Assistant Chief Fire Officer

Grade: Assistant Chief Fire Officer Grade

Post Ref: A3433

Conditions of Service: NJC for Local Government Service National Scheme of Conditions of Service

Responsible to: Chief Fire Officer

Responsible for: Corporate Support Directorate

General Description of Post

The generic role of Assistant Chief Fire Officer is set out in the role map for Brigade Manager.

Specifically, the ACFO will be responsible for a directorate of the service and will report to the CFO with regard to the performance of the department. They will be responsible for all aspects of delivery within their respective remit and be accountable for the implementation of corporate strategy within that function.

NFRS Core Code of Ethics

Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service has adopted the national Core Code of Ethics for Fire and Rescue Services which is underpinned by a National Fire Standard and based on five ethical principles. Employees of NFRS are required to ensure that they are compliant with the requirements of the code in all that they do.

Specific duties and responsibities

1. To support Gold operational cover as part of the Principal Officer group and attend and take control of operational incidents as appropriate.
2. To maintain basic operational competence as part of the Service’s business continuity arrangements.
3. To support the Chief Fire Officer in the delivery of the service on a day-to-day basis.
4. To act as a member of the Strategic Leadership Team, contributing to the establishment of corporate direction and the allocation of resources across the Service to meet corporate objectives.
5. Provide leadership as a Director of a Department and take responsibility for managing performance delivery in both the short and long-term.
6. To take responsibility for the development of personnel in support of organisational performance.
7. To develop and set the service’s strategies, maintain them and their performance as appropriate.
8. To operate within a stringent corporate governance framework, maintaining the highest standards of conduct.
9. To assist in the formulation of policies and procedures for the continuous improvement of performance and organisational development of the Service.
10. To participate in negotiations with the Representative Bodies through the Joint Negotiating and Consultation forums and through more informal channels.
11. To represent the Service at meetings at a local, regional and national level where matters relating to the Fire Service are under discussion, and to promote the Fire Service as both a performance leader and service partner at these levels.
12. To act as the Chair of meetings as required.
13. To build effective managerial relationships with Heads of Departments and contribute to the management of Service resources and policies.
14. To attend meetings of the Combined Fire Authority and offer advice to elected Members as appropriate.
15. To promote an atmosphere of equality, fairness, dignity and trust across the whole organisation, its partners and stakeholders.
16. To act within the delegated authority of the Assistant Chief Fire Officer.
17. To undertake any other duties which may be reasonably regarded as within the nature of the duties, responsibilities and grade of the post.

Specific Health and Safety Responsibilities

1. To lead on the day at day aspects of Health & Safety in respect of organisational risk Management.
2. Bring any specific health and safety risk management matters having significant Service-wide implications to the attention of the CFO.
3. Chair Service Health, Safety and Welfare Committee.
4. Ensure the effective application of those health and safety risk management policies and procedures applying to the sections of the Service managed by the post-holder.
5. Ensure the effective co-ordination and application of health and safety risk management initiatives across the Service.
6. Ensure the effective dissemination of health and safety risk management information across the Service.
7. As delegated, ensure the integration of the health and safety risk management business plan into the wider business plans of the organisation.
8. Present health and safety risk management issues for consideration at Strategic Management Team as appropriate.
9. Consider the health and safety risk management ramifications of Regional initiatives on the sections of the Service managed by the post-holder.
10. Ensure the development of personnel includes adequate input on health and safety risk management skills.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Rota Arrangements

The role of ACFO in Nottinghamshire is conditioned to provide a continuous duty rota system based upon three levels of call responsibility. The responsibility levels are allocated out between Principal Officers equally on a 24 hrs basis. Principal Officers will be expected to provide cover in line with those principles set out below and, as a minimum, will undertake 121 on-call, over-night covers per annum (of which 51 will cover weekend availability or 1 weekend (constituting Friday-Sunday) every three weeks):

• First Call Principal Officer: Gold Commander
• Available for immediate response
• To take responsibility at Strategic Level responding to multi agency and major incidents which occur within the designated period.
• To take responsibility for non-operational matters that are of a corporate or strategic nature and require an immediate response /action, whether or not they occur outside of office hours.
• To provide support, guidance and advice to relevant staff, partners and other agencies as appropriate.
• To offer and immediate response to issues raised by elected members of the Fire Authority.
• Second Call Principal Officer: Brigade Manager/Assistant Chief Fire Officer
• Available for immediate response and any events within 4-6 hours of notification.
• To take responsibility at Strategic Level responding to multi agency and major incidents which occur within the designated period To provide rotation for Gold Commanders to ensure personal welfare.
• To take responsibility for non-operational matters that are of a corporate or strategic nature and require an immediate response which cannot be facilitated by the Gold Commander. These may occur out of normal office hours.
• To provide support, guidance and advice to relevant staff, partners and other agencies as appropriate.
• To provide immediate response and support to issues raised by elected members of the Fire Authority in the absence of the Gold Commander.
• Third Call Principal Officer: Strategic Resilience.
• Available for immediate response and to attend Joint Headquarters for Resilience within 12 – 24 hours
• To provide resilience and support for the Service when the Gold Commander and Brigade Manager are committed for extended periods.
• To provide rotation with the Gold Commanders to ensure personal welfare.
• To provide resilience and support to the organisation providing corporate and strategic management where the Gold Commander or Brigade Manager are unavailable for extended periods.
• To provide support, guidance and advice to relevant staff, partners and other agencies as appropriate.
• To provide immediate response and support to issues raised by elected members of the Fire Authority in the absence of the Chief Fire Officer.

General Duties

1. Health and Safety

   To take reasonable care for your own health and safety and work and that of other persons who may be affected by your work activities.

   To co-operate with Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue’s attempts to comply with health and safety legislation. Where appropriate you must safeguard the health and safety of all persons affected by the work activities you supervise at any premises you have control over.

   To work in a safe manner in which you have been trained and instructed and advise your line manager of any health and safety problems you become of aware of.

   To familiarise yourself with the contents of the Service’s Written Safety Policy.

   To wear personal protective equipment supplied to you by the Service in the manner in which you have been instructed to do so.

2. Use of Equipment and Other Appliances

   To take proper care in the handling, operation and safeguarding of any equipment, vehicles or appliance, used or issued by the Service or provided or issued by a third party for individual or collective use in the performance of the job holder’s duties

3. Equalities

   To uphold the Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Fairness at Work and Equal Opportunities policies and practices and to treat all colleagues, service users and contacts with respect and in accordance with the expectations laid down by the Service.

   To promote and deliver fair and quality services that are sensitive and responsive to all service users.

4. Code of Conduct

   To adhere to the standards of the Code of Conduct established by the Service.

5. Personal Development

   To keep up to date with current practice, undertake training and Continuous Professional Development as appropriate.

6. Information Technology

   To comply with security measures to protect against unauthorised access to, alteration or disclosure of information held on computer and ensure adherence to the principles of the Data Protection Act.

   To undertake any training and operation of new technologies and associated systems as required.

7. Core Code of Ethics

   To act in accordance with the Fire and Rescue Service and NFCC Code of Ethics.