Group Manager

Job Title: Group Manager
Contract: Permanent
Working Hours: 42
Salary: Group Manager B (plus 20% flexi rota allowance, plus CPD)
Closing date: Monday 22nd April, 5pm

This process will also be utilised for any subsequent Group Manager vacancies, either temporary or permanent, that may arise within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., approximately six months)

The Role 

We have current opportunities at Group Manager (GM) level for the right person.

Reporting to an Area Manager and working collaboratively as part of a team of 12 Group Managers that deliver positive interventions across the Service, you will provide and deliver strategic options and tactical responses that will ensure we deliver the Fire & Rescue Plan and the Integrated Risk Management Plan, our Annual Plan, as well as our organisational priorities.

Responsible for leading a function, whether that is a geographical operational command area, or one of the vital groups of departments that ensures the safe, effective and efficient delivery of our organisational strategies and operational requirements, and that helps make Essex a safe place to live, work and travel, our Group Managers are vital in leading and managing their teams, ensuring our people’s wellbeing needs are met, their development is prioritised, and that a kind, fair and accountable culture exists and flourishes.

Our Group Managers are essential in us achieving our aim to be the best Fire and Rescue Service in the country.

The Right Person 

We want the best people, those who are able to display they whole-heartedly share our values & ethics, along with the right leadership characteristics and behaviours. Your management style will naturally be inclusive and consultative and as a visible and credible role model with excellent communication and presentation skills you will have a track record of building strong and effective relationships across multiple organisational boundaries, and at all levels.

The right people for the roles will have no difficulty demonstrating professionalism and courage in decision-making and will come with a track record of developing people and valuing the contribution of all. Excellence and commitment to working collaboratively as one team while driving continuous improvement is essential, as is a proven track record of successfully managing people and resources and delivering great outcomes.

Eligibility  

To be eligible to apply for the role, you must be able to demonstrate that you:

Have been in a substantive role as a Station Manager (or equivalent) for a minimum of twelve months, or are Group Manager (or equivalent) within a UK Fire and Rescue Service
Hold Incident Command verification level 2 (as a minimum), and are able to achieve Level 3 within six months of appointment to the role (any offer will be conditional on achieving this)
Hold a Leadership / Management Qualification (e.g., ILM) at Level 5, or have demonstrable equivalent at work experience and performance

Emergency Response Drivers qualification and full UK drivers licence

Have successfully completed all relevant operation assessments and compulsory courses, and are competent for your current role
Are not subject to any current live disciplinary or performance warnings, nor are you subject to any informal management for reasons of conduct or performance

The Application Process 

If you require any additional support or adjustments at any stage of the process, you can notify us confidentially by completing this form here or by email to recruitment@essex-fire.gov.uk

How to apply  

You will be required to submit your CV and cover letter (no longer than 1000 words). Please ensure you evidence how you meet the essential criteria of the Person Specification.

The closing date for applications will be Monday 22nd April, 17:00hrs

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. You must not be subject to any current live disciplinary or performance warnings, nor be subject to any informal management for reasons of conduct or performance. This will be verified prior to shortlisting.

Assessment and selection: 

The assessment and selection approach will be:

Stage 1  
Application & shortlisting (assessment of your supporting statement will be made against the essential criteria of the person specification)

Stage 2  
Assessment Centre including:
Media Exercise
Effective & collaborative working discussion
Stakeholder Panel – Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Presentation – Personal Impact & Outstanding Leadership

Assessments will be made against positive indicators taken from the Code of Ethics and the NFCC Leadership Framework).

It is expected that the Assessment Centre will take place at Service HQ, Kelvedon Park, on Monday 6th, Wednesday 8th, and Friday 10th May 2024.

Stage 3 
Role specific Panel interview

You can see 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 Area Manager Ian Adams on 07841 629314 (ian.adams@essex-fire.gov.uk); or Area Manager James Taylor on 07826 878056 (james.taylor@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 opportunity, 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 firefighter’s 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 https://join.essex-fire.gov.uk
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.