Area Manager - Head of People, Capability and Professional Standards

Area Manager – Head of People, Capability and Professional Standards | 11461 | Permanent Contract | 42 hours per week | circa £107,000 per annum | Area Manager (Grey Book), plus Continuous Duty System (CDS) allowance | Fire HQ, Wymondham, Norfolk

Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service (NFRS) is seeking a highly motivated and experienced manager to lead its People and Capability functions. As a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will shape strategy, policy, and performance across workforce, culture, professional standards, and technical services, ensuring NFRS remains a modern, skilled, and resilient organisation ready to meet future challenges.

You will provide visible leadership across our People and Capability functions, driving continuous improvement in workforce planning, employee wellbeing, career management, and engagement. You will also oversee fleet, logistics, procurement, and technical services, ensuring that critical operational assets are safe, efficient, and sustainable to meet future service demands.

This permanent appointment provides essential leadership capacity to support the Service's long-term development. You will play a key role in maintaining organisational stability, performance and resilience.

You will participate in the Area Manager duty rota under the NFRS CDS, providing operational response and senior officer cover outside normal office hours, including evenings and weekends. The role attracts the applicable duty rota allowance in accordance with the Service's CDS policy.

Eligibility criteria

• Hold the substantive post of Competent Area or Group Manager.
• Have operational command experience at large and complex incidents.
• Hold or be working towards Incident Command Level 4.

How to apply

Applications should consist of:

• An expression of interest (maximum 2,000 words) addressing how you meet the person specification.
• A current CV outlining your relevant experience and qualifications.

Applications must be submitted by Friday 30th October 2026 23:59.

Assessment and interview

Shortlisted candidates will be required to undertake a formal Assessment Development Centre (ADC) assessment. Assessments will take place on 30 November 2026, with an additional date to be confirmed as either 27 November or 4 December 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to select from the confirmed dates.

Successful ADC candidates will be invited to attend a formal interview which will take place in December 2026. Interview details will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

NFRS is a well-performing, inclusive, and forward-looking organisation. We are proud to serve our communities, work collaboratively with partners, and uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

As part of our commitment to these values, applicants will be asked to confidentially disclose any current or previous complaints relating to their conduct.

NFRS and Norfolk County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and expect all employees to share this commitment.

Applicants are required to declare if they are currently under investigation by any regulatory body or have any pending or previous decisions or sanctions that may affect their suitability to work for the Service. You must also notify the Service within 24 hours if you become the subject of any such investigation or action after submitting your application.

All information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence and considered only in relation to the specific appointment for which you are applying.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Assistant Chief Fire Officer Anthony White at [email protected]

These are some benefits you can enjoy by working for Norfolk County Council:

• Competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Health and Wellbeing services including fast-track physiotherapy and a free counselling service
• Flexible working opportunities including flexi-time, part time, remote and hybrid working – dependant on your job role and business need.
• Financial benefits such as:
  • ‘Norfolk Rewards’ our employee discounts programme which helps you save money on almost anything, from everyday groceries and clothes, to holidays, new technology, gym membership, trips to the cinema and days out.
  • A Blue Light card for Fire Service and Social Care Workers
  • Relocation expenses (where applicable)
  • An advance of your expenses if you travel for work
  • Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution, life assurance, death in service payments and dependants’ pensions.

  • Tax efficient ways of getting extra pension and new bikes

  • Access to our tax efficient car lease scheme for greener travel enabling you to lease a brand new, ultra-low emission vehicle (subject to eligibility)

  • A payment if you refer someone you know to a hard to fill job

Before you apply, we recommend reading the full Job Description and Person Specification to help you demonstrate you meet the criteria. You can also find information on our Terms and Conditions here.

Already a Norfolk County Council employee? See and apply for internal and external vacancies in myOracle using your @norfolk.gov.uk or @nccal.ac.uk email.

We would like to make you aware that priority consideration for this post may be given to current employees who are at risk due to restructure within the organisation or are in a redeployment position.

Redeployment closing date: Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 23:59

All other applicants closing date: Friday 30 October 2026 at 23:59