About the job

Job summary

HMICFRS independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire and rescue services – in the public interest. We promote improvements in policing and fire and rescue services to make everyone safer. 

We are independent of the Government, police and fire and rescue services. We ask the questions that we believe the public wish to have answered and produce major reports that shine a light on issues at the very heart of policing and fire and rescue services.  

Our reports are widely covered by the media and help inform the public of the performance of their local police forces and fire and rescue services. You can find out more about HMICFRS on our website and see some of our recent reports. 
 
Working at HMICFRS gives you an opportunity to make a real difference to the quality of local police and fire and rescue services and the lives of the public.  

HMICFRS is a unique organisation with staff seconded or loaned from across the Civil Service, police forces and fire and rescue services. We set ourselves high standards, taking great pride in the quality of work we achieve and the opportunities we create for our staff. 

Find out more

If you would like to talk to someone about this role and what it’s like working for HMICFRS we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact recruitment@hmicfrs.gov.uk  and we can arrange for someone to contact you. 

Job description

Working in HMICFRS as a Service Liaison Lead puts you at the heart of the inspection activity. You will be instrumental in developing inspection plans, leading a team of inspectors and writing reports for the public. You will also be the primary point of liaison between HMICFRS and your allocated services, working on behalf of His Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) to build and manage the relationship with services successfully.

You will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of inspection processes whilst working with colleagues and stakeholders. You will be in regular contact with principal officers in your nominated services. This role provides an excellent opportunity for you to further develop your leadership and communication skills. It will provide you with the opportunity to gain an in-depth insight into how the fire & rescue service is run, building your skills and experience in a way which could prove invaluable to your future career. You will also be contributing the overall safety and efficiency of our fire & rescue services, making observations, and creating reports which could lead to vital changes.

 We are looking for talented individuals who have the drive, enthusiasm, and skills to be part of this inspection programme. You will need to be inquisitive, be able to assess data and performance objectively as well as follow lines of enquiry. You will be expected to form constructive relationships that will enable you to work closely with those we inspect, provide challenge, and identify areas for improvement and share best practice.

You must have the ability to organise yourself, have excellent written and oral skills, and be able to provide a high-quality level of service to assist the HMI in discharging their public office function efficiently and effectively.

 As a remote access worker, you will be expected to work independently from home when not inspecting or required to be in the office. Therefore, you must be a self-starter with the ability to plan and prioritise your work and consistently deliver to a high standard. The role will involve regular travel and overnight stays. You will be required to undertake engagement visits to your nominated services, as well as inspection activities in both your and other services as required. This will be by prior arrangement, and it is essential you are able to provide this flexibility.

The Service Liaison Lead will report to the Chief of Staff and may have responsibility for direct line management of Inspection Officers.

We believe this is an excellent opportunity for people who are seeking to widen their skill base and progress within the English fire service. Many of our former secondees have returned to their home services on promotion following their time at HMICFRS.

Due to business requirements, this role is available for full-time hours only.

Person specification

Designing and planning the bespoke elements of your services’ inspection activities and ensuring the timely delivery of a variety of post-inspection products, including inspection reports:

• Developing and maintaining professional working relationships with the Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive, Service Liaison Officer and other key personnel in your nominated services through regular contact and visits. Keeping the service updated about future inspection activity and good practice elsewhere
• Leading, directing and supporting diverse inspection teams to successfully undertake inspection activities for your nominated services
• Building strong interpersonal relationships with inspection colleagues through actively participating in other inspection activity and supporting fellow Service Liaison Leads as required
• Working confidently with a range of analytical products as well as with both the services’ and HMICFRS’s analysts to monitor service performance
• Managing and evaluating a wide range of evidence to write the inspection reports of your nominated services and delivering post inspection feedback to HMIs and senior managers in the fire and rescue service
• Being responsible for quality assurance of public reports for service context and accuracy
• Keeping the HMI and Chief of Staff informed of issues by contributing to briefings and providing assurance of the information HMICFRS holds about your nominated services
• Monitoring the progress of nominated services to meet HMICFRS recommendations
• Working closely with the FRS portfolio team and other teams across HMICFRS to ensure the delivery of a consistent and professional inspection programme
• Demonstrating and actively promoting behaviours described in HMICFRS’s values, and where applicable taking an active role in managing and developing staff.

Essential Criteria

• For this secondment opportunity candidates must currently work in a fire and rescue service in England and have their service’s agreement to apply or have equivalent experience in a similar fire & rescue service related field
• Candidates must currently be Group Managers (and equivalents) applying on level transfer or Station managers (and equivalents) applying on temporary promotion
• Detailed knowledge and experience of the fire & rescue service, its management and how the service operates within England
• Strong leadership and team management skills with experience of relationship management and working with partners
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, with experience of preparing formal structured papers or submissions of a high standard for presentation to senior management and other stakeholders
• Flexibility to work away from home for extended periods to lead and support various aspects of inspection activities and undertake training
• The ability to prioritise competing demands and work at pace, if required

If you do not have current operational or non-operational experience of working within a fire & rescue service in England or meet the other essential requirements, your application will not progress further.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of leading or designing inspections
• Experience of using analytical skills and the ability to articulate complex concepts in a way that people can easily understand
• Experience of using performance and management information to improve performance
• Experience of presenting to and managing relationships with chief officers or senior stakeholders
• Experience of report writing for publication for an external readership or for the public

Benefits

Learning and Development tailored to your role

We are committed to investing in our staff and providing all staff with opportunities to maximise their skills and achieve their potential.  We offer a range of work-based training and development opportunities including access to  coaching and mentoring,  and five days volunteering per year.

HMICFRS has an Inspection Development Programme and linked accreditation process that all inspection staff undertake in our organisation. The scheme is approved by Skills for Justice and is based on you demonstrating competencies against a framework of role-specific tasks. The expectation is that all new inspection staff will complete a portfolio of evidence within agreed timescales (normally 12 months) and once this is complete it will be assessed by a trained assessor.        

• An environment with flexible working options

We promote flexible working that balances professional and personal commitments. We support virtual and smart working, making best use of our technology and building collaborative working models to help all staff to work from home and/or in the office in a ‘hybrid’ way. 

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

The diversity of our people is a real asset to HMICFRS. We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities, as they are currently under-represented within this grade level.  

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a Personal Statement Max Word Limit: 500, provide a CV, and provide Behaviour evidence for all Behaviours listed in the job advert.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The CV is for information purposes only and will not be marked.

The first stage of the sift will be carried out on your personal statement which should align your qualifications and knowledge or experience, addressing how you meet the Essential Criteria as set out in the Person specification. If you do not meet the essential criteria, your application will not progress further. For those who do meet the Essential Criteria, their application may progress to the second stage of the sift process.

The second stage of sift is based on the lead Behaviour: 'Communicating & Influencing'.  

If your application progresses to a full sift, all Behaviours will then be considered: 'Communicating & Influencing', 'Leadership', 'Delivering at Pace', and 'Making Effective Decisions'.  

If successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview where you will be tested against the Success Profiles Behaviours and Experience based on the Essential Criteria stated in the advert.

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

Communicating & Influencing: Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.

Leadership: Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.

Delivering at Pace: Take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.

Making Effective Decisions: Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.

In addition, candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation to be delivered at interview. The presentation will be tested against the Behaviours and/or Experience stated in the advert. Further details will be disclosed prior to the interviews.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing the 29th April 2024.

Interviews to be carried out by video link from week commencing the 27th May 2024.

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

We often have similar roles available at different grades. Should candidates be placed on a reserve list we may be able to offer a similar role or a lower grade role without the need for you to go through a further selection process.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

Behavioural statements

You need to provide specific examples of when you have demonstrated particular skills or qualities for each of the five Civil Service behaviours listed. Your examples must also show how you meet the Essential criteria and skills listed in the job description.

 We recommend that you use the Situation, Task, Action and Result (STAR) method to help make sure your examples are clear and highlight your skills and qualities. Each example should set out what you have done, how you completed the task and the results of this action to allow the panel to assess how you meet the required behaviours.

Please make sure you have provided sufficient information – it is not enough to submit a list of bullet points. Please refer to the Success Profiles (opens in a new window) to make sure you are familiar with what is required for each behaviour. You will not be expected to meet every single aspect of every behaviour, but must show a good range or depth for each behaviour to be successful at the sift stage.

Important information please read before applying on secondment:

Please note there are 2 post available which are being advertised both as a secondment and Permanent.

These roles are only open to serving Fire officers or Fire staff equivalent. (If you are not in either of these two categories and you would like to apply for the Service Liaison Lead role, you can apply for the permanent  job vacancy we are currently advertising job reference 347155)3

Further Information for secondment; if remote working only

These are Remote Access worker posts. These posts will be attached to one of the office locations. Remote Access workers, as part of the secondment will not be entitled to London Weighting Allowance. You will be required to attend HMICFRS offices or other locations on a regular basis and your travel, accommodation and subsistence costs will be reimbursed according to HMICFRS policy.

These roles are only open only to serving fire officers or staff equivalent

The role will involve regular travel and overnight stays.

Secondees can be appointed to HMICFRS for a maximum of 4 years – this includes new and previous postings.

Candidates who have served for the maximum tenure length, cannot be reappointed for 12 months from the date their previous secondment ended.

Candidates will need their Service to complete the Approval Form (see attachment), This should be uploaded with you online application form. Without this form supporting your application and confirming release for secondment we cannot proceed with your application.

Allowances

Your full-time employer will continue to pay your salary as well as any allowances including compensatory grants and pension contributions to which you are entitled. Your service will then invoice HMICFRS for the amount.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.