Soil Association
Employed Organic Inspector
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Location: Remote (Northampton-Milton Keynes)
Salary: £38,233 to £39,565 per annum
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
A full UK driving license is required for this role.
About our Organisation
Soil Association Certification Ltd exists to accelerate the just transition across food, farming and land use, as a global leader in sustainability certification. We deliver trusted solutions with nature, for people and planet through the certification of high integrity holistic standards. These assurance schemes cover a wide range of sectors including food, forestry, farming, landscape restoration carbon markets, beauty and wellbeing, textiles and catering.
We are recognised and trusted by consumers and businesses around the world, operating in over 60 countries delivering FSC and PEFC certification, and you will also find the Soil Association organic symbol on over 70% of organic products in the UK.
About the Opportunity
Take your food-industry experience into a career with more independence, variety and room to grow. Join Soil Association Certification as a home-based Organic Inspector: a trusted field role combining independent inspection work with structured professional training and pay progression, and opportunities to broaden your certification expertise over time.
The Role
Working mainly on-site at operator locations across the Midlands and surrounding areas, you will carry out inspections of organic food facilities and provide clear, professional assessments against certification requirements. Some home-based working will also be required for report writing, planning and administrative tasks.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
The role offers considerable autonomy and variety. You will manage your inspection diary, prepare for and conduct site visits, communicate findings clearly and work with businesses operating in a wide range of food production and processing environments.
You will work independently for much of the time, while remaining connected to experienced colleagues and the Inspectorate management team for technical guidance and support. Working away from home will be required when necessary.
Training and Career Development
Our structured inspector training and competency sign-off program includes induction, technical and scheme training, shadowing experienced inspectors, practical and supervised inspection experience, and competency assessment before independent sign-off.
Ongoing training and technical support will help you broaden your inspection scope, build specialist knowledge and develop your career across a range of certified schemes.
About You
You will bring relevant inspection or auditing experience together with a background in food manufacturing and an understanding of the pressures and practical realities of the food industry.
You will need the confidence and professional judgement to work independently, communicate effectively with different types of businesses and people, manage your own workload and handle inspection findings—including non-compliances—clearly and constructively.
We are primarily seeking experienced organic inspectors. However, we will also consider applicants with relevant professional experience who can demonstrate the skills and potential to succeed in the role. Our structured training programme supports suitable candidates in developing the specialist knowledge and competencies required for organic inspection.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Our Benefits
We offer a range of financial and lifestyle benefits to all our employees, including:
- 27 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days with length of service plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
- Pension scheme with ethical investment options and employer contribution increasing with length of service
- Free membership of the Soil Association and discounts on organic produce
- Volunteer days to give back to the local community or support green initiatives
- Family friendly policies and flexible working
- Cycle to work scheme
- Sociable and engaging workplace of professionals that share a passion for healthy, sustainable lifestyle and produce
To Apply
Click ‘apply now’ to submit your CV and Cover Letter. Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy early.
Please check your junk/spam folder if you do not receive a confirmation email upon submitting your application. All candidates will subsequently receive an email to confirm whether they have made it through to interview stage.
For any queries, please contact recruitment@soilassociation.org
We know the value of diversity in nature and want it in our organisation. We recognise that diverse backgrounds and experiences will bring a fresh perspective to our work. If you're not sure about applying, please get in touch with us for a chat.
Thank you for your interest in supporting our work at the Soil Association.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills