Environmental Health Officer/ Food Safety Officer (Commercial Team)

Join us in creating a healthier, safer, and more vibrant community. At North Hertfordshire Council, we’re committed to making the district a thriving place tolive, work, and prosper. Our Environmental Health Service plays a vital role in protecting the well-being of those who live, work or socialise in North Herts ensuring our businesses are safe and compliant.

As part of our small, supportive and dedicated team, you will carry out inspections and lead on complex cases. You will provide advice to businesses, guiding them towards compliance, and where necessary, take formal enforcement action including preparing cases for court.

You will be responsible for carrying out a wide variety of work, but your key responsibilities will include:

We would particularly like to encourage applications from female leaders and individuals from an ethnic minority background. For further information, please see our job profile.

The Experience you will bring

You will need either a diploma, degree or MSc in Environmental Health or equivalent qualification in food safety and experience working in a local authority commercial team.

With in-depth knowledge of key legislation, regulations and relevant guidance, you will have a proven ability to carry out inspections, investigations, gather evidence, serve statutory notices and prepare cases for prosecution.

You will be enthusiastic about public health, have excellent communication skills, and the confidence to deal with both businesses and members of the public. You should have the ability to collaborate with colleagues, other departments and external agencies to deliver a customer-focused service.

While experience in an Environmental Health commercial team is preferred, if you are a newly qualified officer looking to grow your career, we would like to hear from you.

This role operates within a career-graded scheme, offering progression based on responsibility, experience, qualifications and personal performance.

You will need a full driving licence, access to a car and the ability to work flexibly within the service's core hours and on occasions outside of normal office hours

North Hertfordshire is a large rural district with approximately 125,000 residents with four historic towns, Hitchin, Baldock, Royston and Letchworth Garden City. The Council have four priorities: Thriving Communities, Accessible Services, Responsible Growth and Sustainability. The Council Plan sets out our key priorities and themes for the next five years. The North Herts Values define how we as colleagues work with each other, and we strive to be: Adaptable, Inclusive, Learning, Listening, Together.

Why work with us?

We are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in our recruitment practices and in our employment policies. We want our employees to feel safe to express themselves and we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of talents. We are dedicated to promoting a healthy work/life balance, valuing our employees, and enabling them to make a difference to the local community.

At North Herts Council we are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and we guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum requirements for the job.

Please note that all our vacancies require you to live and work in the UK, and selection interviews are face to face in our Letchworth offices or other nearby council sites.

We are changing

North Herts Council (NHC) is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

LGR is one of the biggest changes in local government we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better.

To find out more, visit Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation | North Herts Council

If you would like an informal chat about the post, you can contact Liz DeVere, Commercial Team Manager on 01462 474520

Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Closing Date: 17/11/2026

Interviews: 01/12/2026