Essex County Fire & Rescue Service
alary: £44,711 – £47,754(Grade 9)
Working Hours: 37 hours per week (Green Book)
Location: Service Headquarters – Kelvedon Park*
Contract: Permanent
Applications close: 29th June 2025
*We are open to discuss working arrangements including flexibility over hours and location, however the expectation is that, as a hybrid role your work will be balanced between home and Services facilities, and you will be expected to attend the Service premises for at least 3 days of a 5-day working week.
The Role
Within the Protection department for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS), we are passionate about fire safety. In the role of an Enforcement Officer, you will be responsible for overseeing formal enforcement activity undertaken by the Services Protection function, including close liaison and collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders, as well as other regulatory bodies.
In addition to the responsibilities associated with this role, the successful candidate will be provided with opportunity to seek further development in the services Fire Engineering function, through the undertaking of an apprenticeship in BEng Fire Safety Engineering. The apprenticeship programme will be completed on a part-time basis over a four-year period at The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), Preston, with the successful candidate undertaking four two-week blocks of study per academic year. As part of this development, the successful candidate will continue in their respective role as an Enforcement Officer, however, will be subject to work-release periods during term time. This will include
What You Will Be Working On
To oversee formal enforcement activities undertaken by the Protection function, monitoring and reporting back as required on outstanding/completed workloads.
To support external liaison with regional/national FRS partners, collaboratively engaging through Enforcement forums facilitated by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and relevant regulatory bodies. Provide appropriate feedback to ensure that ECFRS remain aware of national developments in relation to enforcement activity within Fire Protection, as well as regarding legislative changes.
To prepare legal bundles and summons, attend courts of law and work alongside other enforcement bodies, including local councils, as a representative of the Fire Authority. To assist in the investigation and gathering of evidence for offences contrary to legislation, to act as the Services Disclosure Officer, ensuring the integrity of evidence and managing the evidence for Court.
To promote fire safety in the business community; carrying out, when required the appropriate level of enforcement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
To support the development of Fire Safety Regulators within the organisation in relation to Enforcement activity. To plan, prepare and deliver training to regulators in matters relating to fire safety enforcement.
To promote, establish and maintain productive working relationships with colleagues and contacts external to the Fire Service.
To successfully obtain the Level 5 Diploma – Fire Engineering & Design.
To successfully obtain the BTEC Level 7 Certificate in Advanced Investigative Practice or equivalent.
What Are We Looking For?
This role will be perfect for you if you are passionate about fire safety and are motivated by what you can bring to ECFRS and the people of Essex. You will have experience in Fire Safety, including a detailed understanding of relevant fire safety legislation, as well as methods of enforcement. You will have a strong desire to seek continuous professional development, including through self-development. You will need to have strong interpersonal skills, as well as experience of supporting others, both internally and externally as representative of the organisation.
Eligibility
It is essential that the successful candidate hold a Level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety
Have Level 2 qualification in Maths & English (GCSE grade C-A, or 4-9, or Functional Skills)
How to apply
Application – You will be required to submit a CV detailing a minimum of five years employment and / or education history, along with a supporting statement of no more than 750 words that demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria detailed in the Person Specification.
You may submit this either as a word document, pdf, or an mp3 (voice note) or mp4 (video), however the word count of your supporting statement should not exceed 750 words no matter which format you choose to present your application.
You may attach separate documents (such as qualifications) should you wish. Your CV and additional documents will be referred to in shortlisting to confirm eligibility (e.g., your current role and any existing qualifications).
Assessment and Selection
Stage 1 w/c 30th June 2025
Application & shortlisting (assessment of your supporting statement will be made against the essential criteria of the Person Specification)
Stage 2 8th July 2025
Diagnostic assessment – which incorporates intermediate level mathematical expressions, equations and skills as aligned to first year university module (Engineering Analysis 1).
Interview and presentation – If successfully shortlisted, the final part of the recruitment process will include a presentation and interview (further details will be shared after shortlisting).
Should you wish to have an informal discussion with regards to the role, please contact SM Adrian Richardson on 07801 546704 or at Adrian.richardson@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 opportunities, 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.
Our employee forums and partners include:
Asian Fire Services Association (AFSA), BEING (our LGBTQ+ employee support network), Christian Fellowship, Ethnic Minority Forum, Men’s Forum, and our Women’s Forum. In addition, we also have a female firefighters operational group.
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 neurodivergent strengths and struggles as a result of dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, dyspraxia etc. We want everyone to thrive at work, and so we encourage and enable people to access digital tools to help them perform at your best. The DAIG is a group of colleagues from across the Service that unite to support others as a result of their lived experience and desire to make a difference. They support people with a range of visible and invisible disabilities to identify and access digital workplace adjustments and solutions and may be able to assist with your application too.
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
To apply for this job please visit essex-fire.csod.com.