Fire Professional Standards Manager

Cornwall Council; Camborne; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornwall Council’s Fire and Rescue Service is seeking a Fire Professional Standards Manager who will lead the Service’s professional standards function, oversee complex conduct, grievance, disciplinary and complaint matters, and provide independent case assurance.

You will identify themes from investigations and inspections, translate learning into policy and leadership development, and work with senior managers to ensure governance, culture and HMICFRS/NFCC priorities are met in a hybrid,

Qualifications

• Excellent investigative, analytical and report-writing skills, with the ability to identify organisational themes and drive meaningful improvement.
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and maintain professional independence.
• Experience of providing assurance, advice and coaching to managers and senior leaders. Experience of managing complex and sensitive casework within a regulatory, governance, public service or similar environment.
• A commitment to the Core Code of Ethics, equality, diversity and inclusion, organisational learning and continuous improvement.
• The ability to lead teams, manage competing priorities and delivery high-quality outcomes in a complex and evolving environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight of complex conduct, grievance, disciplinary and complaint matters.
• Provide independent case assurance, support high-quality decision-making, and ensure appropriate governance and escalation of sensitive and high-risk cases.
• Identify themes, trends and root causes from investigations, complaints, audits and inspection activity, translating learning into practical improvements to policy, leadership, training, workforce wellbeing and organisational culture.
• Work closely with senior leaders and key stakeholders to ensure professional standards activity supports a safe, inclusive and high‑performing organisation and contributes to HMICFRS and NFCC priorities.

Job description

The Service & Team

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) is committed to keeping communities safe while creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing workplace for all employees. This role sits within the Workforce Development Team and leads the Service's Professional Standards function.

Job Description

The Professional Standards team provides assurance that conduct, grievance and complaint matters are managed fairly, consistently and in line with the Core Code of Ethics. The team plays a vital role in supporting organisational learning, strengthening culture and leadership, and ensuring the Service continues to meet the expectations of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and national fire sector standards.

As the Fire Professional Standards Manager, you will provide leadership and oversight of complex conduct, grievance, disciplinary and complaint matters. You will provide independent case assurance, support high-quality decision-making, and ensure appropriate governance and escalation of sensitive and high-risk cases. The role is central to driving continuous improvement across the Service. You will identify themes, trends and root causes from investigations, complaints, audits and inspection activity, translating learning into practical improvements to policy, leadership, training, workforce wellbeing and organisational culture. Working closely with senior leaders and key stakeholders, you will provide assurance that professional standards activity supports a safe, inclusive and high‑performing organisation and contributes to delivery of HMICFRS Areas for Improvement, National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) priorities and the Service's People, Culture and Leadership Programme. This is a public/customer-facing role, where the statutory English language requirement for public sector workers applies. This position will be subject to a standard criminal record disclosure check.

Working Pattern

The role is a full time 37 hours per week based largely on a Monday - Friday working week. Although flexibility will be required at times. Hybrid working is an option within this role.

What You’ll Need To Succeed

• Excellent investigative, analytical and report-writing skills, with the ability to identify organisational themes and drive meaningful improvement.
• Strong communication, influencing and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and maintain professional independence.
• Experience of providing assurance, advice and coaching to managers and senior leaders. Experience of managing complex and sensitive casework within a regulatory, governance, public service or similar environment.
• A commitment to the Core Code of Ethics, equality, diversity and inclusion, organisational learning and continuous improvement.
• The ability to lead teams, manage competing priorities and delivery high-quality outcomes in a complex and evolving environment.

Please read the role profile for the full details of this role attached below in this advert.

What You’ll Get In Return

Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff. This helps provide our employees with a greater work/life balance. Whilst still ensuring that service needs are met.

Our Core Employee Rewards And Benefits Include

• a competitive salary.
• a defined benefit pension scheme
• a generous annual leave entitlement with the potential to purchase additional leave.
• a national award-winning employee health and wellbeing programme
• Employee benefits scheme giving employees access to a wide range of discounts to local and national goods and services

Additional Information

The full role profile is attached here. We recommend saving a copy of this to refer to if you are invited to an interview. For more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Debbie Goodreid - [e-mail].