Lewis Collantine

Experience

• 

  Retail Eyes

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2010

  Mystery Shopper
• 

  Esprit

  Nov 2009 - Sept 2011

  Responsible for running the Menswear department of a high street fashion retailer and responding to complaints submitted to Esprit's UK website and Head Office. The role involved a three-month secondment to the Liverpool store to support staff during a difficult period. Delivered staff training and team briefings, dealt with personnel matters, managed the cash office and monitored KPIs.

  • Floor Manager In-Training

    May 2011 - Sept 2011

  • Keyholder & Sales Associate

    Nov 2009 - May 2011
• 

  Hertfordshire County Council

  Sept 2011 - Apr 2013

  Trainee Trading Standards Officer

  KEY ACHIEVEMENTS- Successful investigations involving product safety, underage sales and food labelling- Major investigation into the manufacture and sale of counterfeit alloy wheelsPROJECTS- Sunbed UV testing- Nickel in jewellery- Aflatoxins

• 

  Thurrock Council

  Apr 2013 - Apr 2018

  Thurrock Council's Lead Officer for product safety with responsibility for the day-to-day work of the Imports team. Chair of Thurrock Council's LGBT+ Staff Network. Out-of-hours Duty Officer for the Emergency Planning team.Responsible for enforcing a wide range of consumer protection legislation across the areas of fair trading, product safety, food standards, e-crime, underage sales, intellectual property and doorstep crime. The role involves keeping up-to-date with Trading Standards legislation, training and supervising team members, writing reports, improving processes and representing the authority at regional and national meetings.KEY ACHIEVEMENTS- Assessed over 1,400 imported products for compliance with EU and UK safety legislation- Appointed UK's Lead Officer for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)- Completed a complex 4-year counterfeiting investigation known as Operation Mulberry- Secured senior management support for Stonewall Workplace Equality Index (WEI)- Won Thurrock Council's Equality & Diversity Award in 2017- Achieved over 60 hours of CPPD each yearPROJECTS- Letting agents' fees and redress schemes- Safety at ports and borders- Chromium VI and Azodyes in leather articles Show less Thurrock Council's Lead Officer for underage sales and e-crime.Responsible for enforcing a wide range of consumer protection legislation across the areas of fair trading, product safety, e-crime, underage sales, intellectual property and doorstep crime.KEY ACHIEVEMENTS- Achieved PRINCE2 Practitioner status- Established two successful Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) schemes- Achieved 100% compliance in teeth whitening project- Shortlisted for Staff Awards in 2015 (Unsung Hero) and 2016 (Equality & Diversity)PROJECTS- Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP)- Second hand car dealers- Teeth whitening- High risk inspections- Counterfeit goods via social media Show less

  • Senior Trading Standards Officer

    Apr 2016 - Apr 2018

  • Trading Standards Officer

    Apr 2013 - Apr 2016
• 

  TJX Europe

  Apr 2018 - Jan 2025

  Product Compliance & Trading Standards Manager - Europe

  TJX Europe includes TK Maxx, Homesense and TKMaxx.com and we operate in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria and Netherlands. I lead the internal Trading Standards team, known as Merchandise Compliance, which supports the business to sell products in a safe and legal way and makes risk-based decisions without compromising our reputation. Our remit includes product safety & compliance, labelling, food standards, age restricted products, consumer rights, timber compliance and regulatory matters.I am responsible for developing and implementing TJX Europe's compliance strategy and developing effective policies, standards and guidance to ensure our products comply with legal requirements across Europe. Influencing and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to improve compliance, manage risk and drive continuous improvement. Accountable for managing the Merchandise Compliance team, including team and personal objectives, performance reviews, training and development, budgets and managing the talent pipeline. Show less

• 

  Chartered Trading Standards Institute

  Jun 2021 - now

  Vice Chair of CTSI's Race & Equalities Working Group. Working to improve inclusion and diversity within the Trading Standards profession.KEY ACHIEVEMENTS/ Developed CTSI's Diversity Survey 2021/ Leading the development of CTSI's Diversity Hub toolkit/ Reverse mentor in a pilot scheme for Heads of Trading Standards

  • Chair - Race & Equalities

    Nov 2023 - now

  • Vice Chair - Race & Equalities

    Jun 2021 - Nov 2023
• 

  Self-employed

  Jan 2025 - now

  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant

    Jan 2025 - now

  • Trading Standards & Product Safety Consultant

    Jan 2025 - now