Interim Fire Project Manager

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board seeks a senior fire safety leader to oversee the fire compartmentalisation and damper recovery programme. You will act as the competent fire advisor, develop strategic plans, and ensure timely assurance reporting to executive committees.

The role requires expertise in fire safety engineering, policy development, and cross‑department collaboration. You will lead on monitoring mitigations, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, and coordinating

Qualifications

• Masters Degree Level Qualification or Equivalent experience in Fire Safety.
• Extensive experience of fire safety engineering and safety management.
• Member of a relevant professional body (e.g., IFE; IFPO).
• Comprehensive knowledge of UK Fire Safety legislation, HTM 05-01 Firecode 2015, and related standards.
• Experience of managing large projects and reporting to senior management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the competent fire advice for the Trust-wide fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme.
• Provide strategic planning, monitoring, and assurance reporting on mitigations and compliance.
• Attend the Fire Strategic Fire Group and report to governance bodies with technical assessments.
• Develop and implement fire policies, processes, and training as part of FSMS and emergency preparedness.
• Coordinate with Estates, Facilities Compliance, and Service Directors to ensure statutory compliance.

Job description

The is a short term 6 month posting to support a major fire compartmentalisation and fire damper survey and remedial work programme., Acting as the competent fire person for the project the post holder will be expected to

• review & risk assess survey findings
• contribute to the prioritisationassessment and planning of risk based remedial works
• review existing mitigations and identify additional mitigations where necessary to manage the risks in the interim of the works delivery
• lead the implementation, monitoring and assurance reporting on any additional mitigations.
• attend the Fire Strategic Fire Group providing technical reports , assessments and monitoring assurance reports
• work closely with the existing fire safety team, The post holder will be specifically responsible for the strategic planning and operational delivery of safe, effective and high quality fire safety services and advice relating to our fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme.
• The post holders key responsibilities will be specifically related to the fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme to:
• To evaluate the fire safety requirements arising from our fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme , making recommendations on appropriate mitigations (eg changes to systems, training, policies, procedures and practices), which ensure that the Trust maintains a safe and suitable environment for staff and patients at all times.
• Lead the strategic planning and implementation of all fire policies, processes and procedures as they relate to our fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme and work with Service Directors and senior management to ensure continuous improvement. Establish and embed robust systems and practices to ensure, compliance with statutory requirements and internal fire standards.
• Establish across the Trust a system to monitor the mitigations to ensure compliance and performance is tested and scrutinised.
• Ensure the timely provision of assurance, performance metrics and compliance reports to Executive Directors, Directorate Senior Leaders, Trust Committees and Directorate Governance meetings.
• Ensure, all fire risk assessments/audits completed in accordance with the annual plan are reviewed and revised accordingly as a result of fire compartmentalisation and fire damper surveys and actions clearly allocated, monitored and completed, providing assurance reports to relevant governance and business meetings.
• Support Service Directors, Senior Corporate Managers and Fire Safety Management System (FSMS) leads to fulfil their responsibilities within the FSMS and Emergency Preparedness by ensuring processes are in place to mitigate the risks in all areas and locations where staff work.
• Contribute to the continuous review and refinement of policies and procedures relevant to specific areas of fire safety and non-clinical risk management and ensuring all related fire Safety legislative changes are incorporated and are meeting the relevant CQC essential standards and all future regulatory assessment/investigation approaches and also all policies remain in date and current.
• Deputise in the absence of the Head of Risk and Assurance.
• Deliver professional and reliable advice at strategic and operational level and support Senior Managers with their interpretation and application of Trust H&S Policies and strategies and support Directorates in understanding changes to policy and their implementation at the operational level.
• Provide expert, professional guidance and support in the development of specific Trustwide health, safety and fire procedures, new policies and strategies for the identification, evaluation and control of non-clinical risks
• Act as the interface with relevant enforcing agencies (eg Health and Safety Executive, London Fire Brigade and CQC) in managing planned and unannounced inspections of the Trust; reporting on the outcome at an inspection and overseeing the production of required action plans.
• Provide assurance reports to Board level and specialist Trustwide safety and risk committees as they relate to our fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme
• Contribute as necessary to fire risk reports to the Trust Board or Board Committees, to provide an overview and assurance of of the fire safety risks, assessments, mitigations and programme delivery in relation to the fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme
• Act as a Trust competent fire person on allocated Trustwide the Strategic Fire Oversight Group and other risk management Committees and working groups as required.
• Undertake on behalf of the Trust complex fire risk assessments as they relate to our fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme where competing risks have to be balanced.
• Work collaboratively with the Estates and Facilities Compliance Department to provide timely and accurate reports and work in close liaison with the Head of Capital Projects, to ensure that Trustwide statutory compliance is delivered and monitored.
• Provide the lead competent fire advice to the Trustwide fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme
• Lead on the planning and evaluation of specific Trustwide or localised fire safety training programmes necessary as mitigation under the fire compartmentalisation and fire damper recovery programme
• Manage, coordinate and monitor expenditure in line within a delegated budget and undertake duties as required within delegated authorised signatory level, complying with standing financial instructions and standards of business conduct.
• Act as a Trust competent person and subject matter expert in respect of fire safety, continuously maintaining a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of current, revised and evolving health & safety legislation, approved codes of practice and best practice procedures.
• Undertake other duties relevant to the provision of a comprehensive risk management service commensurate with the grade.
• oMasters Degree Level Qualification or Equivalent experience in Fire Safety
• oExtensive experience of fire safety engineering and safety management
• oMember of a relevant professional body (e.g., the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE); Institute of Fire Prevention Officers (IFPO)(
• oComprehensive knowledge of UK Fire Safety legislation, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) order 2005. Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 05-01 Firecode 2015, oExtensive experience of fire safety provision in a large complex organisation
• oExperience of managing large projects
• oExperience of report writing for senior managers and Board sub-committees such as Audit and Risk, oExperience of managing large projects
• oExtensive experience of fire safety provision in a large complex organisation
• oExperience of report writing for senior managers and Board sub-committees such as Audit and Risk
• We are a small, professionally qualified and very busy team, providing health safety and fire advices and support to all services covering multi sites across the whole Trust. We are solution focused looking to ensure services contine to be delivered efficiently and safely for the benefit of our patients, carers and staff.