Job summary
Employer heading
Head of Fire Safety
NHS AfC: Band 8c
Our Organisation
The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive – and we all have our part to play.
As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.
As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition,Ìýalthough the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Job overview
This role is part time - 2 days per week (0.4 WTE)
Transforming our estate for the future
There’s never been a more exciting time to join the NHS as we transform our estate to deliver 21st-century care and the best possible outcomes for our patients.
Estates are at the centre of the government’s plans for transforming the NHS. The NHS Long Term Plan outlines the need to ‘accelerate the redesign of patient care to future-proof the NHS for the decade ahead.’ We have laid the groundwork for fundamental change to enable us to deliver on this commitment across our estate and we now need you to help us reap the rewards of this work.Ìý This will become even more important as the 10-Year Health Plan is developed.
This is a pivotal time in the history of the NHS and a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity to transform the country's largest estate. Join us as we embark on this seismic shift to future-proof our estate.
The NHS Estate
Our hospital estate spans 25 million m² with 1.4 million NHS staff working across 17,000 buildings, including 1,140 hospitals and 7,500 primary care sites, our c100k staff are responsible for maintaining and running all EFM services.
With £5 billion of operational capital funding and an annual expenditure of over £10 billion across estates and facilities management, there’s scope for you to deliver real change across our estate.
Main duties of the job
This is a job sharing role with the existing Head of Fire Safety. Reporting to the Head of Hard FM, you will work with the existing Head of Fire Safety to produce guidance, technical bulletins, safety notifications/alerts, strategies, policies and initiatives throughout NHSE which satisfy both statutory, mandatory and legislative requirements for national management of fire safety within healthcare.
Specifically you will:
- Be responsible for national guidance on all fire related matters including: prevention advice, mandatory fire safety training guidance, fire workplace audit requirements and fire risk assessment criteria and standards.
- Analyse, interpret and provide specialist fire advice relating to the procurement, upgrade and refurbishment of buildings, construction project guidance and changes to building regulations.Ìý
- Advise and support colleagues in their work as it relates to fire safety in the NHS e.g. data collections and Parliamentary work.
Working for our organisation
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visitÌýhttps://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
NHS England hold a Sponsor Licence; this means that we may be able to sponsor you providing the Home Office requirements are met. To be eligible for sponsorship through the Skilled Worker route you’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £38,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher. You can find more information on the .Ìý
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Estates and Facilities TeamÌý
The purpose of our team is to provide a clean, safe and suitable estate and patient environment across the NHS.Ìý
This is a fantastic time to join us as we continue to grow and expand to deliver on the NHS Long Term Plan commitments, such as the build of 40 new hospitals and our commitment to sustainability.ÌýÌýÌý
The team of c150 people is made up of a diverse mix of skills and expertise but we have a common purpose to provide the best possible services and outcomes for our patients.Ìý We work across all aspects of estates & facilities functions from national policies and workforce strategy to regional and local delivery through local healthcare systems.ÌýÌý
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit
- Ensure that NHSE operates a suite of standards and related, processes, systems, procedures and tools which are current, fit for purpose and meet legislative, mandatory and contractual requirements across England.
- Ensure all public and patient contact with the office is of the highest professional standard.
- Promoting equality and reducing inequalities
- Work nationally and locally with organisations and government bodies such as the CQC, NFCC, FRA’s, BESA MHCLG and the Home Office. To further partnership working by the use and promotion of concordats and MoU’s to facilitate greater understanding and efficiency in our working relationships
- To work with Institutes and associations such as NAHFO, IFE and IHEEM to facilitate close collaboration and foster harmonious working for timely, flexible change and cultural awareness in the post Grenfell fire safety world
- To model a collaborative and influencing style of working, negotiating with others to achieve the best outcomes. Embedding this approach across the Directorate
- To Develop new innovative evidence based, risk assessed protocols in line with legislative requirements to ensure that we are at the cutting edge of service improvements and value for money for the NHS
- To ensure compliance with all confidentiality and governance requirements within the department
Person specification
Knowledge/Qualification
Essential criteria
- Educated to degree level or equivalent in fire safety management
- Specialist training and experience in fire safety engineering and management in new & refurbished constructions
- Knowledge of Building Regulations as applicable to fire safety
Skills & Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive senior management experience in specialist Fire safety enforcement
- Experience in fire safety in the healthcare environment in the UK
- Extensive experience of Fire Safety risk assessment procedures
Values & Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Commitment to and focused on quality, promotes high standards in all they do.
- Demonstrable commitment to partnership working with a range of external organisations.
- Values diversity and difference operates with integrity and openness
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Simon Picking
- Job title
- Head of Hard FM
- Email address
- [email protected]
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