Specialist Cleaning Operative

Salary 35,235 - 39,513 per annum | Fixed Term until 31/05/2027, Full Time, 37 hours per week | County Hall, Preston (Hybrid)

International Sponsorship this role is not open to international sponsorship

We are currently recruiting.....

A Trading Standards Service Officer to work with our teams protecting residents and visitors from fraudulent and illegal activity as well as tackling rogue trading practices and supporting honest businesses to grow and thrive.

This is an exciting time to join the team where you will be managing a challenging caseload and working closely with other team members to collectively meet service objectives.

This post is funded for two years, with funding due to end on the 31/05/2027.

Lancashire is the fourth largest local authority in England and is a delightful mix of bustling towns and cities with a rich history of industry and creativity, sitting alongside peaceful, picturesque countryside and magnificent coastlines. Lancashire is the best place to live, work, visit and prosper.

The Role

The role is primarily based in the fair trading and investigations team but will involve working across the whole trading standards service, investigating consumer complaints, undertaking projects to protect consumers and advising businesses on their legal obligations. Your work will involve investigating allegations of criminal offences being committed by individuals or businesses in areas such as illicit tobacco and vapes, fraud and doorstep crime incidents, removing counterfeit goods from the marketplace.

What we are searching for...

Investigation and Analytical

You must have a sound knowledge and experience of applying legislation and current standards to criminal investigations. You must be able to work independently, have confidence to make difficult decisions and manage changing priorities whilst investigating complaints thoroughly. You will maintain accurate records and produce reports acceptable to service standards for use in criminal proceedings. You are methodical and analytical in your approach, you will record and analyse information, respect timescales and plan your investigation thoroughly you'll understand the importance of accuracy, attention to detail and professional conduct.

Communication & Collaboration Confident and professional in your approach, we'll need you to communicate to a wide range of stakeholders, this could be: victims of crime; business owners; consumers; senior leaders; colleagues and other agencies in this challenging role you may need to have difficult conversations, so how you approach each situation will be key you'll also respect the needs of colleagues and understand the importance of listening, guiding and collaborating with other's to achieve the best outcome for the service and our customers.

Advise & Influence - We are seeking an influential officer who can assist and support junior colleagues through their training and development. Additionally, using your technical expertise and interpersonal skills you will advise and influence colleagues and consumers and encourage businesses to meet their statutory obligations. So if you're ready to help us uphold high standards of trade in Lancashire, then apply to join our innovative team today!

Why join us...

Join our team and we'll offer you excellent opportunities to do new things, a commitment to support you, and the potential to influence and improve the way we work. In return for your passion and expertise we offer all our staff a very good benefits package.

Benefits: There's fabulous flexibility and the opportunity to create the work life balance you'll love with up to 32 days annual leave plus bank holidays, 2 additional days at Christmas and an additional 20 days that can be purchased too we also have a generous local authority pension with shared AVC's available, and a benefits package that will exceed your expectations, from a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program to a range of discounts on dog care, day care, holidays at home or abroad, long service awards, Medicash, support groups, cycle to work schemes and eye tests plus much more!

Development: you will get support and development along the journey there will be time for supportive reflection and supervision for yourself, opportunities for personal growth and development, multidisciplinary initiatives, mentoring, apprenticeships, the opportunity to make a difference, feel valued and achieve the job satisfaction you've always wanted plus all the benefits of working with Lancashire County Council

Inclusivity: we don't have a "one size fits all" idealism, we embrace diversity which includes personal and family requirements; therefore we support an array of flexible working opportunities to attract diverse talent. We take inclusivity seriously and would like to improve the diversity within our teams to better reflect the people we serve, so we are particularly keen to hear from you if you are a person of colour, from the LGBTQ+ community or have a disability.

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful, you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post and must be insured for business use. However, we may consider you if you cannot drive because of a disability. When necessary, you will be required to work outside of core hours, which can include some weekend working, and work across other areas of the Service.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

How to apply...

Please ensure you have uploaded and attached your supporting statement to evidence how you meet the criteria for the role. The panel may be unable to shortlist you for interview without this evidence.

To make arrangements for a confidential and informal discussion please contact Amanda.Braddock@lancashire.gov.uk or Julie.waddington@lancashire.gov.uk

Job Description and Person Specification