Assistant Director, People – Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

Assistant Director – People

Salary: £71 720.00 | Location: Flexible / Hybrid working

At Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, our purpose is clear: Prevent. Protect. Respond. From our frontline crews to our professional support teams, we work together to reduce risk, build trust, and make a difference in the communities we serve.

As our Assistant Director – People, you’ll play a key role in shaping a culture where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. You’ll lead a team responsible for HR, Recruitment and ED&I. More than that, you’ll help shape the future of our workforce in response to evolving risks, demographic shifts, and national expectations around values and culture.

This is a pivotal time to join us. Our people engagement scores are among the highest in the sector. We’ve been recognised as ‘Good’ by HMICFRS in how we look after our people. But we know there’s more to do – particularly in driving positive change, supporting leadership capability, and embedding inclusive, fair practice in every part of the Service. We believe that strong, forward-thinking people practices are essential to operational performance – enabling our teams to deliver their best and our Service to meet the challenges ahead.

You’ll be the advisor to the Chief Fire Officer for all things people, influencing strategic decisions, leading workforce transformation, and strengthening our culture. You’ll play a key role in making sure our people strategy aligns with the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), ensuring we have the capacity and capability to meet changing needs across Cambridgeshire. You’ll lead and shape our people practices reflecting the evolving demands of service delivery.

We’re looking for a credible, emotionally intelligent leader – someone who brings deep people expertise, understands organisational change, and shares our values of welcome, respect, and professional. You’ll have extensive experience of navigating complex ER cases, coaching senior leaders, and using data to drive improvement. You’ll have a proven track record of working constructively with trade union representatives to build trust. Most importantly, you’ll keep our people at the heart of everything we do.
If you’re ready to lead with purpose, shape a positive culture, and make a lasting impact in a values-led organisation, we want to hear from you.
Apply now and be part of the difference we’re making.

To apply, please email your application to recruitement@cambsfire.gov.uk.
Your application should include:
• A copy of your CV, and
• A detailed cover letter explaining how you meet the criteria for the role and why you could make a difference at CFRS as our next Assistant Director – People.

We reserve the right to close the advert at any time, so early applications are encouraged.