Senior Environmental Protection & Enforcement Officer Ref: 24-25

Salary: Grade 6 £43,882 - £50,761 per annum (Subject to Job Evaluation) 
Hours: Full time 37 hours per week
Basis: Permanent
Location: Dereham (with regular travel across the district) 

Are you passionate about protecting the environment and creating safer communities? We're looking for a Senior Environmental Protection & Enforcement Officer to lead vital work tackling environmental crime, public health issues, and anti-social behaviour across our district. 

This is a high-impact leadership role where you'll manage a dedicated team, drive strategic enforcement activities, and shape service improvements that make a real difference to our residents and environment. 

What You'll Be Doing 

• Leading investigations and enforcement actions on fly-tipping, graffiti, abandoned vehicles, statutory nuisances, and ASB. 
• Acting as a technical expert on complex issues including air quality, contaminated land, water supplies, and public health. 
• Managing and mentoring a small team (Environmental Enforcement Officer, ASB Officer, and EP Assistant). 
• Taking appropriate enforcement actions including issuing notices, preparing legal cases, and representing the Council in court. 
• Working in partnership with the police and other agencies, including overseeing our Safer Streets Wardens. 
• Responding to public complaints, Freedom of Information requests, and queries from elected Members. 
• Supporting innovation and exploring income-generating opportunities for the service. 

What We're Looking For 

• Significant experience in enforcement, including casework preparation and interviewing under caution. 
• A solid understanding of environmental protection legislation, Environmental Crime and public health responsibilities and compliance options 
• Strong leadership skills, with experience supervising staff or projects in a regulatory setting. 
• A collaborative, results-driven approach with the ability to think creatively and act decisively. 
• A relevant qualification in Environmental Health (or equivalent experience). 
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. 

It's a Bonus If You Have 

• Experience working in local government or reporting to elected committees. 
• A Diploma in Acoustics or noise-related qualification. 
• Familiarity with digital enforcement tools or community-based interventions. 

Why Work With Us? 

At Breckland District Council, we believe in being collaborative, ambitious, and results-driven. You'll be empowered to lead change, develop your team, and make meaningful contributions to environmental quality and public safety. 

We're proud to create a supportive, inclusive environment where innovation is encouraged and wellbeing matters. 

Ready to make an impact? Apply today and help us build cleaner, safer communities across our district. 

Closing date - 9am, Thursday 10 July 2025

Job summary

Key Responsibilities

Core Duties

• Lead investigations and enforcement of fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles, graffiti, statutory nuisances and ASB 
• Act as technical lead on key regulatory areas such as air quality, contaminated land, private water supplies,  public health and ASB 
• Supervise, coach, and support team members to ensure delivery of high-quality services and investigations. 
• Take proportionate enforcement actions, which may  include, fixed penalty notices, abatement notices, community protection notices, legal casework preparation, and court appearances. 
• Collaborate with partners including the police to enforce Public Spaces Protection Orders. Overseeing our Safer Street Wardens to ensure they meet corporate priorities and protect our communities. 
• Support development of service improvement strategies and respond to public complaints, FOIs, and Member queries. 
• Promote innovation and income-generating initiatives to enhance environmental enforcement work. 

Performance & Line Management

Manage 1 x Environmental Enforcement Officer, 1 EP/ASB Officer & EP Assistant. Mentor and support role to EP team as advisor and technical support. 

Note: This job description is not exhaustive and may be revised in response to evolving service needs, in consultation with the post holder.

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

•  Strong background in investigation and enforcement, including interviewing under caution and legal case preparation.
• Proven success in partnership working and collaborative problem solving.
• Significant experience in delivering environmental protection duties (e.g. statutory nuisance, environmental permitting, contaminated land, air quality, water supplies, and public health).
• Sound working knowledge of environmental legislation and enforcement practices.
• Ability to make balanced, proportionate decisions aligned with council policy.

Desirable

• Experience of working within local government and presenting reports to elected committees.
• Legal background or experience applying statutory powers.
• Experience of identifying innovative approaches to enforcement or community-based interventions.
• Management or supervisory experience in a regulatory setting.
• Familiarity with digital enforcement tools or data collection systems

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree or diploma in Environmental Health, or equivalent relevant qualification/experience
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Desirable

• Supervisory or management qualification.
• Diploma in Acoustics or other noise-related qualification.

Behavioural Competencies

Collaborative - Builds strong partnerships inside and outside the organisation (#oneteam) 

Ambitious - Acts as a proud ambassador for the Council and drives innovation with optimism and confidence 

Results Driven - Focuses on impact and quality service delivery; resilient under pressure 

Empowering - Supports team growth and accountability, and promotes creative problem solving 

Supportive - Creates an inclusive and safe environment; promotes wellbeing and mutual respect 

What's it like to work for us?

We are passionate about our people and pride ourselves on being a great place to work, we genuinely care and know that a happy workforce is a productive and motivated one! If you're still not sure, here are some stats from our 2024 staff survey to convince you..

• 94% said they feel trusted and empowered
• 90% of staff recommend Breckland as a great place to work
• 89% said they have had opportunities to learn and grow in the last 12 months
• 94% think Breckland provide positive action on health and wellbeing
• 91% said they felt supported by their manager

If you STILL need convincing, here's what some of our staff say...

• "Breckland is a fantastic employer, lots of opportunities and support"
• "Having only just started, it is a great place to work, everyone says hello, is smiley and chatty. I like the groups that are on, like carers shed and neurodiversity"
• "We are encouraged to take regular breaks and there are mental health first aiders and a wide range of good promotional aspects of healthy living and wellbeing."
• "In times of need the council offers excellent support."
• "BDC really does seem to care about the wellbeing and happiness of their staff."

At Breckland Council we have embraced the Government's agenda to modernise local government. Our approach is to lead change rather than follow it, and to add the best value we can to our communities. We achieve this by developing our employees to their full potential, providing them with the relevant knowledge, equipment, and authority to carry out their duties.

We are a dynamic and innovative organisation that is always testing and learning as we seek to continually improve. We have never stood still in response to the emergence of new opportunities, changing customer demands, and ongoing funding challenges. We have exciting plans for how to deliver the best possible services to our residents and businesses.

Breckland as a district is a special place nestled in the heart of rural Norfolk, spanning over 500 square miles of beautiful countryside and forest, with five Market Towns and over 140,000 residents. We care, we listen, and we support people and businesses within our district. We have big ideas and we are innovative in our approach, coming up with ways to meet the needs of the local communities that we serve. Through our actions, we want to make things better.

But we know that we can't do it alone. We are a collaborative organisation and we work together with others to make a greater impact. We are also an organisation where our employees can grow and develop and are empowered to achieve and succeed. We are proud of our area, and by driving investment and enabling opportunities, we can maximise its full potential. We want to inspire aspiration to live, work, visit, or do business here: we want our district to be one of choice.

We will support and enable growth and change in our thriving, welcoming places where people and businesses choose to be, knowing their ambitions can be not just fulfilled but exceeded. By listening to people, by understanding what they need and by working together, we can shape what we have to offer. By doing so, we can benefit those who are already here and those who choose to come to live, work, visit, or do business.

We offer excellent conditions of service, including:

• A local government pension scheme (14 per cent employer contribution).
• Attractive holiday package (25 days increasing after three years' continuous Local Authority service by one day per year up to the maximum of 28 days, plus bank holidays)
• Free car parking.
• Remote-enabled working arrangements.
• A newly refurbished office. See what it is like working here by watching this short film: 
  

Our commitment to talent development, on the job learning and upskilling, training and professional memberships, will keep your knowledge and skills up to date.

Ready to make an impact? Apply today and help us build cleaner, safer communities across our district.

Closing date - 9am, Thursday 10 July 2025

APPLY ONLINE
 

DBS Requirement - Please be aware that if you are selected for this role there will be a requirement to undertake a DBS check as part of pre-employment checks.

Equal Opportunities - We are committed to being an Equal Opportunities employer, recognising the benefits of sustaining a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applications from anyone who feels they meet the requirements of our vacancies. These are listed as essential requirements on the person specification.