Head Of Service For Peoples Services Ofrs615801

Job details

Salary range:

Grey Book ‘Area Manager’ (operational)

• Area Manager Development – Area Manager C (local pay point)
• £63,163 - £78,984.36 (+20% Flexi-Duty Allowance)

Green Book ‘Head of Service’ (non-operational)

• Grade 18 (Spinal Column Points 59-62)
• £68,742 - £72,041 (Flexi-Duty Allowance not applicable)

Work location: Oxford Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Kidlington

Hours per week: 42 - we are open to discussions about flexible working

Contract type: Permanent

Vetting requirements: This role is subject to a criminal records check

Closing date: Submit CV and Personal Statement – 23:59 on Sunday 28th April 2024

Performance and behaviours practical Assessment (Full Day): May 2024

Interview: May 2024 - This will be an opportunity for us to get to know you and for you to tell us how you meet the requirements of the role.

The panel will be made up of a minimum of three people.

Why Oxfordshire?

Oxfordshire is a county in the southeast of England, known for its historic city of Oxford and renowned University of Oxford, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities globally, the county is steeped in academic and cultural significance. Oxfordshire’s picturesque landscapes include the Cotswolds, a designated area of outstanding natural beauty and the county combines a rich heritage with modern innovation, making it a dynamic and vibrant region.

OFRS plays a crucial role in ensuring public safety as part of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC). Operating in the county council offers exciting opportunities to work across several functions, bringing collaborative opportunities to deliver a range of Services across the county.

OFRS collaborates across the Thames Valley area and works closely with Buckinghamshire and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Services, Thames Valley Police and South-Central Ambulance Service, with Thames Valley Fire Control Services at the heart of how OFRS and the Thames Valley responds to risk.

The Service operates out of 25 stations, with a mixture of wholetime, day crewing and on-call duty systems, providing a network of fire cover across the county. Oxfordshire is a county with a diverse risk profile and continually reviewing OFRS Community Risk Management Plan is critical, to ensuring the services that ORFS delivers manages risk, whilst supporting our partners to provide a safe place for people in Oxfordshire to live, work and visit.

Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We have several staff network groups which provide peer support and safe spaces for staff.

We are an inclusive organisation, which serves diverse communities with a range of demands and challenges. We want a diverse workforce that can help us to better understand our communities and bring a diversity of thought, views, experience, and ideas. We therefore particularly encourage applications from female, black and minority ethnic and LGBTQ+ staff who are underrepresented in our operational workforce.

About the role

Do you want to continue a transformative leadership journey?

Do you want to influence and shape the vision of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (OFRS)?

Do you want to lead with purpose and impact?

If the answer is yes, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is the place for you!

We have an exciting opportunity for someone who is a motivated, confident, and an authentic leader with the ability to shape and drive strategic direction, who is committed to being a role model for our service values.

As an Area Manager/Head of Service you will lead an area of the service and be part of the OFRS Senior Leadership Team (SLT), working across the service as well as corporately across Oxfordshire County Council and with partners in the Thames Valley area. We are looking for someone who is an innovative problem solver, creative, and passionate about making a difference.

The Service is seeking an individual who has an ambition to dare to be different and can demonstrate that their leadership enables others in an inclusive, supportive, and enabling environment, as well as being able to balance offering professional challenge with the ability to support and develop their team.

You will demonstrate excellent leadership qualities, that align to the NFCC Leadership Framework and lead in accordance with our organisational values and behaviour framework:

• Always learning.
• Be kind and care.
• Equality and integrity in all we do.
• Taking responsibility.
• Daring to do it differently.

The Succession Management Pool Process

The role is open to applicants from an operational and non-operational background, operational personnel will be required to be part of the operational command rota (Level 3 Incident Command) responding from close proximity to Oxfordshire, when on call.

To be eligible to apply for the selection process you must be able to evidence that you meet the following criteria:

Grey Book Applicants

Competent Group Manager with at least 12 months experience, in role, with the ability to demonstrate suitable knowledge, skills and experience against the job description and selection criteria.

Hold an Existing L3 incident command qualification passed within 2 years of the application deadline.

Have no live disciplinary or performance action plans.

Level 5 leadership qualification or equivalent.

Full UK driving licence.

Green Book Applicants

Must be able to demonstrate knowledge, skills and experience against the job description and selection criteria.

Have no live disciplinary or performance action plans.

Level 5 leadership qualification or equivalent.

National Fire Chief Council Leadership Framework

The NFCC Leadership framework will be used throughout the selection process. The Area Manager/Head of Service role sits within the ‘Leading the Service’ section of the framework, candidates will be assessed against the four elements.

Personal impact – ensures we value, respect, and promote equality and diversity. It is about being a positive presence on others, having personal integrity and an ability to self-mange. The focus is on self and how a manager uses leadership to create a positive, open-working environment focusing on ethics and wellbeing.

Outstanding leadership – this is about building high-performing teams and developing people to their full potential. It is about communicating with integrity, being open and honest to foster trust and building collaborative working partnerships. An ambassador and role model for the fire and rescue service. The focus is on others and how a manager uses leadership to create high performance teams.

Service delivery – this is about delivering high quality services now and into the future. It is about intelligent problem solving, with an outcome focused approach, continuous improvement, and value for money to our customers. The focus is on task and how a manager uses leadership to produce outcome-focussed results which meet customer needs.

Organisational effectiveness – this is ensuring everything we do is linked to organisational plans and values. It is driving the mission and ensuring decisions and actions are beneficial to the customer. The focus is on the organisation and how a manager uses leadership to continuously improve, innovate and change.

Please refer to the NFCC Leadership Framework for further detail.

Application Schedule

Stage 1 Application

All applicants should provide a CV and a personal statement that brings their CV to life, outlining their qualifications and experience to evidence how they meet the requirements of the job description and NFCC Leadership Framework.

You will be required to upload your CV and Personal statement via IBC. If you have any questions, or are an external applicant please contact Marcus Reay (e-mail below).

Your personal statement should be headed under the four areas of the National Fire Chiefs Council Leadership Framework detailing your experience against the job description and selection criteria.

The CV should be no more than 2 sides A4 and the personal statement no more than 4 sides A4, both ariel font size 12.

Stage 2 Performance and behaviours practical assessment

Candidates will be assessed against the NFCC Leadership Framework and Organisational Values and Behavioural Framework while taking part in scenarios within the live environment.

The following are example assessment scenarios that may be included:

• Chair a management meeting
• Performance management review
• Media scenario
• Briefing elected members
• Group discussion
• Stakeholder meeting
• Staff panel

Stage 3 Interview

Candidates will be invited to attend an interview and will be asked a series of questions which will be linked to the NFCC Leadership Framework.

Succession Management Pool – all candidates

Those who successfully enter the Succession Management pool will be eligible for 18 months, from date of entry, for opportunities in the role of Area Manager/Head of Service, for both temporary and substantive positions. After 18 months has passed, personnel will be required to complete the Succession Management pool process again.

Once in the Succession Management pool, all members of the succession management pool will be eligible and offered a role specific interview for development opportunities and substantive roles. Once a role specific interview has been completed the individual can be substantiated into that specific role, if the position becomes vacant.

Commitment to Development

OFRS is committed to the development of people. All candidates that progress to Stage 2 and Stage 3 will be offered feedback within 2 months of the close of the process.

Would you like to know more?

Please click here to view the Job Description and Selection Criteria

If you're interested and would like an informal discussion, please contact DCFO Matt Cook - matt.cook@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Application Procedure

You will be notified of short listing via email, so please check your e-mail on a regular basis.

Should you require information in an alternative format or any reasonable adjustments to be considered throughout the application process, or upon appointment, please contact marcus.reay@oxfordshire.gov.uk, we will make every effort to meet your specific requirements.

Your CV and personal statement should be submitted no later than 23:59 on Sunday 28th April 2024 to the IBC Portal.

To apply, please complete an online application form by clicking either of the Apply Now buttons at the top and bottom of this advert. This includes a section asking you to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting.

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If you experience any technical difficulties whilst completing the application form, please contact the Recruitment Team using Recruitment Application Enquiry Form.

If you require the application form in an alternative format as part of a reasonable adjustment at this stage of the recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment Team using Recruitment Application Enquiry Form.