FSA in Scotland

Food & Feed Safety Division

Enforcement

Senior Environmental Health Specialist (SEO)

Aberdeen

Permanent

CIRCA £30,000

The Food Standards Agency in Scotland is responsible for ensuring food safety and the provision of healthy eating advice to consumers, both directly and via a range of stakeholders.

On 27 June 2012 Scottish Ministers announced their intention to establish a new food body for Scotland. It is expected that the statutory basis for this body will be established during 2014 and that it will continue to discharge all functions currently discharged by the Food Standards Agency in Scotland. The Branch will contribute positively to the transition process but it is essential that functions relating to incidents and enforcement continue seamlessly during the transition. Leadership and focus on delivery will be key, to ensure that Branch objectives are achieved during a period of major organisational change and then on an ongoing basis.

The Enforcement Branch is one of three in the Food & Feed Safety Division which brings together the Agency's work on food and feed policy and science with liaison with enforcement bodies. The post holder will have an important role to play in assisting the FSA, Scottish Government and the new food body during the transition process, particularly through the maintenance of constructive working relationships with local authorities and other strategically important stakeholders.

Key responsibilities:

  • The management of food incident response on a case-load basis.
  • The management of food fraud response.
  • The management of projects relating to incident awareness, reduction and mitigation.
  • Contributing to relevant areas of the low cost training programme.
  • Provision of enforcement advice and guidance in relation to all secondary food production and general enforcement. As necessary, providing support on primary production, food standards, animal feeding stuffs and imports.
  • Provision of advice and feedback on behalf of the Enforcement Branch to other Branches in relevant areas of work.
  • Contributing to the Branch’s enforcement engagement through attendance at food liaison Group meetings and liaison as required with the Operations Group.
  • Leading on discrete projects and on a portfolio of work. These will change over time in line with the demands on the service. The work will often involve attendance at meetings and this will require frequent travel throughout Scotland and the UK to meet with colleagues, local authorities and other stakeholders.
  • Providing the Lead for FSAS for incident reduction / mitigation.
  • Providing the Lead for FSAS in relation to the Food Law Code of Practice, Local authority Practice Guidance, the Agency’s outbreak control guidance and enforcement letters to local authorities.
  • Responsibility for emergency response procedures and liaison over the emergency planning arrangements with strategically important stakeholders.
  • Providing support as required for FVO and third country Missions.
  • Providing the Lead for FSAS in relation to Local Food Liaison Groups, SFELC Food Safety Subgroup, the Fish Hygiene Working Group and other subcommittees or working groups established in relevant areas of food law enforcement.

For the full range of duties and responsibilities see the attached job description.

The interview process will consist of a competency based interview.

The FSA is an IIP accredited employer. Staff benefitsinclude 30 days’ annual holiday (pro-rata for part-time role), eligibility for the civil service pension scheme and flexi-time.

The Food Standards Agency is an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to recruiting a more diverse workforce that reflects the people we serve. We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for people with disabilities who meet the minimum published criteria

For further information and an application pack, please go to:

When submitting your application please email to quoting reference number SEO/1409.

Applications can only be made on the FSA application form, CV’s will not be accepted.

For further enquiries about this position please contactPeter Midgleyon01224 285189Email: peter.midgley@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Completed applications must be returned byWednesday 30th January 2013