NFCC Chair (Council) – NFCC

Role Title: NFCC Chair (Council)

Department: NFCC Chair

Responsible to: NFCC Board of Trustees and NFCC Chiefs Council

Summary Purpose

• To provide leadership, support and coordination to fire and rescue services across the UK in developing and improving their services on behalf of the public.
• To support FRS and members in developing and transforming their role.
• To lead in the delivery of the NFCC Member strategy, supporting outstanding prevention, protection, resilience, and emergency response activity. To improve the UK’s record in saving lives and increasing public safety.
• To provide professional advice to ministers on the operation of fire and rescue services.
• To maximise the effectiveness of UK FRS by representing the professional expertise of the UK fire chiefs.
• To develop strong and effective relationships with key stakeholders across Westminster and devolved administration governments, HMICFRS, National Employers, LGA, APCC, commercial and 3rd sector partners, unions and membership bodies, national networks, international partners and more widely to support improvements across the sector.
• To work with the NFCC Chief Executive Officer and Senior Leadership Team to deliver the NFCC strategy and business plan.
• To provide professional advice and represent the views of fire chiefs to the NFCC trustees.

Key responsibilities / level of accountability for delivery

1. Champion the role, capacity and capabilities of the NFCC, and of fire and rescue services working collaboratively,
2. Serve and protect the public by influencing public policy, and promoting collaboration and co-ordination across Fire and Rescue Services.
3. Act as the professional voice of Fire and Rescue Services in the media and with stakeholders;

4. Provide leadership and a national voice in delivering culture change across Fire and Rescue Services.
5. Promote improvement and best practice across fire and rescue services.
6. Regular engagement with the Home Secretary, ministers, shadow ministers, civil servants and Members of Parliament in order to advise, influence and represent the views of NFCC members.
7. Act as strategic fire advisor to government Ministers
8. Work closely with partner agencies, industry bodies, and other fire service-related organisations.
9. Represent the NFCC before key Select Committees.
10. Represent the NFCC and national fire service in national media, social media and trade media
11. Participate in a range of national and international events
12. Engage with national and international bodies and stakeholders to build and maintain relationships with key influencers and to establish and share good practice.
13. Lead the co-ordination of the strategic national response by fire and rescue services to major incidents or events, including assuring alignment with the National Co-ordination and Advisory Framework (NCAF) and representation of fire and rescue matters including at meetings at the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR).
14. Chair meetings of the NFCC Chiefs Council, Steering Group and other for a as required.
15. Attend meetings of the NFCC Trustees as a professional adviser.
16. Be responsible for engaging, consulting and maintaining positive relationships with Chief Fire Officers, including the provision of individual support and advice where appropriate.
17. Be responsible for engaging, consulting and maintaining positive relationships with the wider NFCC membership through engagement with fire services and through a range of NFCC events.
18. Oversee the development, implementation, monitoring and review of plans to facilitate the effective and efficient delivery of the NFCC Member Strategy.
19. Maintain and oversee the appointment of members into NFCC lead roles and committee chair positions
20. Represent the NFCC at ceremonial events.

Key Relationships

This role leads on all external relationships both nationally and internationally and with NFCC members. This includes:
• Chief Fire Officers and NFCC membership
• Vice Chairs and Committee chairs
• Ministers and Civil Servants
• Devolved FRS Advisers

• London Fire Commissioner
• HMICFRS and HMFSI Scotland
• National Employers
• Employer Bodies – e.g. LGA, APCC
• National FRS Network bodies – e.g. AFSA, WFS
• Blue Light Partners – e.g. NPCC, CoP, AACE
• International Partners
• Trade Unions and Representative Bodies

Education, Qualifications, Experience

Essential
• Extensive knowledge of all aspects of the work of fire and rescue services.
• Significant experience as a current Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive, or retired within two years prior to the beginning of the recruitment process.
• Evidenced maintenance of current professional and leadership competency and relevant qualifications.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, to identify and build relationships in order to shape and influence sector development.
• Be able to operate within multiple governance structures both locally and nationally, recognising the circumstances and requirements of individual fire and rescue authorities and of devolved administrations.
• Strong political acumen with experience of working with politicians both locally and nationally.
• A strong commitment to working in partnership.
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and to working in an inclusive manner.
• Experience of working as a part of an executive team.
• Exceptional communication skills including experience in national media in order to represent the NFCC nationally and internationally, to local and national politicians, Government, industry, the media and more widely.
• Excellent leadership skills to lead and support the NFCC’s membership.
• The right to work in the United Kingdom.

Behaviours and Values

• Promote and display the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct throughout the UK Fire and Rescue Service.

• Promote and display the highest standards of personal and professional values and behaviours, aligned to the NFCC Core Code of Ethics and NFCC values
• Promote and display an inclusive culture within NFCC and across the FRS membership – with a key focus on equality and diversity.
• The successful candidate must have clear personal integrity and a personal commitment to ensuring a positive and inclusive culture across UK’s fire and rescue
services.

This post holder must undertake UK DV security vetting before commencing in role.

Recruitment process

Eligibility

Anyone who meets the person specification within the job description is eligible to seek nomination and appointment to the role. Relevant experience must be within the last two years.
All serving Chief Fire Officers / CEOs of FRSs and Chief Fire Officers /CEOs who retired from service within the last two years.

Nominations

Nominations will need to be supported by a minimum of five Individual Members three of which should be from Chief Fire Officers and nominated candidates will be expected to provide:

• A short CV
• A candidate statement of no more than 1000 words covering:

-A description of your experience relevant to the role of NFCC Chair
-An outline of your future vision for the NFCC and UK Fire and Rescue Services
-A summary of your priorities for the NFCC for 2025 – 2029.

This information will be published. The names of the supporting Individual Members will also be published.

Please note that completed nomination forms and candidate’s statements (as specified above) must be returned by no later than 1700 on 31st July 2024 to helen.nightingale@nfcc.org.uk.

Please see link to the relevant NFCC Chair 2025 Recruitment Pack here.