West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is proud to be recognised as the region’s top-performing service. Covering nearly 800 square miles and serving over two million people, we provide 24/7 emergency response every day of the year.

We are an organisation where everyone is encouraged, trusted, and supported to play their part in promoting safety and wellbeing across all communities in West Yorkshire. We are looking for candidates who are committed to our vision of making West Yorkshire safer and who demonstrate the values of team, responsibility, integrity, communication and learn.

WYFRS is now inviting applications for the Station Manager Promotion Process. This opportunity is open to competent wholetime Watch Managers within WYFRS seeking promotion.

As part of the  process, a development programme will be utilised to ensure that you have the opportunity to develop the right skills, knowledge, behaviours and understanding in order to competently perform the role.

Following an induction, successful candidates will embark on a development programme that will prepare them for the step up into the unique and key organisational role of WYFRS Station Manager.

WYFRS are an equal opportunities employer; we value and celebrate equality, diversity and neurodiversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from communities that are currently under-represented at WYFRS, including women, racially & ethnically diverse applicants and applicants with disabilities. We can offer support and adjustments for candidates who experience barriers to work that result from health conditions or Specific Learning Differences, such as dyslexia.

WYFRS are committed to the safeguarding of our staff, volunteers, visitors and the community we serve. This includes protecting vulnerable adults, children and young people from potential neglect and harm. All employees must share the same commitment.

Eligibility.

Individuals applying for development must:

• Be substantive and competent in their current role.

• Hold and maintain all qualifications required for their current role.

• Have completed and maintained all role related courses within the required refresher periods.

• Have no current/outstanding development action plans, performance improvement action plans or capability issues related to competency.

• Be free of current formal disciplinary awards throughout the entire process.

• Have completed an Annual Review (AR) in the last 12 months, with no concerns captured and that you wish to be considered for promotion/development.

• Line manager has completed a Talent Assessment within the Annual Review system showing potential for promotion.

• Diploma in Fire Engineering and Science OR a Level 3 Certificate in Fire Safety.

• Possess, IFE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Service Operations.

All applicants should make themselves aware of the FF-SM Development and Promotion Policy (click here).

The selection process will comprise of the following stages:

Stage 1: Identifying Potential/Application Form.

Application Form.

Applicants must complete and submit an online application form using the e-recruitment system which will require them to detail how they meet all the essential criteria for the role.

Applicants should write a maximum of 600 words for each criterion detailed on the personnel specification. Click here for Job Description/Person Specification.

Shortlisting.

Following the closing date, submitted application forms will be forwarded to the Shortlisting Panel for consideration. All applicants will be advised via email as to whether or not they have been successfully shortlisted.

Temporary Promotion Opportunity.

Successfully shortlisted candidates may be invited to express an interest in undertaking a period of Temporary Promotion, subject to organisational need. Any expression of interest must be supported and endorsed by the individual’s line manager prior to submission.

Where the level of interest exceeds the number of available temporary promotion opportunities, a proportionate selection method may be applied. This may include a written assessment designed to assess relevant operational knowledge. Prior to undertaking a period of Temporary Promotion, candidates must successfully meet the required standard of Operational Command Assurance appropriate to the temporary role.

Temporary Promotion does not guarantee progression.

Stage 2: Pre-Development.

Internal pathway candidates are required to complete phase 1 of their development programme within 3-6 months. Candidates who have not completed the programme within 6 months may be removed from the process.

Stage 3: Selection Process for Promotion.

Leadership and Management Task.

Career Progression Gateway (CPG) is an online assessment that evaluates performance, knowledge, skills and behaviours. Applicants will be assessed and graded (Pass or Fail). The CPG will consist of 2 online exercises:

1. The case study exercise

In this timed exercise, applicants receive various pieces of information along with clear task guidelines. They must read the provided information and type their responses, which may include writing an email or article, drafting a proposal and recommendation, or conducting an analysis, strategy, and initiative, all within free text boxes during the allotted time.

2. The role-play exercise

Applicants have a set time to read the scenario information before an assessor calls them via video. The role-play begins and is timed from the moment the candidate answers the call.

Operational Command Assurance.

Applicants will be assessed and graded (Pass or Fail) against Skills for Justice Intermediate Incident Command scoring criteria. However, prior to this assessment taking place, development opportunities will be available for all successful shortlisted candidates.

WYFRS Command Training Team will email appointments to all applicants. However, any attendance on this development session is voluntary.

Interview and Presentation.

Applicants will be required to prepare a 15-minute presentation, of which the title will be given beforehand and a 60-minute interview.

Stage 4: Formal Appointments.

Successful applicants will be held on a successful applicant list in merit order and will be offered a promotion role, applicable to that promotion process rank, as soon as a suitable vacancy arises.

Stage 5: Substantive (Development) Roles.

Successful applicants that are offered and accept a promotion role will be paid at development rate of pay and required to complete the development programme, with competent pay awarded on successful completion of the development pack and all associated courses.

Stage 6: Competent in Role Sign Off.

On completion of the development pack, Learning and Development team will review the pack and subject to the quality and range of evidence provided being sufficient, the pack will be signed off and the candidate deemed competent in role, at which point competent pay will be awarded and the candidates role made substantive.

Timeline.

• Applications Open: Tuesday 5 May.

• Applications Close: Sunday 24 May (midnight).

• Pre‑Development Phase 1 Inductions: w/c Monday 1 June.

• Temporary Promotion Intermediate Command Assurance: Monday 8 – Wednesday 10 June*.

• CPG E-Learning and Registration Open: Monday 28 September – Sunday 25 October.

• Pre‑Development Phase 1 Closes: Friday 23 October.

• CPG Assessment Window: w/c Monday 26 October.

• Command Development: w/c Monday 16 November.

• Command Assurance: w/c Monday 23 November.

• Interview: w/c Monday 30 November.

• Candidate Feedback: w/c Monday 7 December.

*Dependent on interest, a written assessment focusing on operations maybe used to support the sifting of temporary candidates to progress to Command Assurance.

WYFRS are committed to having an inclusive and diverse workforce, if you feel you require any reasonable adjustments to participate within this recruitment process, please contact our HR Team at Applications@westyorksfire.gov.uk

The closing date for applications will be Sunday 24 May (midnight).

All offers of employment will be subject to a skills gap analysis, references, medical, fitness test, Disclosure checks and pre-employment checks.

For an informal discussion about these roles, please contact:

AM Scott Donegan Email  scott.donegan01@westyorksfire.gov.uk 

AM Toby May Email  toby.may01@westyorksfire.gov.uk

AM Dave Teggart  dave.teggart@westyorksfire.gov.uk

Click here for Guidance Notes

Click here for Additional Guidance on our new E-recruitment System

All correspondence will usually be sent to your email account registered with the online recruitment system rather than by letter. Please check your email account regularly.

If after reading all of this information, you are interested in applying, please read the documents listed above for more details and click on 'Apply' for the application form.

Please note we do not accept CVs.  If you are viewing this vacancy on ‘jobsindeed’ or other external platform, please be advised this vacancy is only open to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service employees.

For recruitment queries please contact Applications@westyorksfire.gov.uk