Head of Professional Standards

Job Title: Head of Professional Standards 
Contract: Permanent (Green Book national terms and conditions) 
Working Hours: 37  
Salary: £72,391 – £78,930 per annum 
Location: Service HQ, Kelvedon Park, Rivenhall, Essex 
Closing Date: 12pm, Monday 14 October 2024 
 
We are open to discuss working arrangements as this will be a hybrid-working role, combining regular attendance at our Headquarters with some home working. Travel around the county of Essex to visit our various sites will be required, and there may be some requirement to visit other organisations outside of Essex from time to time.  
 
The Role 
 
We are committed to our vision of making Essex safer together, for our communities. This newly created role, setting up, establishing, and then leading a Professional Standards function, is critical to that mission.  
 
As our new Head of Professional Standards, your initial focus will be designing and establishing the function as a key part of the service. This will involve working closely with colleagues across the organisation and representative bodies, as well as engaging with the National Fire Chiefs Council, and other services and organisations to ensure that ECFRS learns from others and shares its experience. 
 
You will play a leading, visible role, embedding strong, positive values and behaviours through every level of the Service, and in everything we do. The success of this role will be integral to the maintenance of public confidence in Essex County Fire & Rescue Service (ECFRS), and to us achieving our ambition to become one of the best Fire & Rescue Services in the country.  
 
The role, which will report into the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, will also be responsible for ensuring that appropriate and robust accountability and assurance mechanisms are established in support of this aim, and to facilitate us achieving the highest standards in all that we do. You will report regularly to the Service Leadership Team (SLT) and the Police, Fire, and Crime Commissioner (PFCC). 
 
The successful person: 
 
You be a naturally inclusive leader, who role models the values, positive behaviours, and ethics of a credible and respected public servant. 
 
In addition to the demonstrable ability to establish credibility to design, implement and embed professional standards, governance, or compliance functions, you will have excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to appropriately hold others to account, engage and influence at all levels.  
 
Eligibility  
 
ILM Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management, or equivalent gained through in-house programme, or experience in a senior role. 
Level 6 standard of education (e.g. undergraduate degree) or equivalent experience.      
 
If you are an internal candidate, you must have discussed your application with your line manager and confirmed with them there are no outstanding issues of conduct or performance. This will be verified prior to shortlisting. 
 
How to apply  
 
You are requested to submit a CV, along with a statement of no more than 1000 words detailing the relevant skills and experience that make you the ideal candidate for the role.  
 
You may submit this either as a word document, pdf, or an mp3 (voice note) or mp4 (video).  
 
You may attach separate documents (such as qualifications or references) should you wish. Your additional documents may be referred to in shortlisting.  
 
The closing date for applications is 12pm, Monday 14 October 2024.  
 
Assessment and selection:  
  
The assessment and selection approach will be:  
  
Application & shortlisting: 
  
Assessment of your supporting statement will be made against the essential criteria detailed in the person specification. We may also contact you to arrange a short conversation to discuss additional details relating to eligibility and shortlisting for the role at this stage of the process. 
  
Interview & Assessment Centre 
 
Expected activities will include a role specific interview, a presentation, an inclusion discussion and a media activity. 
 
The assessment date is planned to take place in the week commencing 28 October 2024. 
  
Assessments will be made against positive indicators taken from the Core Code of Ethics and the NFCC Leadership Framework.  You can find the NFCC Leadership Framework here: NFCC_Leadership_Framework_Final.pdf (nationalfirechiefs.org.uk), and guidance around the Code of Ethics here:  
Core Code of Ethics England Guidance May 21 V0.pdf (ukfrs.com)  
  
If you require any additional support or adjustments with any stage of our process, please let us know confidentially by submitting this form or by emailing recruitment@essex-fire.gov.uk   
 
Should you wish to have an informal discussion with regards to the role, please contact Alia Abu-Hamdan, Executive Support to Moira Bruin, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, in the first instance, so that Alia can schedule the discussion. You can contact Alia on 07971 180622 or by email to alia.hamdan@essex-fire.gov.uk)  
 
 
Our Culture and Benefits 
 
Here at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service we are committed to prioritising and promoting the wellbeing of our employees.  
 
You can find out more about our benefits at https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/recruitment/benefits 
 
 
Safeguarding 
 
Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. 
 
It is our policy to require all applicants for employment to disclose if you are currently being investigated by any regulatory body or have any decisions or sanctions pending or in progress in respect of your suitability to work for the Service. 
 
You agree to inform the Service within 24 hours if you are subsequently investigated by any agency or organisation in relation to concerns about your behaviour towards children, young people or vulnerable adults. 
 
The information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and will be considered only in relation to the appointment for which you are applying. 
 
This role will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.  
 
 
Disability Confident 
 
We are an equal opportunity, Disability Confident, employer who welcomes applications from everyone and values diversity in our workplace. A commitment to promoting diversity and developing a work environment where all staff are treated with dignity and respect is central to our recruitment process and all applications will be considered solely on merit. 
 
As part of our offer to support all our candidates to perform to the best of their abilities during our recruitment and selection processes and we would like to let you know about a couple of support options you can access, should you wish to, including our employee forums, who are keen and willing to support all of our potential colleagues.  
 
Further to the above, the Service has a Digital Accessibility Inclusion Group (DAIG) that supports all colleagues to improve their digital skills and provides additional support and guidance to colleagues with neurodivergence.  
 
Should you wish to discuss support, or access further information, from one of these groups, please contact Equality.Diversity@essex-fire.gov.uk  
 
You are also able to raise any queries or requests for support, including any adjustments you may require, at any stage of the process by email to recruitment@essex-fire.gov.uk 
 
You can find out more about Essex County Fire & Rescue Service via www.essex-fire.gov.uk and about our vacancies and application processes via www.essex-fire.gov.uk/join-essex-fire