Page 19 – Women in the Fire Service UK

Head of People

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join one of the country’s leading fire and rescue services; to become part of a team where everyone plays their part in making West Yorkshire Safer.

You will have the job satisfaction of knowing each day that you are contributing to the success of our service, supporting over 1450 colleagues who work round the clock to help people and save lives. This fantastic opportunity gives you the chance to make a real difference to safety and well-being of the people of West Yorkshire.

Reporting to the Director of People and Culture, you will support WYFRS with all people related matters across the end-to-end employee lifecycle. Leading the People function, you will align people strategies and policies with the Service’s objectives, whilst taking responsibility for a range of services including recruitment and selection, advice on conditions of employment, performance management, grievance, discipline and sickness. You will ensure the Service is enabled by a highly skilled, expert People function, which delivers excellence and puts people at the heart of every decision.

You will be a value-based, compassionate leader with a proven track record of proactively managing change, evolving employee experience and advancing the quality of people services. As part of the senior leadership team, you will have a very strong business partner approach and considerable experience of general management practices including cultural change, and employee relations. Strong engagement and influencing skills, working with ambiguity and being resilient under pressure are essential as the role demands an agile approach in a challenging and changing environment.

The successful applicant should be CIPD qualified. You will have a clear and in-depth understanding of current best practice in HR management together with a thorough understanding of relevant employment law.

Our service offers an excellent package to all our colleagues including a Local Government Pension Scheme, car salary sacrifice scheme, access to free parking, flexible working, an employee assistance programme, training and development opportunities, sports and social clubs and the use of an on-site gym free of charge.

We are a caring organisation, and we promote an environment of inclusivity and learning. We are looking for somebody who embraces our values and is willing to lead by example.

If you are passionate about people, evidence-based practice and delivering quality services we want to hear from you!

HR Support Advisor (12 month FTC)

Contract: Fixed Term (12 months, subject to review after 6 months)
Working Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary:  £30,060 to £32,654 per annum – Grade 5 NJC
Location:   Service HQ, Kelvedon Park*
Closing Date:  Monday 24th February 2025, 5pm

*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.

This role is a fixed-term opportunity. If the role is extended (or made permanent),a further recruitment process will be required.

We anticipate this to be a popular vacancy. As such we reserve the right to interview ahead of the published closing date.

The Role Role Profile

Are you a dynamic and passionate individual looking to make a difference in a fast-paced environment? Essex County Fire & Rescue Service is seeking an enthusiastic and driven HR Support Advisor to join our People Operations Team and play a crucial role in supporting our employees as they protect and serve our community.

This role is at the forefront of providing key administrative HR support and serves as a first point of contact for managers and colleagues requiring advice on policies and procedures. You will play a vital role in ensuring a smooth experience across the employment lifecycle from onboarding to ongoing support and development.

Ideally, you will be experienced within a HR transactional role and familiar with updating and maintaining HR systems; we use ‘Civica HR’, so experience with this would be a bonus. You will also bring the ability to prioritise HR tasks and queries as they come in.

Providing our customers with a quality experience is our top priority, so a commitment to high standards of service and communication are essential to help us deliver this. The role will be varied, supporting several teams and departments, as well as working collaboratively across the People Services department.

You will be working alongside a great team of HR Support Advisors who truly encourage and support each other in all we do and working for an employer with lots of benefits; including blue-light discounts, family friendly policies and hybrid working options.

What You Will Be Working On

If you can demonstrate the following, we would love to meet you;

Efficiency in managing, prioritising and organising workloads
An ability to well work under pressure and to deadlines
Strong levels of attention to detail and accuracy
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
An ability to build and maintain effective working relationships
Previous experience delivering a high quality, customer focused approach

Eligibility

Previous experience in an HR or People-related role
Level 2 qualification in Maths & English (GCSE grade C-A, or 4-9, or Functional Skills)

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 will be required to submit a supporting statement of no more than 750 words that demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria of 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 must not exceed 750 words no matter which format you choose to present your application.

You may attach separate documents (such as qualifications, or a CV) should you wish. Your additional documents will be referred to in shortlisting to confirm eligibility (e.g., your current role and any existing qualifications).

Assessment and selection:

The assessment and selection approach will apply to all candidates (internal and external) and will be:

Stage 1

Application & shortlisting (assessment of your supporting statement will be made against the essential criteria of the Person Specification)

Stage 2

The final part of the recruitment process will be a 30-minute in-tray assessment, followed by a 45-minute values-based interview with some role specific questions.

Assessments will be made against positive indicators taken from the 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)


Should you wish to have an informal discussion with regards to the role, please contact Veera Marshall, Head of People Operations via email to veera.marshall@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

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

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.

Mechanical & Electrical Project Manager

Post: Mechanical and Electrical Project Manager
Salary: £54,332 per annum
Grade: FRS F
Salary range: £54,332 – £70,549 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Application closing date: 4 PM on Wednesday 19 February 2025

London Fire Brigade (LFB) is London’s Fire and Rescue Service – one of the largest firefighting and rescue organisations in the world. We are here to make London a safer city.

We employ over 5,500 people, across our operational team (our firefighters), control (our call handlers who answer your 999 calls) and our non-operational team (our teams who work behind the scenes to support our front-line services, including HR, IT, Finance, Procurement, Communications etc.).

An exciting vacancy has arisen in LFB for a mechanical and electrical project manager within the Property Services Department.

The successful candidate will join the Project Delivery Team based at the LFB Headquarters at 169 Union Street, London SE1 0LL. They will be responsible for a package of allocated projects (normally ranging from £100k to £2M) at various fire stations, offices and other ancillary facilities within the Greater London area. The majority of projects are delivered by external consultants who design the works and act as a contract administrator. The successful candidate will oversee the external consultants and is expected to regularly attend site during the duration of their projects.

The project manager will prepare project briefs, liaise with stakeholders, manage project budgets and report on progress throughout the project period. The project manager will need relevant IT skills and effective oral and written communication skills. The project manager will need to deliver all projects in accordance with LFB policies and the standard station design brief.

Further information about the main duties and responsibilities of the role are detailed in the job description. If you are unable to see the job description, salary range or the full advert, please visit our jobs pages at https://jobs.london-fire.gov.uk/alljobs/ to access the full advert.

We value the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across London. The London Fire Commissioner is an Equal Opportunities Employer and we positively welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals, irrespective of people’s age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances. We have guidance in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

Assessment Overview
Stage 1

To apply, please complete the online application, upload a copy of your up-to-date CV and provide evidence to address the following selection criteria:

1. Candidates must demonstrate experience of project managing property related projects similar in financial size and nature to those described in the main duties and responsibilities, including contract management of both consultants and contractors. Experience does not necessarily need to be fire and rescue based and does not necessarily need to be from a client based role, but an understanding of both of these will be an advantage.

2. Experience of managing professional services in respect of building project management in a multi-disciplined environment including small works, major refurbishments and new build to a nominal value between £20,000 and £7 million.

3. Experience of producing cost estimates, monitoring budgets and providing detailed financial information.

4. Effective oral communication skills in order to liaise, negotiate with staff at all levels as well as external contractors, consultants, representatives of external organisations and members of the public.

Please note that we will score the evidence you provide based on the competencies listed in the selection criteria above.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend stage 2.

Please ensure you give yourself enough time to complete and submit your application. Late or un-submitted applications cannot be accepted.

Please note any correspondence received from us will be via e-mail and sent to the address you provide on your application form.

Stage 2

Assessment for this role is due to take place on 17th March and 18th March at LFB Headquarters.. Please be advised that if you are unable to make the scheduled assessment date, we may not be able to make alternative arrangements.

Additional Information
Benefits of working for the London Fire Brigade

• 26 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Flexi-time Scheme (which can result in an additional 12 days annual leave)
• Additional leave between Christmas Day and New Year
• Family (including maternity) leave and emergency support leave
• Flexible working including work from home 60%
• Free access to the Brigade gym
• Use of the Brigade’s Medical Adviser/physios/fitness advisers
• Free counselling
• Season ticket loans
• Join social networks including our Equality Support Groups
• Contributory pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff discount scheme including access to Blue Light Card retail and hospitality discounts
• Opportunity to access affordable accommodation

In line with the Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) employment checks will be completed by successful candidates, which will include a Standard criminal records check. Successful candidate will be required to declare any convictions for offences and any offer of employment is subject to the LFC receiving a criminal records disclosure which it considers satisfactory.

Station Manager Promotional Pathway and Inter Service Transfer

We are now looking for our next Station Managers to join our team and support us on our journey to become an outstanding Fire and Rescue Service.

As a Station Manager, you will be integral to the leadership of the organisation, supporting Heads of Service in driving forward a shared vision to make “Greater Manchester one of the best places in the world to grow up, get on and grow old”.

The foundations have been laid for the future of our Service, a Service which is now building at pace, delivering a new era and capable of meeting the challenges of the future and we want you to be part of this journey.

As a Station Manager, you will bring outstanding leadership to our organisation – leadership that encourages new ways of thinking, collaborative working and an inclusive approach to everything we do. You will play a key role in leading teams to deliver against plans which align to our strategic ambitions.

As an organisation, we have been on a journey of change, and you will play a major role in continuing that cultural transformation and doing things differently – whilst understanding our history and heritage.

This role is pivotal in creating a positive, safe and supportive organisational climate ensuring that the values of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service remain fully embedded and visible in everything we do.

You will influence performance, future plans and direction for the organisation and will ensure the continued development of GMFRS.

TWFRS Ltd. Trainer

TWFRS Ltd. Trainer (Advocate Contract)

(Salary) £21.52 per hour

About the role

This is an opportunity to join our commercial training arm within this well-regarded organisation. We are looking for Trainers to deliver exceptional fire and other business-related courses to a range of local and national clients.

The role will primarily be responsible for the creation and delivery of training in line with up to date and evolving practices within this sector. You will work in conjunction with other team members to promote and ensure standards and client objectives are met.

You will possess strong organisational and interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise at all levels. Experience in the delivery of training at a variety of levels within the fire sector and beyond is essential. Attention to detail is a must, along with the ability to work confidentially and manage conflicting priorities.

As training may be delivered across the region & UK, you may be required to travel and work flexibly in line with the contracts.

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to be part of the TWFRS Ltd team, then please apply.

Closing date for Expression of Interest & applications is:

31st December 2025, 23:59 hours.

What we can offer you

Based at our purpose build Headquarters in Washington, you will have access to ample free parking and easily accessible from the A1 and A19.

Our onsite facilities include subsidised catering services along with the use of a free gym plus sports and social clubs.

The Selection Process

Advert closes: 31St December 2025 at 23:59 hours

Applications & Expression of Interest will continuously be assessed, and candidates contacted accordingly.

Set out below are the key dates relating to this selection process:

Stage Timeline
Advert closes 31st December 2025
Notification of shortlist Date – TBC
Professional conversation/Interview with a panel. Date – TBC
*Please note the dates and stages detailed may be subject to change

Interested in applying?

Further details can be found in the accompanying job description and person specification. More information about our Service can be found by visiting www.twfire.gov.uk and our various social media channels.

If you would like further information please contact Dale Howey by email to Dale.Howey@twfire.gov.uk

Thank you and good luck!

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer

The Role

As a strategic leader, you will support the safe and effective delivery of Fire and Rescue Services to the communities of Scotland. You will work collaboratively with the SFRS Board, Strategic Leadership Team, Senior Management Board and other key national and local stakeholders; having a key role in delivering performance improvement strategies to meet SFRS strategic aims and objectives, leading by example and building on our culture of safety, teamwork, respect and innovation.

As a Strategic Manager with a detailed understanding of the issues relating to the SFRS, you will take a lead role supporting national resilience partnerships and seeking continual improvement to deliver outcomes that support the future vision of the SFRS.

This role forms part of the SFRS Flexi Duty Officer System and requires you to provide an operational emergency response to incidents as Incident Commander to lead, manage, support and resolve operational incidents swiftly and safely as well as provide support and leadership to other Flexi Duty Managers in their Incident Command duties.

Applicants must have a strong track record in contributing to and delivering outcomes, be innovative, forward thinking, committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and have the ability to communicate at strategic level, provide direction, horizon scan and influence future plans.

Eligibility Criteria

Substantive and Competent Area Commander.
Current Incident Command Level 3 Qualification (or equivalent for external candidates). Appointments will be subject to successful attainment of an Incident Command Level 4 Qualification.
No live discipline, conduct or performance issues.
Current appraisal signed by Line Manager

Recruitment and Selection Process

The SFRS is an Equal Opportunities Employer and a Disability Confident Employer. At application stage, we ask that you to disclose any disability and outline any special requirements you would like to request during the selection process. Reasonable adjustments will be considered.

To apply you will need to;

Complete the online application form detailing your skills, knowledge and experience.
Upload an up-to-date C.V.
Upload your current appraisal.

Those successful at shortlisting will progress to a formal interview.

Engagement Session

Engagement Session

For further information on the role, we invite you to attend an engagement session on the below date:

Monday 10 February – 10:00 – 11:00

Register your interest for the engagement session by emailing the SFRS Talent Acquisition team via SFRS.TalentAcquisition@firescotland.gov.uk.

Full details of the role and the selection process can be found in the recruitment information pack attached via My Job Scotland.

For further information, or if you would like to apply in a different format, please e-mail SFRS.PODVacancies@firescotland.gov.uk.

Head of People & Culture

Head of People and Culture

£56,131 – £59,489 per annum + benefits

About Us

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service is one of the UK’s leading Fire and Rescue Services. We pride ourselves in striving to “Create the Safest Community” and our dedicated and diverse workforce are committed to delivering this.

We are currently rated as good by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), and we consider ourselves to be a high performing, innovative organisation that is well regarded by the communities we serve and the partner agencies with which we do business.

The Service values and respects the diversity of its employees and aims to recruit a workforce that represents the communities we serve.

The Department

The People & Culture Department has recently gone through a significant period of change and is made up of three clearly defined teams that work closely together to provide a comprehensive people offer. These teams include 1). People Systems and Transformation, 2). Employee Relations and Compliance and 3). Culture and Inclusion.

Our aim is to provide an environment where people are aware of what is expected of them and are supported to achieve the required standards and fulfil their potential. We truly value our employees and ensure they have a voice which positively contributes to our cultural growth and supports our aspirations of being an “Employer of Choice”.

The Role

As the Head of People and Culture you will be part of the Senior Leadership Team, responsible for the provision of strategic and operational people management advice, guidance and support. You will play a key role in shaping our organisational culture, driving employee engagement and ensuring we attract, develop and retain talent.

Reporting directly to the Director of People Services, you will need to demonstrate previous experience in a HR management / leadership role, in order to lead the People and Culture department and ensure the provision of a high quality, customer focused service.

We are looking for someone with knowledge and experience across multiple HR specialisms, in particular Employee Relations, to ensure compliance with current legislation and best practice, and to pick up the management of complex and escalated cases.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a firm commitment to inclusivity, fairness, dignity and the highest standards of ethical behaviours and will champion these in their day-to-day work.

Experience within a heavily unionised organisation would be advantageous.

The Selection Process

This is a multi-stage assessment process; successful candidates will be progressed to subsequent stages; all candidates will be notified of their outcomes following participation in a given assessment stage.

Set out below are the key dates relating to this selection process:

Stage Timeline
Advert closes – 12 noon on 17 February 2025
Notification of shortlist – Week commencing 17 February 2025
I3 Profile online assessment – Week commencing 17 February 2025
Interview – Week commencing 24 February 2025
Please note the dates and stages detailed may be subject to change

Interested in applying?

Further details can be found in the accompanying job description and person specification. You are required to complete our online application form and submit a supporting statement of no more than 1000 words which should demonstrate how you meet the criteria stated on the person specification and job description.

Please submit your supporting statement and equal opportunities monitoring form by no later than 12 noon on 14th February 2025.

Further information about our Service can be found by visiting www.twfire.gov.uk and our various social media channels.

For further information about the role, please contact the current Head of People & Culture via email at Leanne.Cain@twfire.gov.uk

Pre-employment checks

The successful applicant will be subject to our pre-employment screening process which includes a standard DBS check, completion of an occupational health medical questionnaire and a substance abuse test. We will also conduct right to work and reference checks.

Assistant Stores Manager

£31,586 to £32,654 per annum

Are you a dynamic and motivated leader with a stores/warehouse background?

A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen to join one of the country’s leading fire and rescue services; to become part of a team where everyone plays their part in making West Yorkshire Safer.

As an Assistant Stores Manager, you will be at the heart of our operations, leading and inspiring our dedicated team of Storekeepers. You will support the Stores Manager in ensuring that our processes are implemented effectively, and our Quality Management System is upheld. Your responsibilities will include overseeing day-to-day operations, managing goods in and out, and ensuring that our department meets the expectations of our service users.

You will have demonstrable experience of managing and leading a small team and a background working in a stores or warehouse environment. The successful candidate will be IT literate with a working knowledge of procurement and stores management systems. A Literacy and Numeracy qualification at Level 2 / GCSE Maths and English Grade C or above is a pre- requisite for the post.

Joining a first-rate organisation, you will have the job satisfaction of knowing each day that you are contributing to the success of one of just six metropolitan fire and rescue services in the UK, supporting over 950 firefighters who work round the clock to help people and save lives.

The post is subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service Check and the possession of current full valid driving licence.

We offer an excellent package, opportunities for professional development and training, a supportive and collaborative team culture, an excellent Local Government Pension Scheme, free parking, 37 hour flexible working week, an employee assistance and welfare programme, sports and social clubs with free use of gym.

We are a caring organisation, promote an environment of inclusivity and learning and welcome people from all walks of life – just as long as you can show commitment to our values such as responsibility and teamwork.

If you can meet this challenge, we want to hear from you!

For further details of this and all our vacancies and to apply online please visit www.wyfs.co.uk/careers. Closing date for all applications is Sunday 23 February 2025, with the selection process anticipated to take place on 6 March 2025.

We are an equal opportunities employer; we value and celebrate equality, diversity & neurodiversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome candidates from communities that are currently under-represented at WYFRS, including women, racially & ethnically diverse applicants and applicants with disabilities. We can offer support and adjustments for candidates and staff who experience barriers to work that result from health conditions or Specific Learning Differences, such as dyslexia.

WYFRS is a ‘Real Living Wage’ employer and have been rated ‘good’ by HMICFRS in all areas of our service.

Senior Communication Officer (External)

Job reference: REQ000339

Closing Date: 18/02/2025

Salary: £15,175 per annum rising to £16,604 per annum (plus an additional allowance for on-call rota

14.8 hours per week (Thursday and Friday)

We are looking for a proactive and creative communications professional to work in a job share to lead our external communications, engaging with the public, media, and key stakeholders. Your work will play a vital role in enhancing community safety, showcasing the work of our fire service and building our reputation within the community.

You will work in a small team to help deliver the organisation’s communication and engagement strategy in support of the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), focusing on external communication.

About the role

This an exciting opportunity to hone your passion for all things external, with this role being responsible for its share of media engagement planning, stakeholder engagement and external affairs, and email marketing, alongside developing and delivering engaging campaigns.

You will seek out story opportunities and create engaging, innovative content across various channels and products to keep audiences engaged and support building our reputation. You will be ace at campaign planning, delivery and evaluation across a range of platforms, and will work closely with fire prevention and protection teams to help them reach their audiences.

You will be at the heart of managing media requests, horizon scanning for risks and opportunities, and supporting the Service in its crisis and incident response. You will also need to be leading our strategic external digital engagement, be that email marketing, community digital platforms, social and website channels.

Key Responsibilities

Manage media by seeking stories, creating packages, and handling requests to maximise public relations.

Support and deliver high-quality external affairs and stakeholder engagement, including monitoring activities, updating data, briefing senior staff, and coordinating engagements to position BFRS as an expert.

Manage consultations, public engagement, and community events to comply with public consultation duties and support corporate events.

Grow and manage the email marketing platform to build the subscriber base, spread safety messages, and build brand awareness.

Manage the organisation’s reputation by briefing senior managers on risks and issues, including mitigation actions.

Produce accurate communications for various audiences, including news releases, newsletters, social media posts, web content, and corporate documents.

Support the production of corporate graphics and materials, ensuring they are engaging and reflect the organisation’s brand.

Lead external campaigns by planning and developing content across channels, liaising with stakeholders, and advising on communication strategies.

Deliver training for colleagues on communication, social media, and media.

Play an active role in communication during major incidents, including media handling, social media, photography, video, website management, and stakeholder briefings.

About You

You will have:

A degree, equivalent qualification or equivalent experience in one of the following:
Public relations

Communications

Media

English

In-depth experience in media relations, public relations, email marketing, external affairs and digital communications including social media with proven experience of building trusted and professional relationships with journalists.

In-depth experience creating multi-platform content and campaigns for a range of audiences using insight, industry best practice and evaluation.

Ability to drive change and meet objectives working collaboratively with others.

Some experience of stakeholder mapping and planning external engagement opportunities to raise the brand and profile of an organisation.

Some experience using social media proficiently such as Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram and NextDoor.

High level of creativity and ability to demonstrate where this has been used to get messages across to different audiences, particularly external audiences.

Good time management skills and an ability to manage conflicting demands and workloads, balancing reactive and proactive work.

Good working knowledge of Microsoft 365, especially Sharepoint, Teams, Outlook, and other M365 apps that support internal communication (Viva Engage, Sway etc). Design applications such as Canva and Adobe.

Current full driving licence with no pending issues.

In this role, you will participate in an out of hours media service, dealing with requests for information from the media and advising Service personnel on communications with the media and other communications-related matters. Further details to be confirmed.

For more details on the essential criteria required for the role, please see the attached job description and person specification.

Why work with us

We recognise that you are looking for more than just a career. A few of our benefits include:

Hybrid working patterns
Flexi-time scheme including flexible start and finish times, variable lunch breaks and flexi-leave days
Local Government Pension Scheme
Holiday allowance of 25 days* (plus public holidays) on joining; increasing to 30 days* after 5 years’ service and 32 days after 10 years’ service (*pro rata if part time or irregular working pattern)
Free onsite parking
Instant access to ‘Lifestyle Savings’ platform includes a range of discount cards from well-known and independent retailers
Eligible to sign up to ‘Blue Light Card’ with access to thousands of amazing discounts online and on the high street.

Next steps

If this role is of interest, please visit our website https://www.bedsfire.gov.uk/careers/search for further information and to make a formal application. We ask that you include your full career history and reference your skills and experience in line with the job description and person specification within your application and supporting statement.

For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Leanne Ehren, Head of Communications and External Affairs via email Leanne.Ehren@bedsfire.gov.uk to arrange a time.

The interview / selection process will take place on Wednesday 26 February 2025

This is a public-facing role and it is essential to have the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English.

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.

The appointment will be made subject to satisfactory pre-employment clearances, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance at the level required for the role.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is an equal opportunities employer that welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

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

Lawyer (Employment and General Litigation)

Post: Lawyer (Employment and General Litigation)
Salary: £54,332 per annum
Grade: FRS F
Salary range: £54,332 – £70,549 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Application closing date: 4 PM on Monday 17 February 2025

London Fire Brigade (LFB) is London’s Fire and Rescue Service – one of the largest firefighting and rescue organisations in the world. We are here to make London a safer city.

An opportunity has arisen at the LFB to join General Counsel’s Department as an employment lawyer. General Counsel’s Department consists of circa. 30 staff providing cost effective legal advice and representation to the Brigade on a wide range of practice areas including employment law, pensions, fire prosecutions, personal injury, property, contracts and procurement. It also provides advice on the decision-making processes and the powers and duties of the London Fire Commissioner (LFC). Each area of work has a Team Manager, a group of lawyers, paralegals and business support officers to assist with day to day work.

We are a small team who supports the LFC and in this key role, you will need to have the ability to organise and manage a complex and heavy case-load independently, analyse information critically, provide effective written and oral advice, work with a variety of colleagues and other stakeholders in a publicly accountable environment. It is important that you have the aptitude, ambition and potential to thrive in this environment.

We are looking for an experienced specialist employment lawyer with a “can-do” attitude, preferably with some pensions and general civil litigation experience who enjoys a fast-paced environment and working as part of a team. In-house experience in a public sector setting is desirable, but not essential. You will be a qualified solicitor, barrister or Chartered Legal Executive Lawyer in England and Wales who has completed a training contract, pupillage (or has been exempted from this by the Law Society or Bar Council) or has qualified through the CILEx route. Being highly organised, used to working electronically with minimum supervision and the ability to meet tight deadlines are crucial for this role. You should also bring sound judgement and analytical skills. We would welcome applications from suitably qualified and experienced candidates.

Eligibility
Applicants must be qualified solicitor or barrister with post qualification experience in those areas of law covered by the attached job description.

Assessment Overview
Stage 1

To apply, please complete the online application, upload a copy of your up-to-date CV and provide evidence to address the following selection criteria:

1. Qualified solicitor or barrister with post qualification experience in those areas of law covered by this job description.
2. Independently manage a large personal caseload of complex employment (essential), pensions (desirable) and general litigation (desirable) related matters, often in the face of competing priorities.
3. Proven analytical skills and a proven record of problem solving.
4. Excellent oral and written communication skills, and the skills to be able to communicate with and advise senior colleagues and representatives of other organisations.

Please note that we will score the evidence you provide based on the competencies listed in the selection criteria above.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend stage 2.

Please ensure you give yourself enough time to complete and submit your application. Late or un-submitted applications cannot be accepted.

Please note any correspondence received from us will be via e-mail and sent to the address you provide on your application form.

Stage 2

Assessment for this role is due to take place week commencing 03rd March 2025. Please be advised that if you are unable to make the scheduled assessment date, we may not be able to make alternative arrangements.

Please note: Should you be shortlisted you may need to be able to conduct an interview over Microsoft Teams (a video conferencing service). You will be asked to provide relevant contact details for that to take place if shortlisted.

Additional Information
Benefits of working for the London Fire Brigade