Southampton City Council
Head of Public Protection
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Head of Public Protection – Southampton City Council
Key Role
We’re seeking an experienced, confident, and collaborative senior leader to join Southampton City Council as Head of Public Protection.
This key leadership role oversees Environmental Health, Port Health, Trading Standards, and Licensing, ensuring the Council delivers high-quality, lawful, and proportionate regulatory services that protect public health, safety, and consumer interests. You’ll develop these services to align with customer needs within available resources, balancing multiple outcomes.
About the Role
Reporting to the Director of Customer, Leisure and Regulatory Services, you will:
- Provide strategic direction, professional leadership, and operational oversight across a broad, high-profile portfolio.
- Advise senior officers, elected members, and partners on:
- Regulatory risk.
- Enforcement policy.
- Emerging issues.
- Lead service improvement, transformation, and workforce development.
You’ll manage statutory and discretionary services impacting residents, businesses, visitors, and the city. The role demands: ✔ Sound judgement ✔ Strong professional credibility ✔ The ability to operate effectively in a Complex, politically sensitive, and partnership-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities
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- Strategic leadership across Environmental Health, Port Health, Trading Standards, and Licensing.
- Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, codes of practice, and national guidance.
- Driving service transformation, continuous improvement, and operational efficiency.
- Overseeing complex investigations, enforcement activities, and regulatory decision-making.
- Managing performance, budgets, income generation, and risk.
- Advising elected members, senior officers, and partners on critical public protection matters.
- Building and strengthening partnerships with:
- Public sector agencies.
- Regulatory bodies.
- Community safety networks.
- Leading, developing, and supporting teams to deliver high-standard outcomes.
About You
You must ensure services are: ✅ Well-governed ✅ Financially sustainable ✅ Performance-driven ✅ Responsive to national guidance, legislation, and local priorities.
The role requires: 🔹 A proven track record in regulatory leadership. 🔹 Excellent judgement, credibility, and stakeholder engagement skills.
What We Offer
Salary Range: £78,723 – £84,412 (starting salary: £78,723, with annual progression).
Comprehensive Benefits Include:
- Death in service benefit (×3 salary).
- Optional salary sacrifice shared-cost AVC (Additional Voluntary Contributions).
- Generous holiday allowance (25–31 days, depending on role and tenure).
- Flexible working options (role-dependent).
- Family-friendly policies:
- Maternity, paternity, adoption, shared/paid parental leave.
- Time off for dependants.
- Training & development (coaching, mentoring).
- Health & wellbeing support:
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Menopause support (Menopause Pledge).
- Mental Health First Aiders.
- Staff sustainability networks.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
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Armed Forces Covenant compliance (Veteran-friendly workplace).
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Discounted retail & local services (via Council benefits platform).
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Sports & fitness discount schemes.
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Sustainable travel benefits:
- Low-emission car scheme.
- Cycle-to-work scheme.
- Season ticket loans.
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Employee Volunteering Scheme with 2 paid days leave for volunteering.
For further details, please visit Southampton City Council website: [Link here].
Contact for Informal Discussion:
James Marshall (Email contact not included in formatted text) 📞 Tel: 023 8083 4033 for recruitment inquiries.
Join Us
If this role resonates with your experience and ambitions, we’d love to hear from you. Follow @SCC (social media) for updates on our opportunities and news.
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