Trading Standards Professional Apprentice

Summary

Essex Trading Standards is looking for a highly motivated person to take on a vital role in enforcing vape and tobacco regulations. This is more than just a job—it's your chance to make a lasting impact on the Essex community, ensuring fairness, compliance, and public safety.

Wage

£31,678 a year

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Training course

Trading standards professional (level 6)

Hours

Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 7 July 2025

Duration

3 years 4 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Development, planning, delivery and management of enforcement projects, to ensure Trading Standards enforcement priorities are met.
Lead on investigations and all enforcement activities, including carrying out PACE interviews, preparing notes, statements and prosecution reports and giving evidence in court to comply with the Trading Standards Investigation Protocol.
Working collaboratively with other enforcement agencies (such as the Police, VOSA, DEFRA) District Councils, Parish Councils and politicians; attending external meetings such as Alcohol Licensing Reviews and Parish Council meetings to represent the council.
Carry out visits to businesses to ensure compliance with legislation, provide advice and decide on the most appropriate remedy for non-compliances at the time of visit.
Responsible for liaising with members of the public and complainants to gather intelligence and provide updates on progress made with enquiries and complaints.
Review and grade intelligence using a threat matrix approach, to ensure best use of resources.
Responsible for consultancy services quotations, customer relationships management and agreed sums of petty cash, to ensure Council financial policies are complied with, all spend is auditable and income opportunities are maximised.
Responsible for undertaking a range of enforcement activities alone and as part of a team (e.g. ‘test purchasing’ operations of age restricted products, licensing inspections) to deliver Trading Standards enforcement priorities.
Responsible for accurately recording work undertaken and prepare accurate and concise guidance letters to business and consumers to ensure the delivery of Trading Standards priorities.
Mentor and assist with training Regulatory Compliance Officer Apprentices (Level 4).
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Where you’ll work

County Hall
Market Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1QH

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

CSA (SERVICES) LTD

Your training course

Trading standards professional (level 6)

Equal to degree

Course contents

Lead and manage investigations and interventions.
Apply investigative techniques and evidence gathering to produce reports with recommendations.
Analyse, interpret, challenge, and evaluate data and intelligence.
Interpret and apply relevant Acts, Regulations, Codes of Practice and Guidance in the consumer protection environment.
Influence, negotiate and challenge stakeholders in the delivery and decision-making process.
Use research, analytical and problem-solving techniques to resolve and prevent consumer protection issues.
Conduct and/or respond to formal interviews in line with legal controls and best practice collaborating with legal representatives.
Gather evidence for use for potential legal proceedings and acting as a witness when required.
Make legal and tactical decisions to improve the outcomes in consumer protection investigations.
Promote the improvement of compliance standards in consumer protection.
Promote social inclusion in the workplace with businesses, stakeholders, and consumers.
Promote environmental sustainability and support change to improve the environment.
Lead and manage operational projects to achieve time dependent outcomes.
Communicate complex information, best practice, and guidance in consumer protection, adapting delivery for different audiences.
Collaborate with stakeholders to achieve agreed collective outcomes.
Identify and apply industry developments to achieve continual service improvement.
Lead the development and monitoring of financial strategies and setting of organisational budgets based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or similar, and challenge financial assumptions underpinning strategies.
Build constructive working relationships across teams.
Identify the training and development requirements of the team and stakeholders.
Set strategic direction through the implementation of plans.
Lead and respond to risks using risk management techniques.
Provide support, specialist advice, and guidance for businesses, consumers, and stakeholders.
Act as an advocate for projects and transformation of services across organisational boundaries such as those impacted by sustainability and the UK Net Carbon Zero.
Lead and manage investigations and interventions.
Apply investigative techniques and evidence gathering to produce reports with recommendations.
Analyse, interpret, challenge, and evaluate data and intelligence.
Interpret and apply relevant Acts, Regulations, Codes of Practice and Guidance in the consumer protection environment.
Influence, negotiate and challenge stakeholders in the delivery and decision-making process.
Use research, analytical and problem-solving techniques to resolve and prevent consumer protection issues.
Conduct and/or respond to formal interviews in line with legal controls and best practice collaborating with legal representatives.
Gather evidence for use for potential legal proceedings and acting as a witness when required.
Make legal and tactical decisions to improve the outcomes in consumer protection investigations.
Promote the improvement of compliance standards in consumer protection.
Promote social inclusion in the workplace with businesses, stakeholders, and consumers.
Promote environmental sustainability and support change to improve the environment.
Lead and manage operational projects to achieve time dependent outcomes.
Communicate complex information, best practice, and guidance in consumer protection, adapting delivery for different audiences.
Collaborate with stakeholders to achieve agreed collective outcomes.
Identify and apply industry developments to achieve continual service improvement.
Lead the development and monitoring of financial strategies and setting of organisational budgets based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or similar, and challenge financial assumptions underpinning strategies.
Build constructive working relationships across teams.
Identify the training and development requirements of the team and stakeholders.
Set strategic direction through the implementation of plans.
Lead and respond to risks using risk management techniques.
Provide support, specialist advice, and guidance for businesses, consumers, and stakeholders.
Act as an advocate for projects and transformation of services across organisational boundaries such as those impacted by sustainability and the UK Net Carbon Zero.

Your training plan

Training schedule has yet to be agreed. Details will be made available at a later date.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

Other in:

Regulatory Compliance Officer (grade Pass)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Presentation skills
Administrative skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

Other requirements

This role requires the postholder to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond. Driving licence and a vehicle, or ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means, is essential.

About this company

At Essex County Council, we look after a large, diverse, complex region of the country. But our approach to creating a place where individuals, families and communities can thrive and prosper is simple.

http://www.workingforessex.com (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

•Healthy work-life balance •Wide range of learning and development opportunities • 26 days annual leave + bank holidays + choice to buy extra • Generous Local Government salary-related pension scheme

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

When qualified you will be considered for a Trading Standards officer post.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Essex County Council

Entry to Work

work.placements@essex.gov.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000317355.

Apply now

Closes in 19 days (Sunday 18 May 2025)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

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