Chief Fire Officer/ Chief Executive

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is seeking an exceptional Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive to lead our organisation through its next phase of transformation, innovation and service excellence, serving Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

Reporting to the Fire Authority, you will provide visible, values-led leadership for approximately 500 employees, oversee a £43.9m revenue budget and a £22.6m capital programme, and champion an inclusive culture where people can thrive, contribute and

Responsibilities

• Lead a large, complex public safety organisation through transformation and change.
• Provide visible, values‑led leadership to around 500 employees.
• Oversee the revenue budget (£43.9m) and capital programme (£22.6m) as strategic advisor to the Fire Authority.
• Drive an inclusive culture that enables staff to thrive and deliver exceptional public safety outcomes.

Job description

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the UK’s most progressive and ambitious Fire & Rescue Services at a pivotal moment in its journey. Serving more than 800,000 residents across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS) is seeking an exceptional Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive to lead our organisation through its next phase of transformation, innovation and service excellence.

Recent HMICFRS inspections have recognised the significant progress we have made, identifying no causes of concern, no recommendations, and highlighting our Leadership and Behaviour Framework as innovative practice. Yet our ambition remains undiminished. We are determined to build an even stronger culture, deliver outstanding services and ensure every member of our workforce feels valued, respected and empowered to succeed.

Reporting directly to Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority, you will provide visible, values-led leadership to an organisation of approximately 500 employees, with strategic oversight of a £43.9m revenue budget and a £22.6m capital programme. As the Authority’s principal strategic adviser, you will guide the Service through an increasingly complex environment shaped by evolving community risks, financial pressures, technological change and growing public expectations.

We are looking for a leader who combines strategic insight with humility, integrity and authenticity. You will have a proven track record of leading large, complex and politically accountable organisations, driving organisational improvement, cultural change and high performance. Most importantly, you will genuinely believe in the potential of people, creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, contribute and deliver exceptional outcomes for the communities we serve.

You will bring the credibility to influence across government, regulators, elected members, partners and communities; the resilience to lead through challenge and uncertainty; and the vision to ensure BFRS remains at the forefront of modern public service leadership. We welcome applications from outstanding leaders within the fire and rescue sector and will also consider candidates who can demonstrate equivalent executive leadership experience within highly regulated, operationally critical and publicly accountable environments.

This is more than a leadership position. It is an opportunity to make a lasting difference to communities; shape the future of public safety and lead an organisation whose people are proud to serve.

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are an equal opportunity employer. Applications from people of any colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or disability are welcome. If there are any adaptions or adjustments, we can make to help you in your application, or with our recruitment process, please do let us know.