Protection Hub Manager in Reading

Salary: £52,413 - £57,836 per annum, Grade 7.

Location: Service Headquarters, Calcot, Reading.

Annual leave: 30 days, flexible working, onsite gym, parking facilities and a Local Government Pension Scheme.

About The Role: An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Protection Hub Manager to join the Protection function within Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS). Following a recent departmental restructure, we are seeking an experienced and collaborative leader to join the Protection Management team. You will help provide strategic direction, professional leadership, and operational oversight across all elements of the Protection function. This role carries significant responsibility for leading and ensuring a consistent approach to managing Protection activities across the East and West Hubs, with prioritisation, assurance and reporting processes in place.

Benefits:

• Salary: £52,413 - £57,836 per annum, Grade 7.
• Hours: Full Time – 37 hours per week.
• Excellent annual leave allowance of 30 days, flexible working, onsite gym, parking facilities and a Local Government Pension Scheme.

Responsibilities:

• Work alongside the GM Protection to develop a professional organisational culture within the Protection function, ensuring effective collaboration with other key stakeholders across the service recognising the key links to protection risk and Firefighter safety.
• Lead, coordinate and be accountable for Hub protection activities, ensuring activities are prioritised against risk and organisational objectives.
• Manage the use and allocation of uplift grant funding appropriately, providing suitable budget returns to central government with a clear audit of spending and compliance with grant conditions.
• Establish, develop and maintain relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, partners and agencies at local, regional and national levels to deliver the Service's strategies, purpose and aims.
• Manage the allocation of work to support multi-disciplinary teams for the Building Regulator (BSR), including the management of BSR grant funding through effective budget management.
• Ensure robust enforcement of the Fire Safety Order 2005 and Fire Safety England Regulations 2022, including legal proceedings, to uphold public safety and regulatory integrity.

Key Requirements (Knowledge, Skills and Experience):

• A sound understanding of Fire Safety processes, procedures and sector challenges.
• Minimum level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety.
• Strong stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Able to produce management reports and manage budgets.

About You: Working closely with the Protection Group Manager and the wider management team, you will help ensure that work is prioritised effectively, aligned with organisational objectives, risk, and statutory duties. A crucial part of the role will be liaising with external partners to ensure a coordinated approach to managing the risk of unsafe buildings requiring remediation with Local Authorities and MHCLG representatives. We are looking for someone who will actively demonstrate and promote behaviours aligned with the Job Profile and Behavioural Competency Framework, and who shares our commitment to delivering excellent public service.

Application and Selection: The successful candidate will demonstrate and promote behaviours in line with the Job Profile/Person Specification and our Behaviour Competency Framework. The Behavioural Competency Framework helps identify the behaviours that drive successful performance and will be assessed throughout the selection process. If you are interested in applying for this position, please click Apply Now. See the Job Profile/Person Specification for further information.

Process and Conditions: Assessment process: If shortlisted for interview, you will deliver a 15-minute presentation on “How you would prioritise and manage the demands of the built environment within Royal Berkshire”. Appointment is conditional upon an Enhanced DBS check. Rechecks will be required in line with DBS policy. For further details, contact the provided RBFRS officer or recruitment contacts for adaptations or adjustments in your application. Please note we do not accept applications via Agencies or CVs without an accompanying application form. Closing date for applications: 00:00 hours 18 February 2026. It is anticipated that the assessment/interview process will run week commencing 9 March 2026. Anticipated start date: ASAP.

Our Commitments: Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service values diversity and inclusion. All are welcome. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and all employees must share this commitment.

Notes: Applications are welcome for job-share or part-time arrangements. All applications are considered on merit alone. We are a Disability Confident Leader – if you meet the essential criteria, you will be guaranteed an interview if you opt into the interview scheme.