Avon Fire Authority is responsible for the provision of prevention, protection and emergency response services to the communities of Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire from a variety of fire stations, community safety centres, administrative buildings and HQ across the area.  We are committed to providing a safer place for people to live, work and visit across an area of 134,753 hectares and a population of over 1.1 million people.

The Fire Authority has the strategic intent to achieve excellence in the delivery of our services, from responding to emergency incidents to delivering an impressive range of preventative initiatives. We are committed to making our communities the safest places to live, work and visit by focusing on delivering exceptional services, attracting and developing a talented and committed workforce, and making effective use of resources, whilst achieving continuous organisational improvement.

The Fire Authority seeks to appoint an inspirational Chief Fire Officer & Chief Executive to lead the organisation. In doing so, Members are looking for an outstanding individual to uphold the organisation’s core ethics, values and strive for excellence in all areas. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate an enthusiastic and innovative approach to the leadership of an essential public service with a diversity of risk factors.  They will also require a good grasp of, and commitment to, diversity, inclusion, cohesion and equality issues both within the organisation and across the communities we serve.

The new CFO/CE will need to demonstrate a clear understanding of the issues facing the Fire and Rescue Service - both within Avon and the across the UK.  They will be expected to enhance the culture and values of the organisation, providing strategic leadership and management, building and maintaining high performance and effective relationships with partner organisations in order to positively shape the future services provided to the people of Avon.

Applications are invited from existing Fire Service Principal Officers and equivalent Chief Executive/Director level candidates with comparable experience and skills gained within an organisation with responsibility for public safety. 

Applicants will be required to participate in a range of recruitment and selection exercises, including completion of an application form, online Insights Profile, stakeholder engagement forum, business continuity exercise, formal presentation and formal panel interview with Elected Members of the Fire Authority.

The anticipated timeline of events are:

• Application shortlisting - 4^th November 2021.
• Insights profile
• Stakeholder Engagement Forum (date to be confirmed)
• Business continuity exercise – scheduled for w/c 22 November 2021
• Formal presentations and interviews will be undertaken on 13^th/14^th December 2021.
• The new appointee will commence their role on 1^st April 2022.

  How to apply:

The job description is attached to this advertisement along with the application form. 

Completed application forms must be submitted to the Clerk to the Fire Authority either:

1. by post to Police & Fire HQ,  PO Box 37 Valley Road, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 8JJ; or

1. by e mail to amanda.brown@avonfire.gov.uk. 

Applications must be received by the closing date and time (29 October 2021 at 12 noon).  Late applications and standalone CVs will not be accepted.