Fire & Building Safety Manager in City of Westminster

We are seeking a Building Safety and Fire Manager to join the Compliance Service within Building Services of the Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services (HNB) Directorate. The role will have responsibility for managing the Building Safety and Fire Team, ensuring the team delivers on critical areas of building safety and fire safety for both the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and General Fund (GRA) assets.

The building safety activities managed by the team are diverse and focus on activities arisen from the requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022, Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005, Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. The scope of the role covers all building safety and fire safety activities in relation to our 17,000-housing stock and 900 corporate buildings.

Sitting within the HNB services directorate, providing services to PCC, leading a Building Safety and Fire team and supporting the Head of Compliance by:

• Leading and managing the Building Safety and Fire Team
• Preparing and managing building safety cases
• Undertaking and reviewing fire risk assessments
• Developing fire risk assessment actions mitigation plans
• Overseeing the undertaking of fire risk assessment actions
• Providing technical support and guidance in the review of Building Control Applications
• Managing external consultants
• Liaising with key stakeholders in the undertaking of the above duties

The role will form part of the Directorates Out of Hours escalation process, and you will be required to be on a rota to respond to Building Services issues that may arise out of hours when on the rota.

Candidates should have a qualification in fire safety and experience of managing fire safety across housing or commercial assets. The ideal candidate is someone who will:

• Have at least a level 4 qualification in fire safety or equivalent. Where a qualification is not held, candidates will need to demonstrate equivalent knowledge and experience.
• Ideally be a chartered member of a relevant fire safety body; however, where membership is not held, support will be provided to candidates to achieve this.
• Have or be willing to obtain a Level 6 Diploma in Building Safety Management.
• Have extensive knowledge of building related legislation and application, specifically the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021, Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, building regulations, with the ability to advise others to ensure processes within the team comply with the legislation.
• Have awareness of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and its application to fire and building safety.
• Have relevant experience of interpreting complex specialists' reports related to fire and building safety and advise on the outcome and any remediation works required.
• Have sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to confidently develop mitigation plans.
• Have experience of managing and leading a fire safety team or equivalent, including the development of staff.
• Be an excellent communicator and assertive as necessary ensuring excellent working relationships are maintained.
• Be able to engage with a wide range of stakeholders including residents.
• Have a full driving licence and provide a car for work, as you will be visiting sites across Portsmouth and surrounding areas so will need to travel effectively between them.