Fire Safety Inspector

Do you have a recognised Level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety and a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of fire safety compliance?

Are you passionate about Fire Safety, with the ability to assess and manage risk and apply fire safety legislation in a practical and proportionate manner?

We are looking for a committed and motivated professional to help protect those who work, live, and visit the county.

As part of the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Protection department, you will carry out Fire Safety audits and inspections, assessing compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) and other relevant legislation.

Your work will play a key role in promoting fire safety standards and supporting our mission to keep people and premises safe.

Salary: £36,363 to £39,152 per annum

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract until February 2027. Final start and end dates will be agreed with the successful candidate.

Working Pattern: Full-time (37 hours per week)

Location: Haywards Heath Fire Station, Mill Green Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1XJ

Interview Date: TBC

Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position. Please can you therefore discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.

This role is physically active involving daily site visits and inspections across West Sussex. The successful candidate will need to travel independently to locations across West Sussex including to areas that may not be easily accessible by public transport.

About the Job

In this varied role, no two days are the same. You will carry out fire safety audits and inspections across a range of premises, assessing fire risks and safety measures while providing advice and support to businesses to help them meet their legal fire safety responsibilities.

There will be some key responsibilities likely to feature in this role, including:

• Undertake fire safety audits and inspections within higher-risk premises, assessing compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) and taking formal enforcement action where required, including the issuing of Enforcement Notices under Article 30.
• Work closely with businesses, partner agencies, and other enforcing authorities to provide expert fire safety advice, influencing duty holders to implement necessary improvements and ensuring compliance with fire safety legislation.
• Liaise and consult with other enforcement bodies regarding fire safety provisions in a range of premises, including those undergoing construction, alteration, or demolition.
• Assist in the investigation of fire safety offences, gathering and presenting evidence to support enforcement and prosecution action under the Fire Safety Order where appropriate.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional guidance to Fire and Rescue Service personnel, including Fire Safety Advisors and operational firefighters, supporting their development and enhancing organisational capability in fire safety.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, contributing to a collaborative approach to improving community safety across West Sussex.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety.
• Registered as a Fire Risk Auditor on the Institute of Fire Engineers Contextualised Auditors Register in line with the National Fire Chiefs Council "Competence Framework for Fire Safety Regulators".
• Extensive experience of applying and enforcing the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 within a UK Fire & Rescue service.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, enabling effective interaction with diverse audiences, including individuals of different ages, abilities, cultural backgrounds, and professional disciplines.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached.

Rewards and Benefits

We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role. You will benefit from 27days annual leave, rising to 28 days after 5 years' service (pro rata for part time plus the opportunity to buy additional leave and an excellentlocal government pension scheme

A range of discounts give our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform.

For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role isCPP01405.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Pete Sadler at .

For issues or queries regarding your application please contact.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.This post is subject to right to work within the UK, Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, satisfactory references, and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application helppage.

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