About the job

Job summary

About OPSS  

Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can we use your skills, knowledge, and experience to enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you!  

We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade (Previously the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy).

We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency.  

Since early 2018 we have been building a positive and creative team that enjoys a position of influence and respect within an organisation that continues to grow, recently with the addition of construction products regulation.  

Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence.  

Further information can be found on our website here  

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. We embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity.

We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.  

We are Inclusive  

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.  

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. 

Job description

The Roles and Our Team  

​About the Roles  

​There are six roles being advertised across the following team:  

​Products and Sectors Regulation 

​The Products and Sectors Regulation Team enforce a range of product, environmental and energy efficiency regulations across a wide variety of product types in a number of different sectors. We are working towards providing a regulatory environment in which businesses have the confidence to invest and grow whilst ensuring that consumers and the environment are protected. We do this by taking a risk-based and proportionate approach to our regulatory activities, in accordance with the Regulators’ Code. We are continuing to build our regulatory capability, our ways of working, and our staff’s expertise.  

​Product Regulation Team:

We deliver a comprehensive market surveillance programme engaging with businesses, auditing technical documentation, inspecting manufacturing process, undertaking product sampling & testing, and carrying out investigations to ensure products comply with Eco-design and Energy Labelling Requirements.  

​We ensure that products meet minimum energy efficiency standards, and that energy labelling is accurate, to ensure consumers save money on energy and make informed purchasing decisions. We use intelligence to prioritise key business sectors and develop our strategies to raise levels of compliance across those sectors.  

​We are looking for two experiences regulators to join our team and take on a new challenge. You will be well supported in our well-resourced experienced team, and the work you will undertake will be both varied and challenging. There is also opportunity to develop mentorship skills by supporting our apprentices as they develop during their studies. 

​If you are passionate about protecting consumers, holding business to account and working as part of a committed team, to make a difference, then we would love to hear from you. 

​Environment and Supply Chain Assurance Team:

Timber supply chains are regulated to ensure harvesting practices are legal, encourage sustainable harvesting practices and support global forest governance.  This role will involve Investigating and enforcing the UK Timber Products placing on the Market Regulations (UKTR) to prevent trade in Timber that is illegally harvested and help businesses understand their obligations under the regulations. 

​Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and End of Life Vehicles (ELV):  

​This role involves the protection of the environment through the enforcement of regulations, which ensure that electronic equipment or vehicles do not have excessive levels of certain hazardous substances and are dealt with correctly. This is part of a small team that undertake compliance checks of products placed on the UK market, including reviewing testing and conformity documentations, undertaking test purchasing and removing non-compliant products from sale as necessary.  

​Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Battery Takeback:

​This role involves the protection of the environment through the enforcement of regulations, which ensure that businesses who sell portable batteries, electrical and electronic equipment have systems in place to take back the waste items and make sure these are dealt with by approved waste treatment companies. This is within a small team that undertake compliance checks on businesses, including working with partners, other regulators and trade associations to support business compliance.  

​We are looking for 3 regulators to build upon this thriving work environment, supported by colleagues, sharing knowledge and collaborating to achieve a common goal. Our work ethic contributes to a positive and motivated team dynamic.  If you would like to join us in making a valuable difference and are ready to embark on a rewarding journey, playing a pivotal role in our success then we encourage you to apply. 

​Energy Supply Team: 

​The Energy Supply Team enforces a range of product, environmental and energy efficiency regulations across a wide variety of product types in a number of different sectors. We are working towards providing a regulatory environment in which businesses have the confidence to invest and grow whilst ensuring that consumers and the environment are protected. We do this by taking a risk-based and proportionate approach to our regulatory activities, in accordance with the Regulators’ Code. We are continuing to build our regulatory capability, our ways of working, and our staff’s expertise. 

​We enforce the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014, intended to drive energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions from heating, thereby helping the UK reach its climate targets. 

​We are looking for a Senior Enforcement Officer to join an established team responsible for ensuring heat networks are regulated in a consistent and positive manner and taking appropriate enforcement action where necessary. 

​In this role you will work closely with teams across the Office to support our strategic objectives, playing an instrumental role in building our reputation as a trusted regulator. 
 
You will support the improvement of transparency and accountability to the businesses we regulate and the citizens we serve. 
 
The post reports directly to the Heat Networks Team Lead, who reports to an Enforcement Manager within the Energy Supply Team.

​Successful candidates will be assigned to a team based on business need and candidate location. You will have an opportunity to express a preference at interview.​ 

• Undertake both proactive and reactive enforcement casework to ensure products placed on the UK market are compliant.   
• Take the lead on your own enforcement investigations and provide support to multi-officer investigations.  
• Create, maintain, and manage communication with businesses, trade bodies and other organisations, as appropriate to your regulatory area, to deliver clear, supportive and effective advice.         
• Develop specialist knowledge in your regulatory area, to help provide the national enforcement perspective to OPSS colleagues in different teams, policy sponsors (where applicable) and other partner agencies. 
• Undertake regulatory activities in accordance with the Regulators’ Code and OPSS’ Enforcement Policy.  
• Review market information, technical files, and other documentation across a range of legislation, handling material to the evidential standard where appropriate.  
• Actively build and maintain relationships across teams within Enforcement and across the office to identify opportunities to add value to your work. 
• Actively develop yourself as regulator and enforcement officer; with your team, identify and explore innovative ways to increase our regulatory capability and our positive impact, and develop OPSS as an exemplar regulator

Person specification

Essential criteria 

​​This is an exciting opportunity for a flexible and ambitious individual with the energy to make positive change happen within and beyond OPSS.  We are keen to hear from people that can demonstrate: 

• ​Experience in an investigatory role in any of the following fields: Regulation, Enforcement, or Compliance. This could include holding a Level 4 Regulatory Compliance Officer Apprenticeship qualification or equivalent regulatory qualification. Applicants that have reasonable expectation of achieving the qualification within the next two months may apply.  

• ​Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. 

• ​Flexibility and ability to adapt to changing workloads and priorities.  

• ​The capacity to contribute to and support the delivery of multi-faceted work plans  

• ​Ability to research, understand and assess technical information, filtering and prioritising data to assist in understanding its relevancy in the investigative process   

• ​Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,858, Department for Business and Trade contributes £8,871 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:   

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the Essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the Essential criteria.

In the event that there is a high volume of applicants, a short sift will be conducted based on Personal statement only.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date though this is subject to change.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment: 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. 

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.  

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.  

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department. 

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.   
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.  
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.  
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.   
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.  
• Terms and Conditions are attached.  Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.