Senior Fire Safety Officer – Group Schemes Officer

NHS; Manchester; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in the UK is looking for a Senior Fire Safety Officer to assist in managing fire safety across the Trust. The role involves overseeing projects, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and advising management on fire safety. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in fire safety management in a healthcare setting, relevant qualifications, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Experience managing fire safety in a hospital at senior level.
• Completion of HTM Fire Safety management course or equivalent.
• Experience in carrying out Fire Risk Assessments.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Fire Safety Manager in overseeing fire safety projects.
• Ensure compliance with fire safety standards.
• Survey fire safety installations and advise the Trust management.

Skills

Management level working experience

Knowledge of fire safety legislation

Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Ability to analyse complex reports

Education

Science or engineering-based degree or equivalent experience

Health & Safety qualification (NEBOSH)

Membership of a professional organisation

Job description

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Fire Safety Officer – Group Schemes Officer

The closing date is 10 November 2025

The post holder will assist the Fire Safety Manager in all fire safety matters across the Trust (including community properties). They will be responsible for overseeing fire safety projects including new build, alterations, extension and renovation works and supporting the day-to-day supervision of the fire safety teams located across the Trust. They will also provide support to the Fire Safety Manager in relation to improving I.T. systems detailing compliance across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

Assessing and commenting on all fire safety proposals across the Trust and ensuring compliance with appropriate standards including HTM, HBN and ADB. Research and implement new developments in information technology to achieve improvements to current systems monitoring building compliance and fire team performance. Working alongside other Senior Fire Safety Officers, supervise and prioritise the workload of the fire team and report to the Fire Safety Manager on all fire related matters. Survey fire safety installations and research new developments in fire technology to achieve improvements where necessary. Meet with other responsible parties on a regular basis to ensure actions from risk assessments are dealt with appropriately. Advise the Trust Management in their responsibilities regarding fire safety. Ensure that contractors working within the Trust are aware of fire safety requirements prior to them commencing work on site. Ensure that there are regular inspections of work sites to ensure that fire safety is being maintained. Liaise with building managers to ensure there is a fire risk assessment process in place for community properties and a suitable process for dealing with resulting actions. Investigate and prepare reports including recommendations for incidents of fire across the Trust.

About us

MFT is one of the largest NHS Trusts in England with a turnover of over £3bn and is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We're creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.

Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you\'ll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.

We\'ve also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research, and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our Electronic Patient Record system which launched in September 2022.

We\'re proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What\'s more, we\'re excited to be embarking on our Green Plan which sets out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.

At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open, and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.

Job responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you\'ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that you\'re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you\'ll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information you\'ll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.

Diversity Matters

MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating, and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at [e-mail].

Were looking forward to hearing from you!

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Science or engineering-based education to degree level or equivalent or practical experience of managing fire safety in a hospital environment at senior level.
• Membership of a professional organisation (i.e. Institute of Fire Engineers IFE; Institute of Fire Prevention Officers IFPO)
• Health & Safety qualified (ie NEBOSH general certificate).
• Successful completion of HTM Fire Safety management course or equivalent.

Knowledge & Experience

• Significant experience working at a Management level within Estates & Facilities Management Environment
• Experience of working within a multidisciplined E&F management team
• Experienced in working with colleagues from Hard FM and clinical services.
• Thorough knowledge of fire safety legislation, in particular RRO and HTM guidance documents, acquired through a degree in fire engineering or attendance at equivalent courses.
• Experience in carrying out Fire Risk Assessments on a wide range of premises including a hospital environment.
• Experience in analysing and reducing unwanted fire alarms activations
• Able to work with minimal supervision and prioritise work to meet deadlines.
• Ability to undertake fire safety audits
• Make own judgments having considered the relevant legislation and guidance.
• Have strong interpersonal and communications skills to be able to negotiate and exchange specialist information with enforcement agencies, contractors, suppliers and other specialist and non-specialist agencies.
• Able to analyse, compare and interpret complex reports.
• Possess keyboard skills to produce periodic reports.
• Experience of Private Finance Initiative related contracts and monitoring procedures.
• An understanding of contract law relating to outsourced services
• Understanding of PFI contract payment mechanism
• Holds a current driving license
• Undertaken research to become familiar with how fire safety is dealt with in hospitals and be familiar with the guidance and legislation that is applicable to them.
• Experienced in dealing with fire related incidents in complex buildings.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 per annum (pro rata)