Job Introduction
We’re offering a great opportunity to start a new career, gaining a recognised professional qualification while earning as Apprentice Trading Standards Officer.
You’ll be part of our professional, dynamic and successful Trading Standards service, developing a variety of skills and knowledge in investigative and enforcement work.
We cover product safety, misleading descriptions, food standards, tackling illicit tobacco and vapes, counterfeit productions, and weights and measures.
As part of your role, you’ll focus on tackling illegal tobacco and vapes, and underage sales. You’ll support businesses to be compliant, and your work will help to protect consumers, particularly children.
At the same time, you’ll gain a L6 Trading Standards Apprenticeship (the equivalent of a Batchelors Degree) across all areas of Trading Standards activity.
This is an opportunity for you to learn and develop under established Trading Standards professionals and embark on a rewarding career path.
The successful candidate will need to be available to join us by early September.
Milton Keynes City Council appreciates what apprentices can bring to our organisation, we value fresh perspectives, and we are more than willing to invest time into progressing your career prospects to give you the best opportunity to enhance your professional future.
This post is fully funded by the Department of Health and Social Care for a period of four years.
This is a site-based role.
Interviews for this role will be held on 24 and 26 June.
Milton Keynes City Council is a modern and friendly place to work. Find out more about working with us here: www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk
Main Responsibility
The role will develop and teach you how to:
- Undertake inspection work, audits, investigations and other enforcement or administrative activities relevant to the city’s Trading Standards programme.
- Produce reports ensuring appropriate decisions have been made and that all policies, procedures and legal requirements are met including all human rights issues.
- Give evidence as necessary in criminal and civil proceedings. Work with businesses to help them comply with relevant legislation.
- Provide information, guidance, and advice to business on how to comply with legislation.
- Support investigations including the seizing of evidence and making contemporaneous records for evidential use and report writing.
- Undertake test purchasing, take samples, and assist with the examination and testing of goods and services as required.
- Alongside studying for the apprenticeship, attend relevant training courses to develop knowledge and expertise.
- Work with other enforcement agencies, partner agencies such as Trading Standards Southeast and National Trading Standards, as well as colleagues within MKCC as required.
The Ideal Candidate
- Willingness to learn and apply new knowledge and skills to everyday tasks.
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent with Maths and English Grade C or above.
- Comfortable in the use of Microsoft Office and IT equipment.
- You’ll be an exceptional team player who, with initial guidance and support, will be able to progressively work autonomously and to prioritise workloads against targets and meet deadlines.
- With training and guidance, be able to produce reports and other written and verbal communications successfully.
- Under direction, officers will be expected progressively to enforce and advise on a range of legislation appropriate to their training and expertise.
- You’ll be highly motivated with excellent interpersonal skills to enable you to deal professionally with the public and businesses, responding to a wide range of people and situations requiring the good use of interpersonal and negotiating skills to achieve objectives.
Full UK driving licence and use of own vehicle to visit varied sites and the ability to work in evenings and early mornings as and when required. Evidence of the driving licence and vehicle insurance with business insurance will be required from the candidate should they be offered this position. Without this documentation the candidate will not be appointable.
Should you be offered the role, as part of the pre-employment checks a Basic DBS will be actioned for you
Package Description
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:
- Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
- Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
- A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
- Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
- Salary sacrifice car scheme – low-cost leasing of electric and low emission vehicles.
- Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.
Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes
Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week. Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.
About The Organisation
Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.
We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.
We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.
We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.
If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.
