Job summary
OPSS
Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can your skills, knowledge, and experience enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then OPSS is the place for you to thrive!
We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade. We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation, and efficiency.
Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence.
Further information can be found on our website here
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.
We embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Job description
Join our dynamic team and make a difference.
The enforcement teams at the Office for Product Safety and Standards address non-compliance of product safety and standards, to protect people and place from harm. We are committed to delivering regulation in a manner that is risk-based, proportionate and consistent and we aim to be transparent and accountable about our regulatory approach and activities.
Our primary concerns when non-compliance or product safety risk has been identified are to ensure protection for people and the environment; and to ensure adequate steps are taken to address the issue and to minimise the likelihood of recurrence. We use the statutory powers available to us to ensure businesses adhere to their legal obligations and will undertake sustained and escalating interventions where necessary. �
When you join our team, you�ll be the driving force behind a safer, greener world. We're seeking passionate individuals to join our dynamic teams in Products and Sectors Regulationand Online and Supply Chain Enforcement.
Products and Sectors Regulation: We're building a regulatory landscape that prioritises consumer and environmental protection and empowers businesses through smarter regulation. By enforcing product, environmental, and energy efficiency standards across various sectors and in accordance with the Regulators Code, you'll help protect families and drive sustainable growth.
Online and Supply Chain Enforcement: The digital age demands a new approach to consumer protection. We're at the forefront of ensuring online shopping is held to the same rigorous standards as traditional retail. By regulating the entire supply chain, from ports to online marketplaces, you'll help protect consumers and ensure confidence in the marketplace.
What impact will you have?
1. Drive positive change: Contribute to a regulatory landscape that empowers businesses, safeguards consumers, and protects our planet.
2. Tackle complex challenges: Enforce a wide range of product, environmental, and energy efficiency regulations across diverse industries and supply chains.
3. Be at the forefront of innovation: Work on cutting-edge issues, from sustainable manufacturing to the evolving digital marketplace.
Diverse Roles, Endless Possibilities: Both departments have a number of roles across teams handling diverse workstreams. From ensuring compliance with Heat Network regulations or ensuring the security of the connectable devises we all use daily; to preventing unsafe products crossing our borders and conducting test purchases and identifying unsafe products on sale in the UK and removing them from the marketplace; there�s a role for you. A role where your skills can make a real-world impact. Joining our enforcement teams, you'll have the opportunity to*:
4. Lead and Conduct Investigations: Take ownership of complex enforcement investigations, collaborating with cross-functional teams as needed.
5. Regulatory Expertise: Develop in-depth knowledge of relevant product regulations to provide expert guidance to businesses and stakeholders.
6. Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with industry, trade bodies, and other regulatory agencies to foster collaboration and compliance.
7. Data Analysis: Analyse market trends, product information, and technical data to identify potential compliance risks and inform enforcement strategies.
8. Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all enforcement activities adhere to legal and regulatory frameworks, including the Regulators� Code.
9. Continuous Improvement: Drive innovation and efficiency within the team, seeking opportunities to enhance regulatory practices and impact.
10. Effective Communication: Clearly articulate complex regulatory information to a variety of audiences, both internally and externally.
*Please note: The above is an overview of what can be expected as an Enforcement Officer. Individual teams may have varying specific responsibilities. Please refer to the attached information pack for details of the teams and what they do.
We will consider preferences to work within a specific team, however, offers will be made on the basis of fair and open competition, and successful candidates will be posted into teams as determined by business requirement.
This role is available from either our Birmingham or Teddington location, when applying and asked to specify preference; please duly note that the London should be chosen to indicate Teddington.
Person specification
This is an exciting opportunity for a flexible and determined individual with the energy to make positive change happen.
We are seeking candidates with:
11. A Level 4-Regulatory Compliance Officer Apprenticeship qualification or an equivalent regulatory or compliance level qualification or have reasonable expectation of achieving that qualification within the next two months*�
12. Experience in an investigatory role within regulation, enforcement, or compliance.
13. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
14. Flexibility and adaptability to changing workloads and priorities.
15. The ability to contribute to and support the delivery of multi-faceted work plans.
16. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
17. Ability to research, understand, and assess technical information, filtering and prioritising data for effective investigation.
18. A willingness to travel and possible overnight stays in various locations as determined by business need
19. A full valid driving licence (exceptions due to protected characteristics can be discussed with the recruitment manager and will be taken into consideration).
*Please contact should you wish to discuss the relevance and eligibility of your qualification. Candidates that have reasonable expectation of achieving their qualification within two months are eligible to apply.�
Qualifications
a Level 4 Regulatory Compliance Officer Apprenticeship qualification or equivalent regulatory or compliance level qualification or have reasonable expectation of achieving that qualification within the next two months.
Any Offer is subject to providing formal evidence of holding or expectation of attainment within the specified time frame
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
20. Changing and Improving
21. Delivering at Pace
22. Managing a Quality Service
23. Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
Alongside your salary of �32,858, Department for Business and Trade contributes �9,518 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Thrive in and out of the office: We prioritise your well-being and offer a robust benefits package to support your work-life balance. Here's what you can expect:�
24. Flexible Working: Craft your workday with flexible working arrangements and flexi-time options (subject to role requirements).�
25. Generous Leave: Enjoy a healthy leave allowance with 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 after 5 years. Plus, 8 public holidays and a privilege day for additional time off.�
26. Family-Friendly Policies: Access competitive maternity, paternity, and parental leave.�
27. Reward and Recognition: See your hard work acknowledged with our in-year reward and recognition scheme, celebrating achievements and contributions.�
28. Learn & Grow: Invest in yourself with 5 paid days dedicated to your learning and development.�
29. Give Back: Contribute to your community with 5 paid volunteer days.�
30. Inclusive Community: Connect with colleagues from diverse backgrounds through our thriving staff networks, fostering a sense of belonging and support.�
31. Healthy You: Stay active with our Cycle to Work scheme.�
32. Wellbeing Support: Maintain your mental and emotional well-being through our confidential Employee Assistance Programme and Workplace Wellness services.�
33. Exclusive Discounts: Enjoy savings on your everyday spending with our employee discount scheme, offering perks at high street shops, restaurants, and online retailers.�
34. Secure Your Future: Build a secure future with a Civil Service Pension scheme boasting an average employer contribution of 27%.��
We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.
Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.