Crew Manager (Control)

Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service 
Address:  Beacon House, Ipswich, IP1 5PB – Onsite
Salary:  Crew Manager (Control) in accordance with NJC Pay Scales
Hours: 42 hours per week including weekends and bank holidays. Shift pattern 2 days (08:00 – 18:00), 2 nights (18:00 – 08:00) followed by 4 rest days.
Contract: Permanent
We are looking for an experienced fire control room professional to join Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service as Crew Manager (Control). This opportunity is open to grey book applicants with previous fire control experience. In this role, you’ll support call handling, mobilisation, and incident oversight, helping to lead and guide the control room team. Reimagine the possibilities.

About the role:

Based in our control room in Ipswich, you will play a vital role at the heart of Suffolk’s emergency response.

This role supports our state-of-the-art control room in Ipswich, which operates 24/7, 365 days a year. The control room is the critical link between the public and our frontline firefighters, ensuring that emergency calls are handled swiftly and resources are mobilised effectively.

This is an exciting opportunity to either take the next step in your management career or transfer over to Suffolk. If you’re passionate about saving lives, driven by improvement, and ready to make a real and lasting impact, this is your chance to step forward and leave a positive legacy.

Prior experience in a fire control environment is required for this role.

Your role and responsibilities:

As Crew Manager (Control), you will play an instrumental role in leading and co-ordinating the core function of call handling, mobilisation and incident oversight. Working closely with the Watch Manager, your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the management of the team through supervision and guidance.
• Maintaining compliance with policies, procedures and service standards.
• Mentoring and assessing control operators on performance.
• Managing information and accurate record-keeping.
• Supervise emergency calls, mobilisation of resources and multi-agency liaison.
• Deputising as Watch Manager when required.
• Audit and evaluate watch and control functions to ensure consistent adherence to standards.
• Contribute to the management of Fire Control in the absence of the Station Manager.

Our control room employees will follow a Control Duty system. The shift pattern is based on an average of 42 hours per week, including weekends and bank holidays, based on 2 days (8am – 6pm), 2 nights (6pm– 8am) followed by 4 rest days.

You will need:

• To have substantive competency as a Firefighter (Control) or higher role. (Experience from within last 3 years would be desirable.)
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written).
• Strong management skills.
• The confidence to lead others.
• Proven resilience and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• An aptitude for decision-making in challenging situations.
• To be able to work collaboratively to manage multi-agency relationships.
• Excellent digital competence.

To learn more and apply, click here.