Trading Standards Officer

MAIN PURPOSE:

Enforcement of consumer protection legislation to ensure that consumers throughout the Borough are protected against unscrupulous and unfair trading practices.

To promote and establish a structure of where both consumers and traders have availability to legal advice on all Trading Standards legislation.

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SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

1. Investigate complaints alleging breaches of legislation, following all reasonable lines of enquiry in bringing investigations to an appropriate, relevant conclusion.
2. Compile reports of breaches in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and prepare case for Court and give evidence in Magistrates, County or Crown Court as necessary by liaising with solicitors or barristers.
3. Prepare and participate in outreach activities relating to advice, education, information, and training to stakeholders.
4. Carry out inspections of retail trade outlets, advise in respect of appropriate legislation and deal with infringements of the law as necessary.
5. Maintain an up to date_,_ appropriate working knowledge of legislation assigned to the service.
6. Provide appropriate advice to consumers, businesses, partners and attend relevant meetings as the Divisional representative when required.
7. Develop specialist skills in areas of agreed topics.
8. Provide support to other officers where required.
9. Work within established departmental procedures
10. Undertake any other duties commensurate with the level of the post, as required to ensure the efficient and effective running of the Department / Section.

Planning and organisation

Achieve a high level of performance through effective planning, personal organisation, showing confidence in own skills and capability. Demonstrate ability to assess raw data, missing data and information to identify weaknesses and flaws in order to correct and improve.

Monitor other officers' workloads, recommending improvements, advice and identifying training needs where appropriate. Experience in developing and documenting best practice policies and procedures.

Teamwork and co-operation

Work effectively in collaboration with others, demonstrating multidisciplinary awareness, engaging with multiple stakeholders, and building and maintaining relationships

Motivation and quality of works

Exceed individual work targets with no supervision and maintain a consistently high standard of work. Encourage others to improve performance by own example. Demonstrate a high level of experience in successfully managing own workload in a complex area of work.

Analytical thinking

Assess and advise senior staff on the impact and implications of change. Break down complex tasks into manageable parts and be able to report to members and senior staff clearly and efficiently in order that policy decisions can be properly made. Be able to recognise causes of events or consequences of action likely to impact the service. Experience in developing and documenting best practice policies and procedures.

Self-confidence/assertiveness

Always exhibit a positive attitude to your peers and volunteer for new and complex challenges.

Demonstrate a confidence in one's own ability to accomplish tasks and assert oneself in variety of situations within different groups.

Be able to speak publicly to all groups.