Local Authority Delivery Advisor – Exports and SPS Readiness

Are you an experienced food regulation professional with a strong understanding of how local authorities deliver official food and feed controls? Do you enjoy working with a wide range of stakeholders to support food safety, regulatory assurance and international trade outcomes across the UK?

The Food Standards Agency is looking for a Local Authority Delivery Advisor to play a key role in supporting export audits conducted by international trading partners and helping prepare local authorities for changes arising from Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) developments. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to high-profile work that supports confidence in the UK's food control system and facilitates trade.

Working within the UK and International Affairs Directorate, you will collaborate with colleagues across the FSA, devolved governments and local authorities to ensure delivery considerations are reflected in audit activity, policy development and implementation planning. Your expertise will help support effective regulatory delivery and provide practical solutions to complex challenges.

You will act as a subject matter expert on the delivery of food and feed official controls by local authorities, supporting preparation for and participation in audits undertaken by the European Union and other international trading partners. This will include gathering evidence, preparing briefing materials, contributing to audit responses, supporting site visits and presenting information to stakeholders as required.

You will also support the FSA's SPS programme by assessing the operational implications of policy and legislative developments, helping to shape guidance and training materials, and maintaining strong relationships with local authority partners. Working across multiple teams and programmes, you will respond to stakeholder queries, contribute to briefing materials and help ensure a coordinated approach to achieving regulatory and organisational objectives.

Working pattern guidance

If applying as a job share partnership you should both complete separate application forms on Civil Service Jobs but should make it clear that you are applying as job sharers. Further details on job sharing can be found here JSF – What is the recruitment process for job sharers? , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

Applicants who wish to work compressed hours are welcome to apply - however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Please read before applying

This post is a Fixed Term appointment available until 31/03/2027 due to limited funding for project work. There may be the potential, but no guarantee, of extension or permanency.

Candidates that are already established Civil Servants or from non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.

Note for FSA employees

You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy - please refer to the ‘Temporary internal appointments framework’ on the FSA intranet for more details. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).

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)

Full details of the selection process can be found in the attached candidate pack.

Application and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

Essential criteria

Experience

• Lead criteria: Extensive knowledge and understanding of the UK regulatory landscape for food hygiene, food standards or feed, with a demonstrable understanding of the role local authorities play in delivering official controls.

Lead Criteria An initial sift will take place on the Lead Criteria.

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience requirements of the role

Experience

• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the UK regulatory landscape for food hygiene, food standards or feed, with a demonstrable understanding of the role local authorities play in delivering official controls. (Lead Criteria)
• Demonstrable experience of building effective partnerships and influencing a range of stakeholders to achieve shared regulatory or operational outcomes.
• Demonstration of excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, manage multiple workstreams and deliver high-quality outcomes in a complex and changing environment

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 18/10/26

Sift: Expected to take place: 23/10.26

Final panel interview: Expected to take place: 29/10/26

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.

Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not offer visa sponsorship and cannot provide advice on visa applications

Making a complaint

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated fairly in accordance with the principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should email the FSA’s Director of People at jo.bushnell@food.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

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