Home Fire Safety & Safeguarding Advisor

Hertfordshire County Council; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking a Home Fire Safety & Safeguarding Advisor to join the Prevention team within Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. You will carry out home fire safety visits, assess risks, and provide practical safety advice to vulnerable residents across the county.

The role combines community-based visits with station work and remote administration, requires travel, and offers a starting salary of £28,608 with progression to £32,046 per annum.

Qualifications

• Experience of working directly with members of the public in a community, safeguarding or risk‑related role.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage empathetically and build trust.
• Experience of identifying vulnerability and making appropriate referrals or interventions.
• Ability to work independently, manage your own workload and prioritise effectively.
• Good IT skills, with experience of maintaining accurate records and using data systems.

Responsibilities

• Carry out Home Fire Safety Visits, focusing on those most at risk using data and local insight.
• Assess fire risks in the home while spotting any wider safeguarding or vulnerability concerns.
• Provide clear, practical and personalised advice to help residents stay safe and make positive changes.
• Install and maintain smoke alarms and other life‑saving safety equipment.
• Take ownership of your area, acting as a key point of contact for local stations and communities.
• Identify when individuals need extra support and make safeguarding referrals or connect them with partner services.

Skills

Public engagement

Safeguarding experience

Risk assessment

Independent worker

IT literacy

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title: Home Fire Safety & Safeguarding Advisor

Starting Salary: £28,608 opportunity to progress £32,046 per annum

Hours: 37 (part-time may be considered subject to service need - minimum hours to be agreed)

Location: Hertfordshire (district-based working across allocated stations and communities). Hybrid working applies – combination of community-based visits, station working and remote administration. Extensive travel is required across the county.

Contract Type: Fixed Term - End March 2027

Directorate: Community Protection

About The Team

The Prevention team within Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service plays a vital role in protecting communities by reducing fire risk and safeguarding vulnerable residents.

The Safeguarding & Home Fire Safety Team focuses on those most at risk, delivering targeted, person-centered interventions to improve safety, wellbeing and independence at home.

You will work alongside a dedicated team of advisors, team leaders and partner agencies including social care, health, housing, police and voluntary organisations.

The team is committed to collaborative, intelligence-led working and continuous improvement, ensuring prevention activity is impactful and aligned with community needs.

This role is key to delivering the Service’s prevention strategy, acting as a visible and trusted presence within local communities, and helping to shape proactive approaches to risk reduction.

About The Role

As a Home Fire Safety & Safeguarding Advisor, you’ll play a key role in protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities by helping them stay safe in their own homes.

In this varied and rewarding role, you will:

• Carry out Home Fire Safety Visits, focusing on those most at risk using data and local insight
• Assess fire risks in the home while spotting any wider safeguarding or vulnerability concerns
• Provide clear, practical and personalised advice to help residents stay safe and make positive changes
• Install and maintain smoke alarms and other life‑saving safety equipment
• Take ownership of your area, acting as a key point of contact for local stations and communities
• Identify when individuals need extra support and make safeguarding referrals or connect them with partner services
• Work in line with safeguarding procedures, ensuring information is shared appropriately and without delay
• Accurately record visits, risks and outcomes using CFRMIS (Community Fire Risk Management Information System)
• Use data and local intelligence to plan your work and target those who need help most
• Spot patterns or emerging risks and contribute ideas to improve how we prevent incidents
• Build strong relationships with partners such as health, housing, social care and voluntary organisations
• Be a trusted and professional representative of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in the community

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about community safety and supporting vulnerable people.

You will demonstrate:

• Experience of working directly with members of the public in a community, safeguarding or risk-related role Ability to carry out assessments and make sound, evidence‑based decision
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage empathetically and build trust
• Experience of identifying vulnerability and making appropriate referrals or interventions
• Ability to work independently, manage your own workload and prioritise effectively
• Good IT skills, with experience of maintaining accurate records and using data systems
• Knowledge or understanding of safeguarding principles and multi‑agency working
• A proactive and flexible approach to responding to emerging risks

Essential requirements

• Full UK driving licence
• Willingness to travel across Hertfordshire Commitment to continuous professional development

Desirable

• Experience within fire safety, prevention, housing, health or social care settings
• Understanding of person‑centred approaches and behaviour change models

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 7 Please locate the job profile here: Job profiles - Community services

To hear more about this opportunity please contact [e-mail] for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: 6th or 7th October 2026

Benefits of working for us

Secondment

This role is open to secondments for eligible employees who work for HCC. If you wish to apply on a secondment basis, you must have your line manager’s approval before submitting your application. You will be asked to confirm this within your application form. If you are not eligible for a secondment (e.g., you are currently on a fixed‑term contract that would end before this positions ends) or you indicate that your manager cannot support a secondment, your application will be considered on a fixed‑term contract basis instead.

Additional Information

We are changing

Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly‑created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving Required

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.