Investigation Officer jobs in Hampshire

Job Details:

Job Reference: HCC625255
Salary Range: £41,985 - £46,565 per annum
Work Location: Bar End Road, Winchester (Hybrid Working)
Hours per week: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 8 November 2026

Interview Date: 18 November 2026

Protect Animal Welfare. Enforce the Law. Make a Difference Every Day.

Hampshire Trading Standards Service is seeking an experienced Senior Animal Health Officer to lead our Animal Health delivery, within the Food, Feed and Animal Health Function.

The Role:

As the authority's Senior Animal Health Officer, you will provide strategic direction and operational oversight, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality, risk-based regulatory service. An Animal Health qualification and/or relevant experience is essential.

Hampshire Trading Standards is responsible for enforcing over 290 pieces of legislation, helping to create a safe, fair and equitable trading environment while providing trusted advice and support to residents and businesses across Hampshire.

What you’ll do:

You will have direct line management responsibility for officers within the team, whilst also supporting the development of Trading Standards apprentices and promoting continuous professional development.

We are seeking a motivated and organised individual with experience in animal health and welfare enforcement. A key aspect of the role will be maintaining and developing the authority's disease contingency plans, ensuring preparedness for notifiable disease incidents and coordinating responses with our Emergency Planning Team and external partners. You will lead and oversee complex animal welfare investigations, providing professional guidance and ensuring proportionate and effective enforcement action. The role requires the ability to manage workloads, competing priorities and sensitive enforcement matters.

You may also be expected to work across the wider Food, Feed and Animal Health Team. Experience in, or a willingness to develop knowledge of, feed and food functions would be advantageous.

The service is intelligence-led, and there may be requirements to support other areas of Trading Standards work. You must be able to deal with a range of complex challenges, applying sound judgement, strong problem-solving skills and a practical approach to delivering effective outcomes. You will be responsible for reporting operational activity and outcomes to external agencies and work with them to continually evolve delivery priorities and approaches.

What we’re looking for:

With relevant qualifications or proven experience in animal health regulation and enforcement, you will be well equipped to undertake this challenging and rewarding role. You will be organised, resilient and flexible, with the ability to work occasionally out of hours when required. Above all, you will be confident in dealing professionally with members of the public, businesses, animal keepers and partner agencies, including in sensitive and challenging situations.

If you are passionate about protecting animal health and welfare, supporting the agricultural economy and safeguarding the public, we would love to hear from you.

Why join us?

This is a highly rewarding public service role where you can make a genuine difference to animal health and welfare across Hampshire. As part of the Hampshire Trading Standards team, you will help protect animals, support compliant businesses and contribute to the delivery of a modern, intelligence-led regulatory service.

To find out more about what we can offer you in return, please see our Benefits Package.

We currently operate a hybrid working model with the opportunity to work both from home and our Winchester-based office. You will be expected to attend regular office team days. If you are looking for a role that combines flexibility with the support of an experienced team committed to professional development, mentoring and continuous learning, then this could be the opportunity for you.

Additional Information:

Senior Trading Standards Officer (Animal Health) Candidate Pack

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:

Rachel Wills, Trading Standards Team Manager on Rachel.Wills@hants.gov.uk