Assistant Director, People & Culture

Networking Women in the Fire Service; Kingston upon Hull; On-site; GBP 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading fire service organization as the Assistant Director, People & Culture. This senior leadership role focuses on transforming workforce support and development amidst changing expectations. Your expertise in people leadership will empower diverse teams and shape the organization's future. Enjoy a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits while making a real impact in public service.

Benefits

Generous employer contribution pension scheme

Flexible and occasional hybrid working

Employee assistance programme

Access to gym facilities

Employee discounts and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience in a senior role in complex environments.
• Proven ability to lead diverse teams through change.
• Hands-on practical experience in workforce and cultural reform.

Responsibilities

• Lead a transformation of support and development for the workforce.
• Deliver workforce and cultural reform at scale.
• Provide expert leadership on employee relations.
• Build a modern People & Culture portfolio.

Skills

Leadership

Change Management

Employee Relations

Inclusivity

Job description

Salary: £75,000 per annum

Location:Service HQ, Kingston upon Hull

Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Closing date:midnight Monday 23rd June 2025

Transform how we lead. Help shape who we become.

We are not standing still on our journey towards being an ‘Outstanding’ organisation; we are creating something new, and we are looking for someone exceptional to help us build it.

At Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, we’re proud of our people. They are deeply committed to public service, often in challenging circumstances, and they deserve a workplace that reflects the same passion, purpose, and care that they bring to their communities.

That’s why we’ve created this brand-new role,Assistant Director, People & Culture, to lead a transformation of how we support, develop and empower our workforce. Sitting just below the Executive Team on our Senior Leadership Team, and leading a talented group of Heads of Function, you’ll be our most senior HR and OD professional: a change agent, employee relations expert, strategic partner, and visible champion of values-led leadership.

Keeping a clear eye on the horizon, you’ll help us stay ahead of the curve. From workforce demographics and employee expectations to sector-wide shifts and policy changes, you’ll identify and respond to future people challenges with ambition, inclusivity and resilience.

This is more than a traditional people leadership role. We’re looking for someone who can:

Roll their sleeves up and deliver workforce and cultural reform at scale with clarity, accountability and impact.
Lead strategic people transformation with compassion and credibility.
Inspire trust and high performance across a complex, safety-critical organisation.
Provide expert leadership on employee relations, navigating complex issues with fairness, confidence, and a clear understanding of organisational risk.
Build a modern, inclusive, and proactive People & Culture portfolio that’s ready for the future.
If you’ve worked at a senior level in a complex environment, led diverse teams through change, and built inclusive cultures that empower people, we’d love to hear from you.

You don’t need fire service experience, but you do need good practical hands-on experience, the ability to lead boldly, listen deeply, and think systemically.

In return, you’ll join a Service that is ready to evolve, with leadership that welcomes challenge and a workforce that cares deeply about what it does.

How to apply

To download the candidate pack and apply, please click the linkhere.

For an informal discussion, please contact: Matt Sutcliffe, Assistant Chief Fire Officer on 01482 567 509 [e-mail]

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service have engaged RealWorldHR as a recruitment partner to manage and deliver this recruitment process on behalf of the Service.

Key Dates

Closing date:midnight Monday 23rdJune 2025
Assessment Centrew/c 28thJuly 2025
Interviews:w/c 28thJuly 2025
What we offer

We offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits, including:

Generous employer contribution pension scheme
Working from our HQ in Hessle with flexible and occasional hybrid working
Employee assistance programme
Access to gym facilities
Employee discounts and wellbeing initiatives
Join us. Make your mark.

This is your opportunity to shape the culture of a vital public service, support people who make a difference every day, and step into a role that could define the next stage of your career.