Job Introduction
Our Trading Standards service is dedicated to protecting consumers and businesses by promoting a safe and fair trading environment. We enforce regulations across a wide variety of legislation, aiming to prevent harm and financial loss to consumers by working with businesses to ensure compliance and fairness.
We are seeking a professional, dynamic and motivated leader to join our Trading Standards management team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in providing strategic direction and leadership for the Service which includes responsibilities for the Joint Coroner’s Service and Safety of Sports Ground activity.
You will be required to work effectively in partnership to influence others and will play a key role in shaping and delivering frontline services that keep people safe, protect vulnerable communities, and enable residents to thrive.
You will be based in Stafford with the opportunity to work flexibly subject to business requirements.
We have a clear vision for Staffordshire - an innovative, ambitious and sustainable county, where everyone has the opportunity to prosper, be healthy and happy
We want everyone in Staffordshire to:
- Have access to more good jobs and share the benefit of economic growth
- Live in thriving and sustainable communities
- Be healthier and more independent for longer
Main Responsibility
The Trading Standards service has responsibility for the enforcement of regulation across a wide variety of areas and almost three hundred pieces of legislation. The service aims to support businesses to grow by ensuring a sustainable trading environment through the provision of compliance advice whilst taking robust enforcement actions to keep people safe and protect vulnerable communities in Staffordshire from harm and / or financial loss.
The Safety of Sports Grounds team carry out inspections and provide support and guidance to the management of sporting venues in Staffordshire to ensure the safety of spectators and fulfill the County Council’s statutory responsibilities for designated stands and designated grounds. You will provide leadership for this area.
The Coroner’s Service is a joint service with Stoke on Trent City Council who are the designated Lead authority. There is a local Coronial presence, and the team are actively involved to ensure that the service provides a local high quality empathetic offer to the families of the bereaved whilst ensuring that the budget and resources are managed to provide value for money.
You will ensure effective leadership arrangements for the service, supporting the delivery of strategies, policies, and plans to improve outcomes for Staffordshire residents inspiring and leading high-performing teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and value for money.
The Ideal Candidate
You should hold a Diploma in Trading Standards or equivalent qualification, and achieved a management qualification equivalent to NVQ level 4.
We’re looking for someone who has:
- Strong knowledge of national/regional/local government policy, trading standards issues, quality assurance processes, and intelligence principles (including NIM).
- Proven leadership experience managing teams in regulatory environments and coordinating multi‑team workloads to tight deadlines.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, influencing, negotiation, and conflict‑management skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences and partners.
- Demonstrated success in partnership working across organisational boundaries and forming effective professional relationships.
- Ability to think strategically, interpret and implement complex legislation, and translate this into clear guidance for staff.
- Commercial awareness with well‑developed financial skills, innovative problem‑solving ability, and a strong commitment to continuous improvement.
What We Offer
- A supportive and inclusive working environment
- Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- Ongoing professional development opportunities
If this sounds like a good match to your skills, we look forward to hearing from you. In return we can offer you an exciting and diverse role which is rewarded with a competitive salary and benefits package within the high performing and supportive Regulatory Services and Community Safety team.
Don't feel you meet all the requirements? We value transferrable skills, experiences, and qualifications so for an informal chat about the role, please contact: Antony Shore, Trading Standards Operations Manager on 01785 277870 or email: antony.shore@staffordshire.gov.uk
Interview: Friday 8th May 2026
Start Date: 1st June 2026
Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.
About Staffordshire County Council
We are no ordinary county council:
Our Values:
The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.
Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:
We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.
We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.
Our benefits:
We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire
Our recruitment process:
As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities
As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
Attached documents
