Head of Engineering

Grade: 9

Post Reference:

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

Responsible to: The Head of Procurement and Resources

Responsible for: Fleet Technical Manager, Asset Manager, Fleet Maintenance Manager and Equipment Support and Water Officer

General Description of Post

The post holder will manage the Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (NFRS) Engineering Section and the engineering function across NFRS’s transport and equipment portfolio.

The post holder will be the single point of contact and be responsible for the engineering function for NFRS. This is to including all matters concerning the capital procurement, planned maintenance, reactive maintenance, repair and management of all vehicles and operational equipment. This post holder will be required to work autonomously and under their own initiative to provide an effective engineering service to NFRS.

The post holder will be responsible for the capital and revenue budgets for the engineering function with NFRS. This includes the overall responsibility for the management of contracts with and any other delegated budget as required. The revenue budget responsibility is to be in the region of up to £1.8 million per annum. The capital budget is up to an indicative value of £1.6 million per year.

The post holder will be required to identify develop and write NFRS policy and procedures with regards to the management of the engineering function.

The post hold will, when required to do so, deputise for the Head of Procurement and Resources.

The post holder will represent the interests of NFRS at local, regional and national meetings, committees and forums for engineering.

The post holder will be required to work collaboratively across NFRS and, where applicable, with external agencies and organisations with regards to the engineering function.

Specific duties of the post holder

1. The Head of Engineering is responsible for the execution and management of planned maintenance, inspection, repair, responsibilities of the Water Officer, engineering related assets, procurement (revenue and capital), disposals, hydrant inspection and maintenance and all other related activities in the provision of all vehicles, operational equipment and hydrant maintenance.
2. The post holder, as far as reasonably practicable, is to ensure that Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) maintains all its statutory compliance and operational capabilities through its vehicles, operational equipment and all other responsibilities of the Engineering Section.
3. Manage the Engineering Section including the line management of all managerial staff, their development, identification of training needs, their supervision, direction, setting of goals, co-ordination and the allocation and work.
4. Manage, as the overall budget holder, including contributing to the setting and monitoring of budgets, ensuring the effective spend of budgeted sums, of all engineering related contracts and expenditure of the Engineering Section; reporting monthly to the Head of Department on actual expenditure, committed expenditure and forecasted expenditure of the budgets. Use the NFRS electronic financial management system. The revenue budget responsibility is to be in the region of up to £1.8 million per annum. The capital budget is up to an indicative value of £1.6 million per year.
5. Be responsible for, and ensure the management of all NFRS service contracts related to the responsibilities of the Engineering Section.
6. Manage and be responsible for, when appointed as the contract manager, engineering related contracts and other delegated contracts as required by the role. The duties as contracts manager are to include, but not limited to, the chairing of meetings, reviewing contract terms, applying contract conditions, ensuring accurate minutes are taken, the issuing of contract amendments and any other duties commensurate with the effective management of contracts.
7. Deputise for the Head of Procurement and Resources when required to do so.
8. Be a member of the Executive Delivery Team (or equivalent).
9. Be responsible for, direct and oversee all new capital vehicle and equipment projects carried out by the Engineering Section working with all other departments and stakeholders. Ensure best value is achieved from all tendering activities related to these projects working in partnership with the Procurement Section and other specialists.
10. Using best and balanced judgement, ensure that best value is obtained by NFRS from all tendering and procurement related to the procurement of engineering related goods and services taking into account statutory requirements, NFRS policy, budgets and any physical and operational needs
11. Manage, direct and oversee specific work streams of major capital projects carried out by NFRS that include specific engineering assistance or input.
12. Ensure the management and execution of the planned maintenance programme of all engineering related assets; ensure that the programme is delivered to schedule and within budget.
13. Prepare, write and submit management reports with regards to the Engineering Section’s function to the NFRS management boards and committees providing clear recommendations where appropriate and providing sufficient information to allow strategic management decisions to be made.
14. Develop, write and maintain all policy, procedures and service level agreements relating to the engineering function and responsibilities.
15. Ensure the Engineering Section creates, maintains and records all relevant information (in an electronic format including bespoke software systems) related to engineering functions and responsibilities (including capital projects) in accordance with statutory requirements, financial regulations and NFRS policy and procedure.
16. Represent NFRS at local, regional and national engineering meetings, committees, forums, collaborative agreements and collaborative projects. Act as chair at these meetings as required.
17. Actively seek and promote with other organisations collaborative opportunities and joint working regarding the engineering function and responsibilities.
18. Actively promote and work with the Procurement Section on all engineering related procurement matters.
19. Represent the Engineering Section as required at internal steering groups, project groups and committees; act as chair when requested by the Head of Department or when there is a need to do so.
20. Undertake structured and transparent pre-market engagement with commercial suppliers for research purposes to identify products, goods and services as required for the pursuant of the engineering function and responsibilities. With the Procurement Section determine the most appropriate way to achieve best value.
21. In conjunction with other Heads of Department and sections develop and write the Business Plan for the Engineering Section to meet the requirements of the strategic plans, IRMP and other departmental business plans.
22. Train, coach and guide other budget holders, managers and NFRS contract managers with regards to the Engineering Section’s processes, procedures and related contracts. Ensure other managers and staff are aware of the contract terms and conditions and their responsibilities under these contracts where applicable.
23. Ensure the effective management of the introduction into NFRS of all new engineering related assets. This is to include but not limited to the risk assessments, operational guidance, training and the like.
24. To promote and deliver fair and quality services that are sensitive and responsive to customers and to ensure the implementation of customer care by all staff supervised.
25. Carry out and be responsible for any other duties which may reasonably be regarded as within the nature of the duties, responsibilities and grade of the post as defined; subject to the proviso that normally any significant material changes of a permanent nature should be incorporated into the job description in specific terms.

Specific health, safety and environmental responsibilities

Ensure adherence to any asset management system(s) such that only items which are suitable for purpose are sourced and obtained, maintained as safe to use and disposed of safely.

Ensure that environmental legislation and NFRS policy is adhered to through the management of engineering assets and related contracts having environmental risk management ramifications.

Ensure health, safety and environmental risk management matters are appropriately reflected in the contractual terms and conditions applying to the procurement of goods and services related to the responsibilities of the Engineering Section.

In liaison with the Health, Safety and Environmental Risk Management section ensure proposed engineering initiatives encompass the appropriate risk management principles.

To take account of the environmental issues arising from any service developments and ensure the Engineering Section do likewise.

Throughout tendering processes for engineering related procurement and contracts liaise with the Health, Safety and Environmental Risk Management Section to ensure that associated risk management issues are identified and addressed prior to awarding contracts.

Monitor contractors to ensure they discharge their duty of care in terms of health, safety and environmental risk management on NFRS sites.

Obtain as necessary any risk-assessment-based method statements required from contractors and suppliers working on behalf of NFRS and pass onto the Health, Safety and Environmental Risk Management Section.

Ensure that suppliers and contractors for the provision of goods and services related to the management of the engineering function provide services which apply risk controls they have derived by risk assessment.

Compile and maintain records/files as are necessary to enable health, safety and environmental risk management initiatives to be audited.

In the procurement, installation and maintenance of equipment ensure the expectations given in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations and other health, safety and environmental legislation are met as guided by the Health, Safety and Environmental Risk Management Section.

Ensure that the risk controls identified by the risk assessment process inform the content of Operational Work Equipment and Operational PPE information documents, Standard Tests, SOPs, TIDs, TIFs, user documentation and training courses as necessary.

Ensure the Engineering Section compile, maintain and publish an effective library of risk assessments and is kept current and that these are amended in the light of experience of equipment use/performance and/or reviewed on at least an annual basis.

Attend Service Health and Safety and Welfare Committee to contribute on any matters as the Head of Engineering.