Senior Assurance Auditor

Overview

Would you like an opportunity to play a key role in the audit of food and feed law delivery by Food Standards Scotland and all of Scotland's Local Authorities?

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) have a small Audit and Assurance team who are responsible for providing assurance that the delivery of controls for food and feed in Scotland meet legal requirements and official guidance. This function is delivered through a risk-based audit programme delivered by a small team of auditors. This role is as one of these auditors, developing, undertaking and audit activities, including onsite visits with the aim being to provide assurance on the standard of delivery of food and feed law enforcement services by Local Authorities and FSS.

The role is broad ranging and involves engagement and collaboration with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders and operational partners. This post is offered on a part-time basis (17.5 hours per week).

• Meet legislative requirements for auditing and monitoring the delivery of official controls by Local Authorities and FSS.
• Examine and assess FSS and Local Authority food and feed law enforcement arrangements by undertaking assurance audits of their service delivery in accordance with relevant procedures, milestones and timelines, and by analysing performance monitoring data, acting as Lead Auditor for some of these audits.
• Prepare audit reports on the outcome of audits and make recommendations, take appropriate follow-up action to support FSS and Local Authorities in their implementation of timely and effective measures to address identified problems, and liaising with internal colleagues and external officials, as necessary, on the outcome of audits.
• Contribute to policy and strategy development on audit and monitoring of FSS and Local Authority food and feed law enforcement activity including analysis of information and add to the wider contributions to inform FSS enforcement related policy issues and the function and implementation of these.
• Keep up to date with key developments relevant to FSS strategic objectives, and be able to present relevant FSS policy at senior level meetings and events.
• Represent FSS at external meetings and presentations.

Environmental Health Officer or Food Safety Officer with an appropriate qualification recognised by REHIS/EHRB, and Lead Auditor qualification (e.g. UKAS ISO courses, or IRCA certified training programmes for Lead Auditor roles).

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

• Connections and communication. Builds and uses relationships and networks to share insights, customer views, and learning about the issues affecting service and delivery effectiveness and impact. Ensures both self and teams apply best practice for diffusing hostility and managing conflict, and supports colleagues when incidents occur. Recognises the complexities of organisational service delivery, and communicates key issues and messages in an open, simple, and accessible way to stakeholders.
• Data and insight. Sources and analyses a range of data and insights (e.g. user-insights, socio-economic data) to inform options and make decisions. Leads the development of metrics, KPIs and dashboards to assess performance and improvements to services and operational delivery. Manages, supports and engages positively with inspections and audits - to gather data and evidence, and shape and act upon findings and recommendations.

You can find out more about the skills required here

• Comprehensive and practical understanding of the legislation and official guidance relating to food law, and the regulatory systems for delivering official controls with direct experience of working in food law delivery within a Local Authority.

• Working together - Level 3.
• Making effective decisions - Level 3.

You can find out more about Success Profiles here:
Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which…