Job Description

The Opportunity

Salary: 96,000 per annum, plus a flexible duty allowance of



19,200 per annum and a relocation package of up to 8,000 is available.



Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week.



Location: Your primary office location will be County Hall in Chichester, and you will also have the flexibility to work from other stations throughout West Sussex. Additionally, there will be opportunities for you to work remotely from home, as deemed appropriate for your work responsibilities.



Interview Assessment: You will be assessed for this role during the week commencing 21st July, with interviews scheduled for the 23rd July 2025.



West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service are on a journey of continuous improvement demonstrating our ability to deliver services that benefit the community over the last 12 months. We are proud to have opened the new Horsham Fire Station and Training Centre, where the state-of-the-art facilities designed place a real emphasis on the continued development of our staff. As we look ahead, we remain committed to continuously improving our organisational culture supporting our mission to empower and support our people to be the best they can be, to deliver to the highest standards when serving our communities and to uphold the values of our fire and rescue service.



As Assistant Chief Fire Officer, you will play a crucial role in leading and managing our fire service, ensuring the safety and protection of our residents. You will collaborate closely with the Chief Fire Officer and other key stakeholders to develop and implement strategic initiatives that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our fire service.



This role requires a visionary leader with the ability to build strong relationships both within and outside our organisation. Your exceptional communication skills will be crucial as you collaborate with key stakeholders, effectively conveying our strategic objectives and relentlessly advocating for the resources necessary to fulfil our vital mission.

Community Risk Management Plan

What we need from you:

Ability to work independently, making sound decisions to solve specific program problems, prioritise resources, and evaluate performance, using professional judgment to make effective decisions where there are no clear-cut answers available.



Outstanding communication skills to influence and persuade others in creating, assessing, and delivering effective business solutions.



Ability to recognise where change is needed and to challenge existing practices, processes and activities and identify and deliver effective solutions which promote change.



Ability to use own judgement to identify, define and analyse alternative courses of action, thinking creatively to deliver innovative solutions to complex issues.



Exceptional people management and performance management skills with the ability to lead and inspire, providing direction and support to individuals and teams.



Broad knowledge of public sector services, the macro, social and economic context within which local authorities work and the implications of this for delivery of the County Council's and Fire & Rescue Service aims.



Broad understanding of service delivery models, concepts and principles gained through extensive business exposure in a range of organisations or services.



A transformational leader with significant leadership and management experience.



Experience of successfully taking strategic command during a major incident/civil emergency and experience of operating in a senior leadership role gained within a Fire & Rescue environment.



Demonstrably accomplished in improving the safety, security, and resilience of communities.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the attached.

Working for us:

In addition to working within a great team and a competitive salary you will have access to:



35 days annual leave + bank holidays.



A very generous pension scheme.



Varied flexible working options.



Training and development opportunities.



Employee assistance scheme.



A range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers with the opportunity to save over 1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform.



Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres.



A range of commuting and business travel discount and initiatives. For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our

Rewards and benefits

page.

Further information

The reference number for this role is

CPP01137

.



If you have any issues applying, please contact Chloe Laverty (Recruitment Specialist) at

Chloe.Laverty@westsussex.gov.uk

.



Together, we will make West Sussex a safer place and leave an everlasting impact on our community. To apply click 'Apply Now,' please submit your CV and cover letter explaining how you demonstrate the required key skills and experience in the job description.



Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.



The interview process will include a Main Panel where you will be asked values and competency-based questions, a Stakeholder Panel where you will be asked values and team working questions, and an Incident Command Assessment task.



We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to a basic DBS check, national security vetting, referencing, fitness test and a health check.



Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.



We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our

application help

page.





CC



Job Reference: CPP01137