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;

  1. Complete the online application form detailing your skills, knowledge and experience.
  2. Upload an up-to-date C.V.
  3. 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

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.

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 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.

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.

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

• 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.

Business Analyst – Thames Valley Fire Control

Salary:  £50,788 – £56,074 per annum, Grade 7

Hours: Full time – 37 hours per week

Contract: 18-month fixed term contract

Location: Onsite at Service Headquarters, Calcot, Reading, with travel to Stations as required.

Excellent annual leave allowance of 30 days, flexible working hours, onsite gym, parking facilities and a Local Government Pension Scheme.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Business Analyst to help shape the future of Thames Valley Fire Control Service (TVFCS), our joint mobilising and control room function that serves the communities of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Royal Berkshire.   

As the Business Analyst, you will be responsible for building a comprehensive business case for the future replacement of the TVFCS Command and Control systems and associated technologies that will ensure we can provide a first-class service into the next decade and beyond. You will work at an enterprise level, with the ability to undertake extensive market and sector analysis, staff and stakeholder engagement and long-term evaluation of business requirements.

You will work collaboratively with TVFCS partners from Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Royal Berkshire FRS and across key stakeholder departments in all three Services, following best practice Business Analyst standards, e.g. BCS, BABOK/International Institute of Business Analysis, or equivalent. The role holder will use their analytical skillset to develop a mission critical, future proof specification of the potential Command & Control system and supporting infrastructure.

You will undertake detailed research, market and sector engagement and analysis, as well as comprehensive and sustained staff and stakeholder engagement in order to understand and document current and future requirements, seeking to identify new use cases aligned to end user feedback and market research.

You’ll help the service understand and clearly articulate a future proofed system specification that also identifies enhancements to operational resilience, the scope for potential growth and accounts for local systems and practice, identifying improvements where appropriate.

More specifically, the role holder will be a key element of the TVFCS replacement project, and they will use the business case output to design and deliver a tender specification and support the commencement of the subsequent procurement process, including an analysis of resource requirements to deliver the latter phases of the project.

You’ll be inspired to demonstrate and promote behaviours in line with the Job Profile and our Behavioural Competency Framework as attached.

The key focus of this role is:

  • Develop and document a clear understanding of market solutions, incorporating an assessment of new and emerging technologies.
  • Clarify current and likely future service requirements, built on stakeholder feedback.
  • Consider and incorporate wider service resilience, integration and value.
  • Produce a detailed control specification to inform procurement.
  • Produce outline and full business cases to enable early decision making and shape strategic funding proposals.
  • Shape and support procurement and delivery phases of the project.

Key role requirements (knowledge, skills and experience):

  • Professional Business Analysis qualification, e.g. International Diploma in Business Analysis.
  • 2+ years’ business analysis experience.
  • Process mapping and process improvement.
  • Data analysis/experience of working on projects involving data.
  • Requirements elicitation techniques and requirements gathering.
  • A team player who works well with technical and non-technical resources.
  • Ability to work independently.
  • Has an eye for detail and a natural ability to analyse information.
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbally.
  • Must be located within a commutable distance of HQ in Calcot, Reading
  • Ideally, the successful candidate will have experience of delivering mission critical public service and/or highly technical projects.

Application and selection process

The successful candidate will demonstrate and promote behaviours in line with the Job Profile/Person Specification and our Behaviour Competency Framework as attached.

The Behavioural Competency Framework allows us to easily identify the behaviours that drive successful performance and enables us to deliver an effective service. The behaviours detailed within the job profile will be assessed throughout the selection process.

If you are interested in applying for this position click Apply Now

Please see the link to the Job Profile/Person Specification on application

Appointment is conditional upon undertaking a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. 

Rechecks will be required in line with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy.

For further details about the role or to simply discuss any adaptations or adjustments we can make to assist you in your application or with our recruitment process please contact Ellie Wilde, Technical Programme Manager at wildee@rbfrs.co.uk to arrange an informal discussion.

Please note we do not accept applications via Agencies or CVs without an accompanying application form.

Closing date for applications is 17:00 hours on 24 February 2025.

It is anticipated that the assessment/interview process will run week commencing 3 March 2025.  

Anticipated start date: April 2025, however, subject to negotiation.

Please note that is your personal responsibility to check whether by applying / accepting this position it would result in any Annual Allowance implications. A breach in the Annual Allowance threshold could result in a Tax charge.

Please view our privacy notice via this link Applicant Privacy Statement. 

Our Commitments:

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service values your individuality, your diversity and your dignity.  All are welcome here. Inclusion, diversity and equality are principles which guide our decisions and will be visible throughout the Service, and we will continually work to improve in these areas. 

We are committed to creating an inclusive culture of dignity and trust where everyone feels safe and comfortable to bring their whole self to work.

Simply: The communities we serve are varied and diverse, we should be too.

All applications are considered on merit alone. We are a Disability Confident Leader – if you meet the essential criteria of the role, you will be guaranteed an interview if you choose to opt into the Offer of an Interview Scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).

To find out more: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and all employees must share this commitment.

Please view our Safer Recruitment Statement via this link.

Communication Manager and Internal Comms Lead

Salary: £43,693 per annum rising to £47,754 per annum (plus an additional allowance for on-call rota)

Job reference: REQ000338

Closing date: 19/02/25

We are looking for an experienced omni-competent communications professional to manage the Communication and Engagement Team and also lead the Service’s internal communications. A key part of this role is supporting the team in delivering the organisation’s communication and engagement strategy, which plays a crucial role in supporting the organisation both internally and externally, while also providing strategic and tactical communication support.

Working closely with the Head of Communication, you will play a vital role in enhancing engagement, driving improvement, and ensuring our communications are effective, impactful, and aligned with our goals.

About the role

You will be responsible for the communication team covering all facets of the communication disciplines, which is why we need someone who has straddled a range of disciplines. You will have to understand the wider communication needs of our clients as we develop plans, evaluate performance, manage workloads, develop team members, and ensure anyone who needs communication support, gets the best customer service and output.

You need to be passionate and knowledgeable about internal communication, as you will be the expert in the team, with responsibility for building and delivering the plans for internal communication, employee engagement and project communication. You will be a strategic advisor when it comes to supporting a range of organisational change projects as well as being on the ground delivering tactical needs.

You will have a passion for engaging colleagues and running colleague events, from award ceremonies to leader workshops, and you will have your finger on the pulse of internal engagement opportunities to ensure colleagues understand the direction of the organisation, feel engaged and listened to, and know about the hot topics.

Key Responsibilities

Manage the Communication and Engagement Team across all disciplines through owning the team plan and provide support to the Head of Communications to ensure an efficient and effective communication provision to the Service.

Proactively safeguard the organisation’s reputation, briefing senior managers on risks and issues, with mitigation strategies and actions.

Develop and implement the Internal Communication and Engagement Strategy, delivering engaging activities aligned with Service objectives.

Advise on and deliver communication for internal change projects, ensuring stakeholders are consulted and informed effectively.

Optimise communication channels to ensure effective two-way engagement, crafting clear messages and campaigns tailored for different audiences.

Measure and improve communication impact using key metrics, leading engagement initiatives such as forums, leadership engagement opportunities, newsletters, people surveys and collating colleague feedback.

Actively respond to major incidents, handling internal and external communication responses, media, social media, photography, video, website management, and stakeholder briefings, while collaborating with other agencies and adhering to the relevant procedures and legislation. This includes attending events and incidents to manage communication and as part of an out-of-hours evening and weekend on-call rota.

Develop and manage campaigns and content across multiple channels, working with teams to understand audience needs and deliver targeted messaging.

Support the creation of corporate materials, ensuring all digital and printed content aligns with the organisation’s brand and engagement goals.

About You

You will have:

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

Communications

Media

English 

Significant experience in internal communication, change communication and employee engagement.

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

In-depth experience of managing colleague engagement events, leadership forums, all hands events or similar tactics to promote two-way engagement.

Some experience in external communication, media management and crisis management.

Some experience managing people or a small team.

Ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English. Understanding and interpreting information, rewriting complex or technical/management information into plain English.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues from all areas of the organisation and at all levels.

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

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

Ability to drive change and meet objectives working collaboratively with others

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

Current full driving licence with no pending issues.

In this role, you will participate in a 1 in 4 rota 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.

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.

The interview / selection process will take place on Friday 28 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.

Executive Personal Assistant

Salary: Starting salary £31,067 – £33,366 per annum

Job reference: REQ000336

Closing date: 17/02/25

We are seeking a highly organised and proactive Executive Personal Assistant to provide a comprehensive, confidential and professional support service to the Executive Leadership Team.

About the Role

In this role, you will be assisting senior leaders to make the most of their time and ensure they are best placed to lead the organisation. You will ensure the efficient management of diaries, meetings, and communications. You will be responsible for screening and prioritising correspondence, coordinating travel and event arrangements, and liaising with senior stakeholders, government bodies, and external organisations.

You will play a key role in researching and preparing reports, drafting and formatting documents, and servicing meetings, including taking accurate minutes, decisions and actions. Additionally, you will support the planning and organisation of high-profile visits and corporate events, while maintaining the highest level of confidentiality and professionalism.

Key Responsibilities

Manage communications by screening, prioritising, and responding to emails, phone calls, and correspondence, ensuring efficient information flow to and from ELT.
Liaise with external organisations, government bodies, and senior individuals, coordinating arrangements and maintaining a professional image.
Conduct research, gathering and summarising information to support ELT decision making.
Draft, format, and proofread documents and correspondence on behalf of ELT/SLT, ensuring accuracy and compliance with standards.
Manage ELT/SLT diaries and travel by forward planning, scheduling meetings, prioritising appointments, and arranging venues, travel, and accommodation to maximise their time.
Support meetings by coordinating agendas, producing reports, taking minutes, and tracking actions for ELT/SLT.
Organise high-profile visits, planning and managing visits Lord-Lieutenant, High Sheriff and Government Ministers, acting as the main point of contact.
Assist with corporate events by supporting event planning, including venue booking, guest lists, and logistics.
Handle procurement by making purchases, managing travel expenses, and processing financial transactions in line with policies.

About You

You will have:

Significant experience in a Secretarial/administration background including diary management, minuting meetings and monitoring outcomes and actions.

Some experience of working as personal assistant.

Ability to confidently type various documents with accuracy and a high level of attention to detail.

In depth experience of making travel arrangements including visas, accommodation and overseas bookings.

Excellent organisational skills with high level of attention to detail with the ability to use own initiative, prioritising workload to meet deadlines and manage a number of tasks simultaneously

Excellent interpersonal and communications skills with the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English.

In depth experience using Microsoft 365 (including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

Ability to exercise strict confidentiality in the handling of all issues of a sensitive and confidential nature.

GCSE English and Maths at Level 4 or above or equivalent.

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.

The interview / selection process will take place on Thursday 27 February 2025

The post holder will be required to travel to support the ELT/ SLT at meetings and events.

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.

Communications Officer (Social Media and Content)

Salary: Starting salary £31,067 – £33,366 per annum (plus an additional allowance for on-call rota)

Job reference: REQ000335

Closing date 17/02/25

This is a new and exciting role! Are you a creative and driven individual who likes to make content, tell great stories visually and wants to make an impact? We are seeking a content creator and social media whizz to support us in telling our story to a range of audiences to achieve better understanding of the work of the fire service and enhancing the reputation of its role in the community.

We need someone who can capture a great bit of footage, keep a finger on the pulse of latest social media trends, digital communication preferences of the public, understand audience intersectionality and the needs of our stakeholders, alongside planning campaigns and content to meet their needs. You need to be able to deliver packages and campaigns to suit internal and external channels.

About the role

This role is all about crafting engaging, innovative, and impactful content—whether that’s through compelling writing, striking photography, or engaging video production. You will be responsible for translating complex operational and organisational information into clear, accessible, and engaging content across a range of internal and external platforms.

You will play a key role in shaping our digital presence, keeping up with the latest social media trends, and ensuring our campaigns resonate with diverse audiences.

Key Responsibilities

Create insight-led materials using a variety of tactics across multiple platforms to support organisational objectives.
Collaborate with the Senior Communications Officer (External) to plan, develop and evaluate campaigns.
Manage all social media platforms and community engagement tools, including community ventures like NextDoor and email marketing platform.
Produce photography, video and visual products, including designing, animating, branding, scripting, storyboarding and editing.
Design simple corporate graphics and marketing materials, ensuring brand consistency and effectiveness.
Act as a brand guardian, managing visual assets and ensuring diverse and inclusive representation.
To pro-actively gain knowledge from operational colleagues and Translate into compelling stories and creative content for engagement.
Support communications during major incidents, including media handling and stakeholder briefings, as part of an on-call rota.
Assist in planning and delivering corporate events, awards, open days and staff engagement activities.

About You

You will have:

GCSEs, or equivalent qualification or equivalent experience in one of the following:
Public relations, media communications or marketing

Photography/videography

English

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

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

Some experience in content creation, photography, videography, digital communications and social media and the ability to edit using design applications.

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

Understanding and interpreting information, rewriting complex or technical/management information into plain English. Ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English. 

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

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues from all areas of the organisation and at all levels.

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

Current full driving licence with no pending issues. 

In this role, you will participate in a 1 in 4 rota 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.

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.

The interview / selection process will take place on Monday 24 February 2025

If you are a self-starter, thrive under pressure, and love delivering high-quality content across multiple channels, we would love to hear from you!

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.

Communication and Community Engagement Officer

Salary: Starting salary £34,314 – £37,035 per annum

Job reference: REQ000337

Closing date: 17/02/25

22-Month Fixed-Term Contract 37 hours per week 

Are you passionate about helping Bedfordshire understand its hard to reach communities and improve communication and engagement with diverse communities? We are looking for a proactive and creative individual to support Bedfordshire Local Resilience Forum (BLRF) in mapping out and delivering effective communication and engagement for its communities.

This is an exciting opportunity at a time of increased national focus on building community resilience and emergency planning.

About the role

We need to understand more about our diverse communities, where to find them and their communication preferences. You will lead on mapping out current community engagement activity across Bedfordshire alongside community insight and research, understanding stakeholder contacts and where relationships lie, to then develop a targeted plan on key topics.

You will plan, deliver and co-ordinate communications activity to support BLRF objectives and ensure BLRF is supporting the ambitions of the UK Government Resilience framework to engage and work with communities and community groups on both acute and chronic risks, to enable them to become increasingly active partners in building local resilience.

You will also lead in developing relationships with communication teams across the county to support emergency and crisis communications planning and response and recovery communications after an emergency.

Key Responsibilities

Map and analyse current community engagement across the BLRF partnership, identifying best practices and gaps, with a focus on underrepresented groups. Develop processes and plans to strengthen engagement with these communities.

Develop a central knowledge database and bespoke toolkit for communication teams across BLRF.

Enhance message reception by directly engaging with community groups and partner agencies, collecting data on their reach and communication preferences.

Develop insight-led creative materials to support LRF communication and engagement activity and campaign plans, using a variety of tactics to be used across a range of platform.

Increase understanding of BLRF’s role and educate the public about preparedness by sharing opportunities across BLRF to engage with communities.

Maintain an active network and serve as the central contact for communication officers from key partners and stakeholders.

About You

You will have:

A-Levels, or equivalent qualification or equivalent experience in one of the following:
Public relations, media communications or marketing

Photography/videography

English

Significant experience in community engagement.

Proven creative ability to get messages across to different audiences, particularly external audiences.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues from all areas of the organisation and all levels.

Some experience in communication campaign planning and content creation, including photography, videography, digital communications and social media.

Some experience in engaging and communicating with a range of diverse communities and a range of audiences using insight, industry best practice and evaluation.

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

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

Current full driving licence with no pending issues.

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.

The interview / selection process will take place on Tuesday 25 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.