Area Commander Gateway (A25)

Closing Date 22nd September 2025

The service is seeking to expand our Area Commander talent pool for potential vacancies arising. This is an exciting time to be joining our senior team, who will help shape and deliver on our ambitious plans for the future. As part of our succession planning, the Service is opening a gateway process for Area Commander and are inviting applications to create a talent pool eligible for temporary or substantive appointment to Area Commander vacancies anticipated to arise from April 2026.

There has never been a better time to join us.

Area Manager B: £67,792 (dev) – £74,360 plus 20% FDS allowance, plus locally agreed £13k ARA for Strategic Operational Commander role.

Eligibility

We welcome applications from

Substantive Area Commanders serving with a UK Fire Authority fire and rescue service, holding valid ICL3/ICL4 [on transfer]

Substantive and fully competent Group Commanders with a minimum of 12 months experience in role, serving with a UK Fire Authority fire and rescue service [on promotion]

Personnel that have passed the BFRS Group Commander promotion gateway and hold a place in the GC talent pool or serving in a GC role (internal applicants only) [on promotion]

Internal applicants must be deemed ready for promotion at appraisal.

Applicants must be assessed as competent to operate as an ICL3 Advanced Incident Commander, with proven relevant experience managing operational incidents at this level.  They must be able to demonstrate experience of operating effectively at strategic level, and have a track record of achievement.

Internal applicants meeting the eligibility criteria to apply, that do not currently meet the full criteria for the AM role, may still be shortlisted and be eligible to join a development pool if successful at gateway.

Candidates who have a live disciplinary sanction for either Attendance or Conduct at the time of the application closing date will not normally be eligible to engage in the selection process.  Candidates pending the outcome of a disciplinary matter will not normally be eligible to enter the talent pool until the outcome is known.  (Exceptions may be made in instances where extenuating circumstances apply).

When submitting an application it is the individual’s responsibility to declare the need for any reasonable adjustments in respect of the process. All requests for reasonable adjustments will be accommodated where possible upon receipt of a report outlining the specific nature of the requirements.

About the Role

You will lead, develop and support the Service in delivering on its Mission working together to keep Bedfordshire safe.

You will demonstrate excellent leadership qualities that align with the NFCC Leadership Framework, professional behaviours and our Service Values:

We are Accountable
We’ve got your Back
Every Contact counts
We Dare to be Different.

The Service is seeking dynamic individuals, with visionary leadership and the capability to make things happen. The role will be responsible for strategic planning, direction and guidance to ensure the Service’s vision, values and objectives are achieved.

To be successful, you will have a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by the Service and the Sector locally, regionally and nationally.  You will possess high levels of resilience, and demonstrate exceptional experience in leading and motivating diverse teams and services.

The role requires sound knowledge and experience of fire and rescue service delivery, operational command at all levels, integrated risk management planning, business, financial and succession planning, performance and people management and partnership working.

With a proven track record of leading teams managing performance, underpinned by a well-developed strategic awareness, you will enable the effective design and delivery of strategic objectives. Our Area Commanders will need the ability to operate as a Project Executive working across a range of internal and external programmes.

Through a collaborative approach, applicants must have the ability to lead, build and maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders to attain strategic goals.  You will have the ability to challenge, promote and advance equality, diversity and inclusion, and build a positive culture for a forward thinking Service.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will add value to evidence based strategic decision making, enabling supportive and effective working relationships across the senior team, staff and their rep bodies, elected members as well as external partners and stakeholders.

Strategic Operational Commander Duties

The role is conditioned to a locally agreed Flexible Duty System (FDS) and the postholder will need to provide a suitable response base in a location agreed with the Chief Fire Officer which will enable them to undertake their operational command responsibilities when on call. Basic salary £67,792 (dev) – £74,360 plus 20% FDS allowance).  There is an additional payment of £13,381 per annum for carrying out Strategic Operational Commander (SOC) duties.

The SOC Rota System is based on a six week cycle and will include responding to operational incidents outside of the County of Bedfordshire, as part of a shared operational strategic command rota with Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS). The shared rota is designed to ensure that there will be one Area Commander from BFRS and one from CFRS on duty at all times. On each day the rota pattern will roster one SOC to be on Primary Operational Cover duty (‘P’ duty) and one SOC to be on Secondary Operational Cover duty (‘S’ duty). Primary Operational Cover means that the officer will be immediately available to respond to operational incidents across both Authorities areas, within one hour from both BFRS and CFRS headquarters.

Secondary Operational Cover duty means that the officer will be available for operational duty upon four hours’ notice, as required (to facilitate the demands of protracted large scale incidents including operational command and rest/relief requirements).

Relocation assistance may be available to successful candidates (details available on request).

This post will be exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2023. Therefore, applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provision of the Act.

Appointment will be made subject to satisfactory pre-employment clearances, including an Enhanced level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance, as required for the role.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safer recruitment, and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Adults, Children and Young People and all staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.