Defence Fire & Rescue Service – Group Manager – Defence Fire Safety Regulator (DFSR) at Ministry of Defence in East of England

Job summary

The Defence Safety Authority (DSA) is responsible for regulating Defence Health, Safety, and Environmental Protection, ensuring compliance with the law and promoting safety across Defence activities. Operating under a Charter from the Secretary of State for Defence (SofS), the DSA provides independent assurance that safety policies are implemented effectively while supporting Defence’s operational needs.

The DSA hosts Defence safety regulators across all operating environments and incorporates the Defence Accident Investigation Branch (DAIB) and an HQ within a single independent organisation led by a 3* military officer.

As part of this mission, the Defence Fire Safety Regulator (DFSR) ensures compliance with UK fire safety legislation through risk-based audits, works consultations, and post-incident reviews. The DFSR also provides expert advice, enforces fire safety standards, and collaborates with key stakeholders to uphold the highest safety standards across the Defence Estate.

This is a full-time position (42 hours per week) offering a unique opportunity to contribute to the safety and security of Defence personnel and assets.

Job description

Are you ready to take on a critical role in safeguarding lives and assets across the Defence Estate? As a Defence Fire Safety Regulator (DFSR), Fire Safety Inspector, you will be ensuring compliance with UK fire safety legislation and driving the highest standards of safety. Your responsibilities will include ensuring that Responsible (Accountable) Persons implement effective fire precautions to protect people and property.

A key part of your role will involve conducting risk-based audits to assess compliance with fire safety legislation and Defence Safety Regulations. These audits are essential to ensuring that Responsible (Accountable) Persons implement effective fire precautions to protect people and property. You will also undertake post-fire audits where necessary, identifying potential failings and taking appropriate action to address them. Where breaches of legislation are identified, or where an immediate risk to life is present, you will have the authority to issue Enforcement Notices or Prohibition Notices to safeguard lives and ensure compliance.

In addition to audits, you will play a vital role in statutory fire safety consultations for building works. This process ensures that new or altered buildings meet fire safety regulations by addressing fire safety issues early in the planning and design stages. You will work closely with building control bodies (local authorities or private inspectorates), applicants (such as developers, architects, or owners). By embedding fire safety from the outset, you will help prevent costly and disruptive changes later in the construction process.

We are seeking a motivated and experienced professional to join our team. This is not just a job—it’s an opportunity to make a real difference. As a confident communicator with a strong understanding of UK fire safety legislation, you will collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to uphold safety standards across the Defence Estate. You’ll use your analytical and interpretation skills to conduct audits, assess compliance, and contribute to the continuous improvement of fire safety practices. No two days will be the same, offering you a dynamic and rewarding work environment where your expertise will have a tangible impact.

This role also offers the opportunity to travel across the UK, as you work to ensure fire safety compliance in diverse and challenging environments. If you’re ready to take on a role that combines responsibility, variety, and the chance to make a real impact, we want to hear from you.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

Eligibility - This is a uniformed Defence Fire and Rescue Service Group Manager post available to current competent Group Managers, current competent Station Managers on promotion, or an individual who can demonstrate the correct Fire Service competencies, experience and evidence of operating as a substantive Station Manager (or higher) in a UK Fire and Rescue Service (Military Equivalent – Flt Sgt/CPO/WO).

Build Effective Relationships: Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Building Control Authorities and Responsible (Accountable) Persons on the Defence Estate. Provide regulatory guidance, goodwill advice, and monitor agreed safety management systems to ensure compliance with legislative fire safety requirements.

Conduct Risk-Based Audits: Perform risk-based audits to assess compliance with UK fire safety legislation. Where failings are identified and supported by appropriate evidence, take enforcement action in line with national enforcement protocols.

Review and Improve Regulations: Continuously manage, assess, and review the accuracy and relevance of Defence Fire Safety Regulations. Monitor processes, outputs, and enforcement actions to support the DFSR Team Leader (TL) in ensuring correct application.

Champion Process Improvements: Identify and champion changes to address shortfalls in processes and policies. Work with the DFSR TL to implement more efficient and effective enforcement strategies to achieve compliance.

Advise on Fire Safety Management: Provide advice and guidance to Responsible and Accountable Persons on delegating suitably competent staff to deliver fire safety activities. Offer practical recommendations to achieve fire safety objectives within realistic timescales, ensuring optimal use of available resources.

Support Workshops and Meetings: Assist in planning and delivering fire safety workshops to facilitate decision-making and the implementation of regulatory duties. Participate in meetings to enhance regulatory processes, follow up on agreed action points, and ensure effective communication with stakeholders.

Post-Incident Enforcement: Advise on breaches of fire safety legislation following incidents. Where necessary, take proportionate and appropriate enforcement action to address non-compliance.

Develop and Implement Plans: Assist in the development, organisation, and implementation of plans to ensure effective enforcement and regulation. Make evidence-based decisions for each circumstance and maintain communication with Responsible and Accountable Persons to achieve compliance goals.

Propose Regulatory Changes: Identify opportunities to improve regulatory processes. Record, evaluate, and propose changes to the DFSR TL, detailing the benefits and potential challenges of the suggested strategies.

Coordinate Fire Safety Projects: Support the coordination of large PFI (Private Finance Initiative)/Pan-UK and, when required, overseas fire safety projects. Ensure that fire safety consultation input is provided to meet regulatory requirements.

Ensure Contractor Compliance: Regulate the outputs of works contractors to ensure fire safety compliance. Build and maintain positive relationships with fire safety partners and participate in relevant meetings to drive continuous improvement.

Represent Defence Interests: Represent Defence on national and regional fire safety sector committees and working groups. Ensure that Defence interests are effectively considered and advocated.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence – many of the MOD locations where you will be required to attend are remote and public transport may not be available. Therefore, a full UK driving licence is essential.

Evidence of Licence will be required at interview.

All licences declared must be held at point of application and if applicable be in date. Equivalents will not be accepted.

Qualifications

Qualifications – essential

Level 4 Certificate in Fire Safety (Auditors), recognised by an official awarding body.

Qualifications – desirable

Lead Auditor (ISO 9001/45001)

Fire Safety level 4 Diploma.

Fire Safety level 5 Diploma.

All qualifications declared must be held at point of application and if applicable be in date.

Evidence of qualifications will be required at interview. Equivalent Qualifications will not be accepted.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Technical Skills will be assessed at interview only (10 min presentation). The topic will be provided to those candidates successful at the sift stage.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,410, Ministry of Defence contributes

£16,921 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Discover My Benefits:

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD:

https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

Membership of an appropriate occupational or stakeholder pension scheme will be available. (For further details please see the Pensions Information on the website.) Also, a generous annual leave allowance and excellent training and development opportunities leading to possible advancement and promotion.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ .

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel,