Trading Standards Officer
Closing in 16 days (3 May 2026 11:59 pm)
Job details
Salary: £30,518 - £44,075 per annum
Employer: Devon County Council
Location: Various locations, Devon and Somerset,
Contract type: Permanent
Working pattern: Full time
Closing date: 3 May 2026 11:59 pm
About the job
Key information
Depending on Qualification level and Experience: Grade E £30,518 to Grade G – £44,075 per annum
Multiple locations – Barnstaple, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Plymouth, Torbay or Wellington
Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service are looking to recruit a Trading Standards Officer to join our innovative joint service.
About Us
As one of the largest Trading Standards Services in the UK, our joint service is commissioned by the four local authorities, Devon, Plymouth, Somerset & Torbay. Our service area covers two coastlines, Dartmoor & Exmoor National Parks, the cathedral city of Exeter, historic port of Plymouth, county town of Taunton and the ‘English Rivera’ in Torbay.
The Service covers a wide range of regulated activities essential for supporting a vibrant economy and maintaining public safety. We always work closely with our partners to ensure high standards are achieved in agriculture, animal health & welfare, consumer safety, fair trading, food standards and metrology. As an intelligence led investigative service, we have defined specialist teams that provide innovative solutions to complex regulatory problems.
What will I be doing?
We are seeking an officer to join our Regulatory Support – Rural Team. This team works closely with the rural communities across our 4 local authority areas. Candidates will need to feel at home outside, visiting farms, livestock markets and other similar premises. We welcome applications from candidates of all qualification and experience levels but, an aptitude for working in rural settings will be vital.
New entrants to the profession will be employed as a trainee, they will start their career assisting and learning from experienced officers; undertaking visits to various businesses, consumers and giving advice on complex legislation. As their experience grows they will visit businesses independently. We will also ask the candidates to assist experienced officers with investigations into breaches of criminal legislation. Full training and mentorship will be provided.
Trainees may be expected to move between teams according to service need and professional development requirements, gaining valuable skills and experience as they complete their learning journey. Trainees will be expected to undertake relevant training and will be given the opportunity to complete a level 6 qualification to complete their journey to becoming a fully qualified Trading Standards Officer.
The Joint Service operates a career progression scheme (CPS) for all Trading Standards Officers, which recognises and rewards individual development, and provides the opportunity to earn up to £39,152 at grade F and up to £44,075 at grade G. Candidates who are already fully or partly qualified will transfer in to our career progression scheme at a point commensurate with their skills and qualifications.
What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?
You will need to be self-motivated, well organised, and be able to work independently or as part of a team, to achieve successful outcomes to complex regulatory problems within strict deadlines. We are looking for people who are above all approachable, flexible and able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and situations.
You will be able to liaise confidently with members of the public, business leaders, colleagues and partner organisations to achieve defined outcomes. You will need to be able to manage competing priorities and be keen to gain and maintain knowledge and understanding of legal process and Trading Standards legislation.
Knowledge and experience of Trading Standards and/or regulation / enforcement is desirable but not essential.
DBS check
This role requires a DBS disclosure.
Supporting documents and information
We have offices in Plymouth, Torbay, Newton Abbot, Exeter, Barnstaple, and Wellington. As we cover a large geographical area, travel to these locations and also to visit business and members of the public across the service area is to be expected. Due to the nature of the work we do, there will also be the need for occasional weekend and evening work.
All candidates must visit our website Jobs and careers – Trading Standards Service where they will find further details on the role, together with case studies from both experienced and trainee officers.
On this page is a question for candidates, and the answer to this question should be placed at the bottom of the applicant’s personal statement in their job application. This question is designed to give candidates an idea of the type of research they will need to do in their day-to-day work. Applications received without the required question, will not be considered for shortlisting.
Interview date will provisionally be week commencing 11 May 2026
For an informal conversation about the role please contact our one of our recruitment managers, Christopher Rice or Rosemary Rowe on 01392 383000 asking for each by name, during normal office hours.