Operations Manager - Food & Safety

Job introduction

Are you a dynamic leader with a passion for implementing change and delivering high quality services that has a long-lasting, positive impact on people’s lives and where they live? This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-profile service that has a direct positive influence on the daily lives of the people of Brighton and Hove.

You may be early in your journey or a seasoned experienced leader with an excellent track record; we want to hear from you all. The Councils values foster an environment where we are connected and have the confidence to explore and trial new ways of working, giving space for innovation and creativity in how we deliver efficiencies into our services. We champion diversity and inclusion, ensuring our working environment is a healthy and psychologically safe environment. As a leader you will promote and role model these behaviours so that we reach our aim of being a ‘can do and innovative’ council.

Interviews will be held between 23rd to 30th January 2026.

About the role

Join us in Brighton and Hove – a unique, energetic, diverse centre for culture in the Southeast and an exciting place to develop your career.

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and results driven person to lead our Food and Safety Team on the delivery of high-quality services to our residents and businesses. Possessing an extensive knowledge of the relevant legislation and associated codes of practice you will ensure that the council undertakes and meets all relevant statutory obligations in the areas of Food Control and Health and Safety.

We offer flexible/ hybrid working subject to the demands of your service area.

You will be responsible for:

• Managing a team of professionals in Food Control and Health and Safety, leading and inspiring them to achieve high quality service delivery, keeping our customers central in our approach.
• Build relationships across the council and with our external stakeholders and our customers ensuring we share knowledge and learning to deliver innovative and effective services.
• Act as the Lead Officer for Food and Safety matters providing operational team support in Food Hygiene, Public Health and Health and Safety functions, especially when dealing with complex cases.
• Strive to identify new innovative and creative ways of delivering services to improve efficiency yet maintaining high standards of service delivery by reviewing and revising current procedures and practice and ensuring local and national aims and objectives are implemented into service delivery.
• Manage the budget ensuring that the service contributes to achieving the organisations financial targets.

We offer great terms and conditions including the Local Government Pension Scheme, excellent training and development, generous annual leave and staff discounts.

If you would like to discuss this position further, please email David Currie, Head of Regulatory Services at David.currie@brighton-hove.gov.uk or call 07596 886568

As part of your application, you will need to complete your education and work history and provide answers to some shortlisting questions. Your answers to the shortlisting questions are the most important part of your application as they will be used in the shortlisting process to assess whether you meet the essential requirements for the role that are set out in the person specification and to decide whether you should be offered an interview. Before you start your application, please read our guidance here (Shortlisting questions guidance (brighton-hove.gov.uk)) as this gives important advice which will increase your chance of success in the shortlisting process.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is less than 37 hours or term-time only.

We welcome full and part-time applications.

We are a workplace that supports flexibility and employee wellbeing in the way we work whilst providing the best service for our customers. Team and service working arrangements are designed to support both employee work life balance and team collaboration. These would be part of your individual working arrangements alongside any personal preference agreed with your manager in advance of joining. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team and travel to and from your contractual location would be at your own expense.

For more information about our values and the benefits of working at the council, visit Why work for us

Company information

Encouraging a diverse workforce

Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it's what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.

Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone can achieve their potential by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti-racism strategy and the work we are doing to encourage a diverse workforce (brighton-hove.gov.uk).