Job Details:
Salary: £185,000 per annum (subject to pay award)
Work Location: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service HQ, Eastleigh
Contract Type: Permanent
Contract Rota: Continuous Duty
Closing Date: 26 January 2025
About The Role:
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is seeking a dynamic and experienced Chief Fire Officer to lead our dedicated team. This pivotal role requires a leader with exceptional vision, dedication, and a passion for public service.
We are committed to providing prevention, protection, and emergency response services to our community. Our mission is to make our community the safest place to live, work, and visit by delivering exceptional services, attracting and developing a talented workforce, and making effective use of our resources.
We are seeking an outstanding individual to lead our organisation as the Chief Fire Officer. The successful candidate will uphold our core ethics and values, demonstrate an enthusiastic and innovative approach to leadership, and have a clear understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion matters.
This role will provide strategic leadership and overall coordination to ensure the highest standards of service delivery and management practice, advise Fire Authority members on key business decisions and service strategy, and work closely with partners to drive better outcomes for our communities.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is an excellent place to work, and this is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact and be part of a team committed to making a difference. If you are passionate about public safety and have the skills and experience we are looking for, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding and challenging role.
The candidate pack, available as a supporting document, should provide you with a good foundation, with lots of information to help you get to know us much better, but we would also encourage candidates to spend some time with us to learn a little more about us, what’s important to us and how we do things.
Please note this post is Politically Restricted.
Key Responsibilities:
* To provide strategic leadership of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of customer focused services.
* The post holder has a number of delegated powers from the Fire Authority and is ultimately accountable for ensuring that the Service operate within the agreed financial and governance arrangements.
* The Chief Officer is responsible to the Fire Authority for the effective leadership and management of the Fire Service in accordance with the Services’ agreed Vision, Values and Objectives as outlined in the agreed Safety Plan.
* To develop and foster high quality industrial relations with representative bodies to ensure the desired outcomes of Service objectives and projects are effectively delivered.
Role Requirements:
* Executive leadership experience and management of complex multisite environment.
* You will have a strong strategic vision and a track record of achieving ambitious goals.
* You will have excellent communication skills and an ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders and represent HIWFRS at local and national levels.
* You will possess extensive political skills and proven ability to lead and professionally advise elected members and other politicians.
* You will model our values and behaviours; promoting a culture which embraces collaboration, inclusivity, high performance and wellbeing, and you will strive to make a real difference to the communities we serve.
* You will be required to fill a continuous duty position on the Principal Officer rota within a Multi-Agency ‘Strategic Command’ setting.
* Right to Work in the UK.
* You will be required to travel to various locations within Hampshire (and the Isle of Wight or other local authority), and it is essential that you have a current drivers’ licence.
What We Can Offer You:
* Professional development opportunities such as executive coaching and leadership training
* Full relocation package for the right candidate.
* Employer-contributed pension scheme.
* Access to a car for the purposes of continuous duty cover
Application Process:
* Complete the application form and attach your CV and a covering letter.
* Shortlisted applicants will undertake online assessments against the NFCC National Leadership Framework
* Applicants who pass the psychometric assessments, will undertake online personality assessment and discussions with an occupational psychologist to understand their psychological attributes and suitability for the Chief Fire Officer role before attending an Assessment Centre
* Successful candidates from the Assessment Centre will be invited for formal interview with the Fire Authority Appointments Committee.
Timeline:
* 26 January 2025 at 23:59- Application Closes
* 12-13 February 2025 - Online assessments facilitated by VCA Ltd
* 21-28 February 2025- Psychometric assessments facilitated by VCA Ltd
* 3-4 March 2025 - Validation interview with occupational psychologist from VCA Ltd (virtual)
* 25 March 2025 - Assessment Centre
* 23 April 2025 - Formal Interview
HIWFRS Values:
* Reaching Further - Inspiring and challenging ourselves and others.
* Showing Respect - Fairness, honesty and integrity in everything we say and do.
* Supporting Others - Listening and acting with compassion and empathy.
* Playing Our Part - Recognising the contribution we all make.
Vetting Requirements:
This post is subject to a Standard DBS and SC Security Check.
Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:
To arrange an informal discussion with either Fire Authority Chairman Rhydian Vaughan, Chief Fire Officer Neil Odin or Molly Rowland, Director of People and Organisational Development please contact Carole Hobbs at carole.hobbs@hantsfire.gov.uk
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.
Corporate Equalities Employment Policy: In order to combat indirect discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied to any posts which may unintentionally exclude certain groups of potential applicants from applying or have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, disability, age, ethnic or national origin, marital status, creed, sexuality, trade union activity or responsibility for dependants unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification (GOQ) applies.
We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.