Senior Fire Safety Advisor

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.Communication and relationship skills

Provide the Trust with operational leadership in the field of fire safety and technical fire detection device management. Undertakes extensive communication within the Trust and with multiple stakeholders often discussing complex technical information.

Be an effective communicator as a senior manager with the team and peers.

Liaise with key stakeholders, the Fire Service and other specialists, as required, to obtain clear advice and guidance on developing a plan of action with a fire emergency leading to relevant changes being made to the fire strategy.

Ensure clear instructions to all contractors and ensure that they comply to the Trusts policies whilst working on site.

Adaptive to a changing environment and be flexible team member.

Represent and attend various committees where formal presentations may be expected for areas of responsibility.

Represent the Trust, Head of Estates and Facilities and Head of Technical Estates Hard FM on internal and external forums within this technical area of responsible, as required and carry out appropriate duties to maintain continuity of service.

Negotiate and obtain agreements both in house, communicating with Directors and managers throughout the organisation and with external agencies bodies.

2. Knowledge, Training & Experience

Specialist knowledge on fire safety management is a key corporate responsibility to ensure that the Trusts policy and procedures are achieved across all aspects of fire safety.

Advise the Trust on fire safety policy and all matters relating to Fire Safety best practice and Fire Safety legislation such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 compliance.

Responsible for advising for the reduction of risks relating to fire. Undertake and manage comprehensive fire risk assessments and associated risks identified, including fire compartmentation, warning, and response, means of escape, evacuation and PEEP (personal emergency evacuation plan). Together with emergency lighting and fire signage.

Ability to liaise with the team and advise on fire ventilation and suppression systems to ensure that the estates infrastructure is fully compliant.

Experience of ensuring compliance in relation to fire maintenance and the process necessary to upgrade when appropriate, providing technical reassurance to the Trust.

Lead teams meetings and audits as required. Supporting the fire wardens and marshalls to undertake their responsibilities.

3. Planning & Organisational Skills

Plan fire risk assessments as required and ensure necessary training of staff to support this process. Ensure the training is tailored to meet the operational and legislative needs of all departments across the Trust and ensure that all parties are aware of their statutory duties as appropriate.

Support service interruptions as appropriate in conjunction with other staff within the trust, to ensure all contingencies have been identified and covered, supported by risk assessments, COSHH, method statements and the permit to work systems.

Provide technical support to Capital Projects and Estate Strategy such as Ward and department refurbishments.

Ensure all statutory compliance requirements, systems and standards set for the Trust are in line with legislation, NHS standards and the quality of work accepted by the Trust. Further ensuring that controls result in desired and targeted performance being achieved and duly recorded.

Work to achieve agreed objectives with considerable independence within professional parameters.

Provide authoritative advice on issues responsible for without reference to Head of Estates and Facilities.

Provide technical related reports for committees and governance and support technical associated business case development through to approval and implementation.Please review the attached job description for a full list of responsibilities

Qualifications

Essential

• Fire Safety Post Graduate Diploma or equivalent relevant practical experience demonstrating specialist knowledge in the management of fire safety.

Desirable

• Membership of a professional organisation (i.e. Institute of Fire Engineers, IFE; Institute of Fire Prevention Officers IFPO).
• IOSH managing safely or equivalent.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of undertaking fire risk assessments.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries.
• Extensive experience gained within the management and delivery of fire safety/fire precautions & prevention.
• Able to analyse and interpret complex data and information to ensure that the Trust is compliant in all fire safety matters.
• Experience associated with work process, policy and procedure that directly affect patient care.
• Strong record of delivering quality service to customer.
• Be decisive and clear thinking.

Desirable

• Possess NHS experience in fire management.
• Previous experience at working at a senior position.
• Experience of Financial Management of budgets.
• Experience of Working in a political sensitive environment.
• Experience of working with clinical staff.

Skills

Essential

• Excellent leadership skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload without interruptions and changing prioritises whilst meeting deadlines.
• Highly motivated and resourceful with a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Strategy development expertise.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Project management experience.
• Budget management experience.
• Good negotiation skills.
• IT Literate, be capable of producing spreadsheets & reports.
• Time management.

Desirable

• Experience of leadership in the NHS.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge and understanding of the Fire Legislation such as Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 compliance.
• Formulating a Fire Strategy and the associated legislation and compliance associated with managing this area.
• Excellent team building skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to both lead and be part of a team.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Project management experience
• Budget management experience.

Desirable

• Knowledge of statutory and NHS codes of practice.

Values

Essential

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values, culture and behaviours.

Other

Essential

• Flexible to meet the demands of the service.
• Self-reliant and ability to work under one's own initiative.
• Commitment to quality.
• Anti-social hours may be required.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).