Environmental Health Apprentice at North Somerset Council

Job Overview:

• Carry out a range of different types of housing inspections to support other officers on the teams
• Investigate complaints about housing conditions
• Keep accurate records
• Talk to a range of customers and stakeholders to help improve the homes of people who live in North Somerset
• Manage a caseload

Specific Duties: 

Professional Advice, Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide specialist, professional and technical environmental health advice and guidance to a range of stakeholders, including residents, businesses, property owners, government agencies and partners
• Communicate and influence effectively with diverse stakeholders through written and verbal communication, presentations, advice, mediation, negotiation and persuasion
• Negotiate with and influence stakeholders on a range of environmental health matters
• Identify, evaluate and communicate environmental health risks and appropriate risk management solutions
• Handle private and sensitive information in accordance with data protection requirements

Inspection, Investigation and Compliance

• Plan, undertake and lead inspections, audits and investigations across a wide range of environmental health areas
• Examine and assess compliance with relevant conditions, legislation and standards
• Carry out sampling and collect evidence for monitoring, investigations and enforcement purposes in line with current guidance and legislation
• Ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with relevant legislation, guidance and codes of practice

Licensing, Enforcement and Legal Processes

• Evaluate applications and issue relevant licences and permits (e.g. HMOs and caravan sites)
• Appraise, implement and communicate appropriate interventions, including enforcement actions
• Produce accurate records and reports, including the collection and handling of evidence for potential legal proceedings

Legislation and Regulatory Practice

• Interpret and apply a broad range of environmental health legislation, including the Environment Act, Environmental Protection Act, Health and Safety at Work Act, Food Safety Act, Housing Act, Public Health Act, Police and Criminal Evidence Act, data protection and anti-social behaviour legislation 

Analysis, Decision-Making and Problem Solving

• Use research, analytical and problem-solving techniques to address environmental health issues through creative and critical thinking
• Critically evaluate and analyse evidence and information
• Formulate sound judgements and decisions based on evidence and professional knowledge (e.g. the impact of poor housing conditions on health)
• Exercise initiative, discretion and independent decision-making within the scope of the role

Teamwork, Leadership and Work Management

• Work collaboratively as part of multi-disciplinary and multi-organisational teams to achieve positive outcomes
• Lead activities relating to environmental health matters where required
• Plan, organise and prioritise workload effectively to meet deadlines

Public Health and Community Engagement

• Participate in health promotion activities in key environmental health areas (e.g. smoking, obesity, food safety, shisha use)
• Manage challenging and occasionally confrontational situations in a professional and effective manner

Administration and IT

• Use standard IT systems for word processing, report writing, and data input and analysis