Deputy Fire Section Head

What if you could work with remarkable people on extraordinary things? What if the end result was something a little bit special? What if your role was mission critical?
For nearly 70 years, AWE has been at the forefront of nuclear weapons research and development. We have a critical mission: to provide the warheads for the UK’s ultimate deterrent - Trident. We also use our unique skills to provide wider UK government with counter-terrorism and nuclear threat reduction solutions.
It takes a special sort of person to work at AWE. What if that person was you?
Deputy Fire Section Head
Location: Reading / Basingstoke Area
Salary: Up to £65,000 (depending on experience) plus additional allowances
Closing Date: 15th February
As part of our People Promise, AWE (one of the best 25 big companies to work for in the UK) has a range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• Time to recharge your batteries with 270 hours of annual leave.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development that include funding for the annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• A generous defined contribution Group Personal Pension (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution).
• Life Assurance.
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family.
• A host of voluntary & core benefits to suit your health and wellbeing - more information available on our careers site.

As deputy Fire Section Head, you will support the Fire Section Head in the provision and development of an effective and efficient Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) that evolves in line with AWE’s unique risk profile.
You will provide leadership, coordination, and support to the FRS senior management, ensuring a clear integrated programme of workstreams are recorded consistent with AWE best practice.
Key Accountabilities:

• Supporting the Fire Section Head, ensuring that FRS continually meets Site Emergency Response and Regulatory Requirements.
• Demonstrating a high level of proactive leadership and resource management skills, ensuring a culture of continuous improvement and an openness to change throughout the FRS to improve working practices and drive efficiencies.
• Ensuring that an effective operational response is available on both AWE Sites in line with agreed parameters.
• Motivating and supporting others by driving policy and initiatives across the business.
• Reviewing business impact and consequences of policy.
• Explore and develop links between different functions, groups, or individuals to promote organisational objectives and the benefits of combined working.
• Develop individuals within the team and manage a range of variables including staffing, budgets, and tasking.
• Maintaining Incident Command Competencies Compatible with Fire Level 3 Command.
  

Key Responsibilities:

• Establishing and maintaining the confidence of members of AWE.
• Being a responsible, effective, and supportive manager of FRS personnel. Develop and lead personnel in pursuit of an effective FRS.
• Developing strategies and approaches in conjunction with others to help reduce the overall risk to the AWE programme and to fellow work colleagues and contractors within the AWE community.
• Undertaking the responsibilities of a line manager in matters of capability, performance, behaviours, and disciplinary matters.
• Providing general fire safety and risk management advice and guidance to AWE colleagues and external stakeholders when requested.
• Assisting in companywide initiatives, including the giving of general fire safety and risk mitigation advice and guidance to all members of the AWE community through a variety of engagement opportunities and training activities.
• Supporting FRS in providing inspections of fire safety equipment in AWE facilities as part of a fire safety legislative requirement ensuring all firefighting and emergency equipment is in a state of readiness, including cleaning, repairing, replacement and testing.
  

Successful applicants must have the following skills/qualifications:

• Fire Incident Command Level 3 or equivalent Emergency Response qualification e.g. Police/Ambulance/Military or civilian equivalent.
• Crisis/Incident management experience and the ability to lead and manage in high risk/high stress situations.
• Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills.
• High levels of organisational skills with the ability to plan and programme workstreams.
• Previous people management/coaching experience
  

As Deputy Fire Section Head, you will be placed on a 5-week Duty Officer rota that requires being able to respond from home address to either AWE sites within 30 minutes from time of call. The Duty Officer rota requires a 7 day 24/7 cover period.
Candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role and meet Fire Fit Fitness Standards on entry.
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Please note that you must be a British National to apply for a role with us.
Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.