additional remuneration is provided.
About You
We are looking for a highly motivated individual with a BSc (Hons) Degree in Environmental Health or MSc in Environmental Health, and registered with the CIEH as an Environmental Health Practitioner. Applications would also be considered from suitably experienced officers holding a Higher Certificate in Food Control (awarded by the EHRB or CIEH) or Advanced Professional Certificate in Food Hygiene and Standards Control (awarded by the CIEH) and registered with the EHRB as a Food Safety Practitioner, or equivalent antecedent qualifications.
You should have experience in food law enforcement, communicable disease control and ideally port health and statutory nuisance investigation. You will have the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and have good investigative and problem-solving skills. You will need to be able to communicate confidently and tactfully, to promote understanding and secure compliance, while having the capability and experience to use a range of formal enforcement tools where required.
A valid driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use is required.
Why Join Us?
You'll enjoy a varied and impactful role, working across diverse locations in a beautiful region. We support professional development and offer the opportunity to make a real difference in consumer protection and business compliance.
As well as offering the opportunity to live, work and enjoy a beautiful part of the country, we offer a comprehensive range of employee benefits, which include:
1. Competitive salary, fair and transparent pay structure, and nationally agreed annual pay awards.
2. An additional 'Gateway Payment' of £3,000* (as outlined in the Pay Structure Maintenance Policy s.4.3), weekend working and unsocial hours payments.
3. Generous annual leave entitlement of 26 working days paid leave per year - rising to 31 days after 5 years' continuous service (pro rata).
4. 8 additional public holidays (pro rata).
5. Additional Annual Leave Purchase Scheme.
6. Employee Volunteering Scheme with up to three days paid time off to volunteer.
7. Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme membership (career average defined benefit pension scheme), with 17.7% employer contribution.
8. Wide and supportive range of Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing resources, including a professional in-house occupational health service.
9. Extensive learning resources to support career development.
10. Career growth pathways.
11. Generous occupational Maternity and Paternity pay plans, in excess of statutory benefits.
12. Salary Sacrifice Car and Cycle Schemes.
13. Access to a wide range of discounts and offers.
14. Occupational Sick Pay (dependent on length of service).
15. Flexible working and smarter working opportunities.
16. Relocation package for eligible candidates.
'Working together, improving lives'
Please refer to the job description above for more details on this vacancy and the person specification.
Employment Checks
This post is subject to a DBS disclosure check.
Where it is appropriate for your role and responsibility, the personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by visiting https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.
Applicants should ensure they have the right to work in the UK before applying for a vacancy.
Please note that at this point, Pembrokeshire County Council is not accepting applicants who require a Skilled Worker visa as a prerequisite to a right to work in the UK. Applicants should ensure they have the right to work in the UK before applying for a vacancy.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding and protecting children and adults at risk is a high priority for Pembrokeshire County Council. We aim to support vulnerable children and adults at risk to ensure they are as safe as they can possibly be. We are committed to ensuring their safety and will take action to safeguard their well-being. The Council's Corporate Safeguarding Policy provides a framework for every member of staff and Service within the Council, setting out responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and protecting children and adults at risk as well as the methods by which the Council will be assured that it is fulfilling its duties.
This policy applies to all Council employees and workforce, councillors, volunteers and also service providers that are commissioned by the Council. Safeguarding is everyone's business whether they work for, or on behalf of, the Council.
Support & Additional Info
1. Please contact the HR Systems Team as early as possible if you're unable to apply online by emailing hrsystemsteam@pembrokeshire.gov.uk.
2. Please contact the Recruitment Team if you have any queries relating to this vacancy by emailing Recruit@pembrokeshire.gov.uk.
3. Local Government Employees on National Joint Council (NJC) terms are subject to national pay bargaining; all salaries currently stated in our adverts are as 01/04/2023.
4. Please note, we have a legal obligation to consider employees for suitable alternative employment if their posts are at risk; therefore prior consideration will be given to existing employees who meet the person specification and are registered on our redeployment pool.
Welsh language skills are desirable. Applications may be submitted in Welsh and will not be treated less favourably than applications submitted in English. #J-18808-Ljbffr