Policy, Training,ProjectsandBusiness EngagementManager in Essex

Location: Service Headquarters – Kelvedon Park

Salary: £50,269 – £53,460

Working Hours: 37 hours per week (Green Book)

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 10th July 2026

The Role:

Within the Protection department for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS), we are passionate about fire safety. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing key areas within the team, including training and policy, external business engagement activity, internal quality assurance process, and the management of our Primary Authority Scheme (PAS) partnerships. This role will include the need for close liaison and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, local/national business representatives, as well as other regulatory bodies.

What You Will Be Working On:

• Manage business partnerships to enable greater compliance with relevant fire safety legislation.
• Manage the attendance of the ECFRS Business Engagement Team at business engagement events, collaborating with local Protection Officers; develop Protection Officers’ knowledge and skills to continually improve business engagement; represent ECFRS at external business events.
• Engage with various business groups from our communities in a range of activities, promoting fire safety in their premises, depending on the risk from their trade/sector.
• Set objectives that ensure the education of these groups on the benefits of their engagement with ECFRS.
• Monitor unwanted fire signals (UwFS), analysing data and directing the team to engage with premises with high UwFS, to reduce unnecessary ECFRS attendance, thereby reducing risk and cost to the Service.
• Develop and implement initiatives to raise awareness of UwFS, the dangers associated with them, and the benefits of reducing them.
• Engage with Local Authorities and act as point of contact for them and other agencies, should concerns be raised in relation to premises.
• Manage ECFRS response to attend such premises to ensure fire safety, either as part of a multi‑agency exercise or as an alleged fire risk under the relevant fire safety legislation.
• Collaborate with the Service’s Corporate Communications Department to develop engagement initiatives to assist in promoting Protection initiatives and messages.
• Plan and deliver the Protection training strategy through coordination and provision of training packages, delivering such training as necessary.
• Source relevant training, work with training suppliers, and assist with the tendering process for external providers.
• Support internal Protection Quality Assurance processes, as aligned to the Protection Quality Assurance Policy.
• Coordinate and support ongoing internal Protection CFRMIS development, as aligned to the services Risk Based Intervention Programme (RBIP).
• Manage ECFRS Primary Authority Partnerships, ensuring assured and consistent regulatory advice is provided to partners to ensure continued compliance with recognised fire safety legislation.

What Are We Looking For?

We are looking for a passionate, motivated individual with a background in training and experience in fire safety, including a detailed understanding of relevant legislation. The ideal candidate has a strong desire for continuous professional development, strong interpersonal skills, and experience supporting others, both internally and externally, as a representative of the organisation.

Eligibility:

• Desirable to hold a higher‑level training qualification and relevant Fire Safety competency and experience.
• Full driving licence.
• No current live disciplinary or performance warnings, nor subject to any informal management for reasons of conduct performance.
• Internal candidates are expected to have had a conversation with their line manager about aspirations and career development prior to applying.

Note: Although the Level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety is desirable at the point of recruitment, it is an essential requirement for the role. The successful candidate will therefore be expected to achieve the qualification within a reasonable timeframe after appointment.

Benefits and Culture:

Here at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service we are committed to prioritising and promoting the wellbeing of our employees. For more information about our benefits see https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/recruitment/benefits.

Safeguarding:

We require disclosure of any ongoing or pending regulatory investigations or decisions. Applicants must inform the Service within 24 hours if subsequently investigated by any agency in relation to concerns about behaviour towards children, young people, or vulnerable adults. The information provided will be treated as strictly confidential and 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.

Equal Opportunities:

We are an equal opportunity, Disability Confident employer who welcomes applications from all backgrounds. Applications are considered solely on merit. For additional support or accommodation requests, contact Equality.Diversity@essex-fire.gov.uk or recruitment@essex-fire.gov.uk.