Fire Safety Advisor

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Chester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Chester is seeking a Fire Safety Advisor to oversee fire safety compliance and provide expert advice. Key responsibilities include implementing fire safety initiatives, conducting training, and liaising with authorities. Applicants should possess a Master's Degree and relevant certifications and have experience in fire safety inspection. This role offers a chance to contribute to crucial safety measures in healthcare, supporting a team dedicated to community welfare.

Benefits

Compassionate work culture

Excellent induction training

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or equivalent experience of working at this level.
• Graduate of the Institute of Fire Engineers or Diploma Level 3 in Fire Safety.
• Experience as a Fire Safety Inspector or in a Station/Watch Manager role.

Responsibilities

• Providing expert technical advice on fire safety guidance.
• Implementing initiatives in line with strategic fire safety management.
• Supporting the Trust's approach to fire safety management.

Skills

Fire Safety Inspection

Change Management

Leadership

Negotiation

Education

Master's Degree or equivalent experience

Graduate of the Institute of Fire Engineers

National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health

Job description

Fire Safety Advisor

The closing date is 31 December 2025

The post holder will be formally appointed in line with Health Technical Memorandum 05-01: Managing Healthcare Fire Safety. As the Trust's ‘competent person’, they will be responsible for providing professional advice and support to the Head of Estates to ensure that the Trust complies with regulatory requirements, especially the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Main duties of the job

Some of the key responsibilities are listed below:

• Providing expert technical advice on the application and interpretation of fire safety guidance, including Health Fire Code and other legislative/regulatory requirements, especially the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Implementing initiatives in line with the strategic approach to fire safety management.
• Supporting the Trust's approach to fire safety in line with the requirements of Standards for Better Health, including overseeing audits as necessary and implementing risk mitigation and improvement programmes as required.
• Liaising with local authorities and fire services across the trust boundaries as required.
• Maintaining strong links with other mental health providers to benchmark performance and to ensure that the Trust follows best practice in fire risk management.
• Ensuring policy and procedural alignment between the Trust and other partner organisations and proposing changes when appropriate.
• Undertaking management of Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) and reviewing current FRAs where necessary.
• Investigating and analysing reported fire incidents on the Trust’s electronic incident reporting system.
• Planning, co‑ordinating and monitoring a programme of annual fire drills and fire safety training programmes for all staff within the Trust.

About us

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all‑age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.

We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport.

Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person‑centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcomes applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.

All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.

Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you'll find something to suit you at CWP.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or equivalent experience of working at this level
• Graduate of the Institute of Fire Engineers or Diploma Level 3 in Fire Safety (Grad IFE)
• National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health (Tech IOSH)
• Institute of Fire Engineers Chartered
• Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Chartered/NEBOSH Diploma

Knowledge and Expertise

• Experience as a Fire Safety Inspector or in a Station/Watch Manager role or as a fire safety advisor
• Evidence of leadership and management of change, particularly of culture and working practices
• Demonstrable understanding of general and specific statutory requirements within the fire safety arena.
• Previous experience of enforcing the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 as a fire safety inspector
• Change management – experience in developing and implementing new approaches and initiatives
• Negotiating and influencing experience on a wide range of issues

Experience

• Experience of delivering Fire Safety training at all levels.
• Experience of undertaking Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs)
• Experience of reviewing building plans and specifications of fire safety compliance.
• Experience of dealing with regulatory authorities (e.g., fire service, HSE or CQC)
• Experience of healthcare fire safety
• Experience of Mental Health fire safety

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?

Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.

The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust