DFRS Station Manager Fire Safety

Job summary

The role of the Defence Fire and Rescue (DFR) is to provide a central Departmental focus for all fire matters (outside of those responsibilities held by the Defence Safety Authority (DSA)). The Chief Fire Officer DFR is accountable to the Permanent Secretary for Defence (PS), via Director Support Air Command, for supporting Defence in its delivery of appropriate Fire Risk Management (FRM) that complied with statutory legislation and regulatory standards. As MOD's formal intelligent customer, and the Department's Senior Fire SMEs, DFR HQ is responsible for managing Defence's exposure to fire risk at the corporate level, ensuring that consistent and coherent advice on mitigating the business and capability risks posed by fire is available across the Department. DFR HQ is the focal point for all Departmental matters relating to FRM across the Defence, including on Defence Operations, and other synergistic activities which improve FRM and safety.

As the Station Manager Fire Safety (FS) within the Strategic, Capability and Policy (SC&P) Business Unit (BU), you are directly responsible to the GM FS for facilitating engagement between Service Providers, Duty Holders and Defence Stakeholders and for the provision of advice and guidance necessary to enable Service Providers to develop and implement innovative and proportionate FRM provision and F&R response capabilities which comply with legislative, regulatory and Defence requirements.

This position is advertised at 42 hours per week.

Job description

Station Manager Capability Planning:
A detailed job description is attached to this advertisement.
Key responsibilities of the role include:

Support the Group Manager Fire Safety in consulting and developing a methodology which will accurately define Defences requirements in a manner which will enable targeted and proportionate Fire Risk Management (FRM) solutions.

Support the review and updates of all current MOD/DFR FRM (Prevention, Protection) strategic documents to ensure standards and guidance remains compliant with legislative, regulatory and MOD requirements.

Provide advice and guidance on Health and Safety to the department, developing policies, procedures or guidance as required.
Undertake investigations of accidents, incidents and near misses in tandem with CFR and local H&S representatives (where applicable).

Provide input to the DFR Total Safety Committee (TSC) which is formed of representatives from each Business Unit (BU) with DFR HQ and will operate under the delegated authority of the DFR Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Provide support for the revision of JSP 426 including the future Defence Fire Safety Manual as a single authoritive Defence fire safety publication.
Support Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) TS (E&C) Team in the following:

• Risk assessing and identifying remediation activities for Defence premises.
• Fire safety projects.
• Support the newly established Defence Joint Competent Authority within DIO.
• Provide technical support to DIO for SLA compartmentation and fire door surveys

Provide support to DFR HQ lead facilitator for the 3* endorsed Defence Fire Safety Improvement Campaign.

Provide information necessary to support service delivery providers to develop, implement and maintain a delivery model which fully complies with relevant legislative, regulatory and Defence requirements.

Provide support in reviewing, monitoring and providing technical advice on risks (risk to life and/or risk to strategic capability) associated with the Service Providers Fire Risk Management provision and where necessary, escalate through the chain of command.

Provide advice and guidance to Defence departments developing policies, procedures or guidance relating to Life Safety or Strategic Capability FRM measures.

Provide advice and support to Duty Holders regarding Defence’s policies and protocols for the provision of appropriate and proportionate levels of FRM for strategic assets and capabilities. Provide advice, guidance and support to Duty Holders and other stakeholders to promote understanding, compliance and continuous improvement.

Support the review of policies, protocols and procedures necessary to implement and maintain a coherent and consistent approach to protecting Strategic assets and capabilities from loss from fire.

Support opportunities for the revision of existing FRM solutions which will result in improved value for money or, improved business continuity/resilience measures for Defence.

Regularly support the of review policies, directives and procedures (out-with those issued by the DFSR) critical in providing the necessary direction to meet Defence posture for Life Safety. Regularly review and support the technical fire safety content within Joint Service Publications (e.g. JSPs 482, 317, 319).

Provide advice and guidance to Defence stakeholders where the position may vary regarding fire safety arrangements and where Fire Safety content within Defence policies conflict/vary.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

Eligibility - This is a uniformed Defence Fire and Rescue Service Station Manager post available to current competent Station Managers, current competent Watch Managers on promotion, or an individual who can demonstrate the correct Fire Service competencies, experience and evidence of operating as a substantive Watch Manager (or higher) in a UK Fire and Rescue Service (Military Equivalent – Sgt/PO).

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence (must be held at point of application and be in date).

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• •Technical Skills will be assessed at interview only (10 min presentation). The topic will be provided to those candidates successful at the sift stage.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,305, Ministry of Defence contributes £14,283 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Uniform allowance
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days on completion of five years service
• In addition to UK public holidays per year you will also receive the half day Maundy Thursday, plus one day for the Sovereigns Birthday and one additional day at Christmas.

Discover My Benefits:

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Selection process will comprise of the following
Curriculum Vitae - A CV will be required for this position, CVs must comply with the CV template provided on the CS Jobs dashboard, detailing job history, full qualifications previous experience and skills.

Behaviours - Candidates will be required to submit evidence of no more than 250 words against the selected behaviours. Behaviours will be assessed at level 3 - HEO/C2 level.
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences.

Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

Statement of Suitability - Candidates will be required to complete a Statement of Suitability of no more than 500 words, explaining how they consider their personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential eligibility in the person specification.
Interviews - Interviews for this post will take place in DFR HQ, Andover (date to be confirmed). Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

The sift will commence week starting the 27th July 2026.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigation's can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : GM Ant Lydon
• Email : anthony.lydon102@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 07707964640

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam1@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document attached.

Attachments

20261006-DFRS SM Fire Safety SCP Job Description-OS Opens in new window (doc, 354kB)Further Information - External (2) Opens in new window (docx, 39kB)Ministry of Defence – Revised Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS) (4) Opens in new window (pdf, 298kB)Defence Civil Service Offer (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)