Environmental Health Manager - AR

Environmental Health Manager

Milton Keynes City Council

Pay Rate: £39.00 PAYE per hour
Working Pattern: Hybrid - 3 days onsite and 2 days remote
Contract: Initial 4 weeks, with potential for extension
Hours: As agreed with the council
DBS: Not required

Job Overview

Milton Keynes City Council is seeking an experienced Environmental Health Manager to provide interim leadership and management of its Regulatory Services function, covering a long-term sickness absence.

This is a senior management position suited to an established Environmental Health professional with previous experience leading an Environmental Health, Public Protection or Regulatory Services function within a local authority.

The successful candidate will take responsibility for the strategic and operational delivery of the Environmental Health service, providing professional leadership, overseeing statutory functions and managing a wider service of approximately 30 staff, including 5-6 direct reports.

You will report directly to senior leadership and must be confident operating autonomously, making complex regulatory decisions and providing immediate leadership from day one.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Environmental Health and Regulatory Services function, ensuring effective service delivery and statutory compliance.
• Provide professional oversight across Food Safety, Environmental Protection, Noise and Nuisance, Air Quality, Public Health, Workplace Health & Safety and Petroleum Licensing.
• Oversee regulatory investigations, enforcement activity and complex decision-making, including potential prosecutions.
• Manage and support approximately 5-6 direct reports, with wider responsibility for a service of around 30 employees.
• Monitor service performance, key performance indicators, budgets and operational targets.
• Develop and implement service plans, policies, procedures and improvement initiatives.
• Ensure staff are appropriately supported, developed and competent to carry out their responsibilities.
• Build effective relationships with councillors, senior council officers, external agencies and regulatory partners.
• Represent the council at relevant meetings, committees and external forums.
• Ensure the service delivers value for money and meets local and national regulatory standards.

Essential Requirements

• Relevant Environmental Health degree or equivalent professional qualification, together with a postgraduate qualification.
• Recognised professional membership and evidence of continued professional development.
• Substantial post-qualification Environmental Health experience.
• Previous experience leading an Environmental Health, Public Protection or Regulatory Services function within a Local Authority.
• Strong senior management experience, including managing multidisciplinary teams and other managers.
• Broad technical knowledge across Environmental Health disciplines and statutory enforcement.
• Experience overseeing complex investigations, regulatory decisions and enforcement action.
• Understanding of local government procedures, governance and politically sensitive environments.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management and strategic leadership skills.
• Experience of budget management, service planning and performance monitoring.
• Ability to work independently and take responsibility for service delivery from day one.

Desirable Experience

• Strong experience in Noise and Nuisance.
• Previous experience within a large urban local authority.
• Previous employment as a Head of Environmental Health, Regulatory Services Manager or Public Protection Manager.

Additional Information

• Hybrid working arrangement of 3 days onsite and 2 days remote.
• Initial 4-week contract covering a long-term sickness absence, with potential for extension.
• Responsibility for approximately 30 staff, including 5-6 direct reports.
• No DBS required.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use are essential.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced senior Environmental Health professional to take on an interim leadership position within a busy city council, providing immediate operational and strategic management of a broad Regulatory Services function.