Overview
Permanent position for Assistant Chief Fire Officer
Remuneration: £140,614 salary with a provided car up to the value of £9,735.
Relocation support is available to a maximum of £14,249 (depending on personal circumstances), of which, the first £8,000 is exempt from tax and NI contributions.
Based at our Service Headquarters near Exeter
Closing Date for applications is 23.59 on Sunday, 26 October 2025.
Are you an ambitious, forward-thinking leader ready for your next challenge? Would you like to live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK?
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is seeking two outstanding leaders to join our service as our Assistant Chief Fire Officers (ACFOs)– one for Service Delivery and one for Service Improvement.
This is an exciting time to join us. We are delivering a major change programme to secure long-term sustainability and ensure our communities continue to receive a resilient, high-quality service that meets future challenges.
Organisation
As the largest non-metropolitan fire and rescue service in England, we have a proud history of keeping people safe through prevention, protection and emergency response. Our Service covers the areas of Devon County, Plymouth City, Somerset, and Torbay Councils. With 83 fire stations and over 1,900 highly skilled and dedicated staff, we protect 1.8 million residents as well as the 1.1 million visitors who come to Devon and Somerset each year.
Responsibilities
* Lead and support the Deputy Chief Officers in directing the Service; contribute to the Executive Board to create a vision, direction and culture that builds public trust and confidence through effective services.
* Report to and support the Deputy Chief Officers in leading the Service.
* Assist the CFO in shaping the Service’s strategy and leading large-scale change initiatives.
* Act with authority under pressure to carry out operational command duties in the event of a major incident.
* Demonstrate a strong track record of innovation, transformation, and modernisation in a large organisation.
Qualifications / Experience
* We are looking for existing principal officers, Area Managers or substantive competent Group Managers with a proven record of leading organisation-wide change, who can inspire, innovate and influence at the highest level.
* Inspirational leadership at a strategic level with highly effective people management and engagement skills.
* Significant experience as Group/Area/Brigade Manager leading significant change within a Fire and Rescue Service with a track record in improving organisational effectiveness.
* Significant experience in a strategic management role involving decision making, policy formulation and implementation in giving clear direction and advice at a political level.
* Substantial experience in the operational control of major incidents.
* A performance focus with the drive to deliver agreed outcomes and raise standards of performance.
Benefits
* Leading the largest fire service outside of London
* Relocation package (see page 13 of the application pack)
* Service provided vehicle
* Competitive holiday entitlement
* Pension scheme
* Employee assistance programme provided in-house (wellbeing, counselling and physiotherapy provision)
* Comprehensive rewards and benefits programme
* Lifestyle benefits – a vast range of national and local discounts and offers from retailers, as well as savings on travel, leisure and entertainment.
* Three yearly medical
* Various salary sacrifice schemes
How to apply
You will be required to complete an application form via the apply link below, which will include the requirement for you to provide a Personal Impact Statement. Please use the ‘ACFO Personal Impact Statement and Essential Criteria’ template attached below and upload this when requested in the application form.
The personal impact statement relates to each of the four quadrants of the NFCC Leadership Framework as well as professional expertise. Your impact statement should focus on demonstrating your impact at ‘Leading the Service’ level.
The ‘ACFO Personal Impact Statement and Essential Criteria’ template attached also has a section for you to detail how you meet the following essential criteria from the Job Description and Person Specification.
* Inspirational leadership at a strategic level with highly effective people management and engagement skills
* Significant experience as Group/Area/Brigade Manager leading significant change within a Fire and Rescue Service with a track record in improving organisational effectiveness.
* Significant experience in a strategic management role involving decision making, policy formulation and implementation in giving clear direction and advice at a political level.
* Substantial experience in the operational control of major incidents.
* A performance focus with the drive to deliver agreed outcomes and raise standards of performance.
Closing date for applications is Sunday 26 October 2025 at 23:59. Shortlisting will take place from 27 October 2025 and the selection and interview process will take place during the weeks starting 3 November and 17 November 2025.
Contact
If you are interested in applying for this role, please contact our recruitment partners, Fire Knowledge Executive Recruitment for an informal and confidential discussion with Dave Etheridge: Email: dave.etheridge@fireknowledge.co.uk
Requirements
Please note that the appointment is subject to successful Baseline Personnel Security Standard check (BPSS), Medical Screening, National Security Vetting to Developed Vetting (DV) and an Enhanced DBS Check.
Values & Safeguarding
Our values: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and all employees must share this commitment and adhere to the Services Safeguarding Policy.
Fire and Rescue Authority roles are listed in Schedule 1 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders act 1974 (Exceptions) Order and as such it is our policy to require all applicants to disclose any criminal convictions (both spent and unspent) including driving offences, cautions and/or reprimands. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority are committed to the rehabilitation of offenders, as such any positive disclosures will incorporate a reasonable and proportionate response.
As a Service and as individuals: We are proud to help, We are honest, We are respectful, We are working together. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service recognise and celebrate the vast diversity of the local communities we serve and aspire for this to be reflected in our workforce. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, experience and beliefs, who share our values to join our team.
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