Job Overview

Join Our Team as a Senior Compliance Officer - Land and Habitat 

As a vital member of our Compliance Team, you will play a crucial role in monitoring compliance with planning and building consents, ensuring compliance with land and building use permissions, and ensuring islanders have high-quality, safe places to live and work.  At the Regulation Directorate, your career aspirations can flourish while working in a supportive and collaborative environment. We pride ourselves on our friendly culture, where every team member is valued and encouraged to grow.  In this exciting public-facing role, you’ll receive comprehensive training in the job role, which will complement your formal qualifications and senior experience in an area relevant to this role. Your contributions will elevate your career and positively impact the community we serve.   

Join us in Regulation, where our passion is protecting islanders and our island environment and where your achievements matter, and you’ll take pride in the difference you make every day. 

Job Purpose

Responsible for directing and overseeing criminal investigations into alleged breaches of Law. Signing off reports for prosecution referrals and the recommendations of Compliance Officers. Where legal action is pursued, responsible for preparing files for the most complex or contentious prosecution cases for consideration by the Attorney General to enforce the law and promote Island wide compliance.

Statutory Responsibilities

Active engagement, participation and compliance with any other statutory responsibilities applicable to the role, as amended from time to time. This role is politically restricted. The job holder is not permitted to undertake political activity involving standing for election to the Government or as a Parish Constable, or publicly supporting someone who is standing for election or playing a public part in any political manner.

Services

Regulation Directorate: Development and Land - Compliance, Land & Habitat

Qualifications

Essential: Level 7 qualification equivalent to a relevant degree (e.g. Law, Planning, Policing and Criminal Justice) plus a relevant Masters degree; Management qualification

Desirable: Chartered Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) 

Job Specific Outcomes

Lead the team of Compliance Officers dealing with alleged breaches of legislation, providing expert advice and guidance to contribute towards their professional development and meet and develop performance targets as identified in the Directorate's business plan. Encourage a culture of continual improvement, by proactively engaging and contributing to procedural reviews led by the Head of Regulatory Improvement to ensure the continual improvement of services, in terms of efficiency and performance to optimise customer experience. Maintain expert understanding of the relevant Laws, Orders and precedents set through previous legal cases to understand and advise on potential breaches that may have occurred. Liaising with other relevant experts within the Regulation directorate and the Law Officer’s Department to determine the appropriate course of action. Direct and oversee criminal investigations into alleged breaches of Law, conducting site visits for the more complex, large scale or contentious compliance cases to assess whether a breach has taken place and the necessary action. Oversee the compilation of evidence, signing off on reports for prosecution referrals and the recommendations of Compliance Officers. Present case summaries to Senior Managers and the Minister as and when required. Where further action is pursued, prepare and serve Enforcement Notice and prepare papers for referral to the Attorney General. These must withhold scrutiny and meet Legal Adviser standards, where this may have the potential to form the basis of a prosecution. Present evidence on prosecution cases as an expert witness in Court, Public Inquiry and at appeal. Provide complex legal and / or detailed information to key stakeholders in writing or in person on compliance issues liaising with Legal Advisers as necessary. Ensuring all key stakeholders are kept appraised of any decision to take action or not.

Knowledge

Essential: Demonstrable continued professional development, to maintain knowledge of best practice; Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation and policy and the ability to apply these and explain to others; Economic forces and the political sensitivity of planning issues.

Desirable: Knowledge of: The activity of Government and Court Processes; The Infrastructure, Housing and Environment priorities, key objectives, risks and issues relevant to the department division and the role; The Government Financial Directives.

Technical Work Based Skills

Essential:

Computer literate with ability to operate the Microsoft Office package;

Ability to read and assess drawings and other complex technical data;

Driving licence for car (Group B).

General skills / attributes

Essential: Problem solving, negotiation and influencing skills, with with proven ability to handle and interpret a range of information from a variety of sources; Confident decision-maker; Ability to develop innovative approaches to service delivery; Ability to lead, motivate and manage teams to facilitate achievement of high delivery and performance and manage poor behaviour; Strong relationship building skills; Ability to present effectively, both verbally and in writing Ability to produce written materials (e.g. letters, reports, discussion papers, proposals) to a high level for presentation.

Experience

Essential: Significant experience, including experience working with legislation / referral of matters for prosecution; A proven ability to analyse complex legal arguments and the ability to apply these and explain to others; Management of a team.

Personal Attributes

Appointees to this role will be required to adhere to and perform their duties in line with the standards identified in the Government of Jersey tier 4 core accountabilities, attributes and behaviour indicators.