We are recruiting for a Chief Fire Officer
Applications are now open
We have started the official process to find our new permanent Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive Officer who will help us achieve our ambitious vision to ‘end preventable fire and rescue emergencies and create a safer world for our communities.’
We are looking for an innovative, strategic leader, who aligns to our values and ethics (https://cms.dsfire.gov.uk/about-us/our-values) and will help us shape the future of our organisation.
Our current Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell (pictured), who is on secondment at present, will be retiring later in the year after 16 years in post.
About us
We are the largest non-metropolitan fire and rescue service and the largest employer of on call firefighters in England. We cover almost 4,000 square miles across two counties. We have 83 fire stations and more than 1,900 highly skilled and motivated staff who work tirelessly to protect the 1.8million people who live in our two counties, plus the 1.1 million people who come to Devon and Somerset on holiday each year.
We have a proud history of keeping people safe, providing prevention, protection, and response services across the counties of Devon and Somerset.
We have been on a people improvement journey and our Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive Officer will play a pivotal role in taking further steps to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion for our workforce and in the communities that we serve.
We have a change programme (https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/about-us/developing-the-service/change-and-improvement-programme) that will put us in the best position to meet financial challenges over the future years. We will work with our people to drive through these efficiencies so that everyone has an opportunity to provide their feedback. Our plans will see a financially stable and inclusive Service driven by prevention, protection, and response.
Apply now
If the position interests you, read our Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive Officer application pack (https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/careers/vacancies/chief-fire-officerchief-executive-officer) to find out more about the job, how to apply and how to contact us for more information, or an informal discussion.
The closing date for applications is Sunday 14 April midnight. Shortlisting will take place from the 22 April and the selection and interview process will take place on Thursday 9 May, Friday 10 May and Monday 13 May 2024.