Closing Date:          09:00 31 October 2022

 Salary:                     GM Dev (£47,887) – GM Comp B (£53,086) plus 20% flexible duty system allowance

                                    SM Dev (£41,578) – SM Comp B (£45,861) plus 20% flexible duty system allowance

 Location:                 Various roles and locations across Bedfordshire

We aim to establish a talent pool of high calibre individuals ready for appointment to Middle Manager vacancies (Station Manager and Group Manager) expected to arise over the next 6-18 months.  There has never been a better time to join us.

Why Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire covers an area of 480 square miles and has a growing and diverse population currently estimated around 655,000. Growth projections indicate this will grow by up to a third in the next decade or so. 

Bedfordshire is a wonderful county to live in, whether you want a quiet market town, a historic ruin to explore, countryside to admire or to take a walk along Bedford's beautifully landscaped Embankment, you’ll find delightful views and plenty of greenery to explore and get lost in.

Bedfordshire also boasts a number of large towns and villages. These include Woburn’s historical sites; Woburn Abbey, Woburn Safari Park and a Center Parcs, which offer days out for the whole family. And if this wasn't enough, you're only an hour's drive from London and 20 minutes from Milton Keynes Shopping Centre. It is served by extensive transport infrastructure including the M1 and A1(M) motorways, three major rail routes, London Luton Airport and county wide rivers. 

About Us

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is made up of an engaged and dedicated team of around 600 talented and diverse individuals.

Our employees are our greatest asset and without them, we couldn’t achieve all we do for the communities of Bedfordshire. We continue to invest in ensuring we have an agile, motivated and highly capable workforce, reflective of the diverse communities we serve.

There has been significant investment in the County recently, and Bedfordshire has undergone significant expansion in terms of housing, and industrial and commercial sites. Our challenge is to align our resources to support this exciting growth and continue to keep our communities safe. 

Beyond our fire service duties, we are proud to say we offer much more to our communities. As part of our blue light collaboration strategic partnership we are working with Bedfordshire Police and The East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) on a number of projects. These include supporting EEAST in responding to medical emergencies and non-emergency falls patients and assisting Bedfordshire Police with searches for vulnerable missing persons and much more. We are also delighted to have launched a new Technical Support Unit, based at Dunstable Fire Station, providing the complex patient rescue capability for EEAST - the first of its kind in the country.

About the role

You will lead, develop and support the Service in delivering on its Mission to provide outstanding fire and rescue services that help make Bedfordshire safer.

You will demonstrate excellent leadership qualities that align with the NFCC Leadership Framework and our Service Values:

• We are Accountable
• We’ve got your Back
• Every Contact counts
• We Dare to be Different. 

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate excellent leadership and interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate and empower others to both understand and deliver on our objectives, and can foster a strong, inclusive and innovation focused team working ethos. 

All substantive at the role/scale of Group Manager B and Station Manager are conditioned to the Flexible Duty System (FDS) and are required to provide a response base, in an area approved by the Chief Fire Officer, which will enable them to undertake their operational command duties when on-call.

Eligibility

We welcome applications from those currently serving within a UK Fire Authority at the following levels: 

• Substantive Group Managers (for entry to the GM Talent Pool)
• Substantive and competent Station Managers, holding a recognised Incident Command Level 2 qualification (for entry to the GM Talent Pool)
• Substantive and competent Whole Time Duty System Watch Commanders, holding a recognised Incident Command Level 1 qualification (for entry to the SM Talent Pool)

Internal Watch Commander applicants applying on promotion having attained competence on the Whole Time Duty System or Retained Duty System will be considered.

To Apply 

Applicants will need to complete an application form, with supporting statement. This will enable you to demonstrate how your knowledge, skills and experience meet the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.  

The Selection Process

All potential candidates have the opportunity to join an engagement forum, offering a chance to engage with one of our Principal Officer team and discuss what we have to offer.

Candidates successful at shortlist will be invited to attend a progressive Middle Manager selection process for entry to our Group or Station Manager talent pools, as applicable.  Applicants will be offered the option to indicate on their application form whether they would like to be considered for an accelerated pathway.  (This may, subject to their performance at the gateway, enable them to be offered additional development opportunities on appointment to a Station Manager/Group Manager role, and the option to undertake the assessments leading to entry to the next level up talent pool within 12 months).

The Middle Manager promotion gateway, leading to entry to our Group and Station Manager talent pools will include an assessment stage, an interview stage and an Incident Command assessment (L2 or L3, as appropriate.)  Full details available once shortlisted.

Successful candidates will enter a talent pool, eligible for consideration for Group Manager or Station Manager posts as they arise.  The pool will remain live for 12-18 months.

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. 

You will be required to serve at any location in the Service, and to gain pre-employment clearances, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance and pass a Service Medical and Fitness Test before appointment will be offered. 

Successful applicants will be required to undertake a probationary period of 6 months and those successful on promotion will also be required to satisfactorily complete the Station/Group Manager Development Programme.  Relocation assistance will be available to successful candidates (details available on request).   

An application form, together with relevant Station/Group Manager Applicant Packs can be found below.

 A Middle Manager Engagement Forum is scheduled to be hosted via TEAMs by CFO Andrew Hopkinson and DCFO Chris Bigland on 20 October 2022, 11.15 .  We hope you can join.

Closing date:  09:00 31 October 2022.

For further information please contact Juliet Ormerod, Assessment and Selection Co-ordinator via email Juliet.ormerod@bedsfire.gov.uk    

All candidates can request an informal 1-2-1 discussion with a member of our leadership team, which we will seek to accommodate, subject to availability of all parties.

At Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, we’re not all the same. And that’s our greatest strength. We draw on the differences in who we are, what we’ve experienced, and how we think. Because to provide a service that serves everyone, we believe in including everyone.

Be bold, be unique, be you, dare to be different!