Director (Wholetime) - County Durham & Darlington Fire and Rescue Service

Director (Wholetime) - County Durham & Darlington Fire and Rescue Service

Are you an ambitious, visionary leader ready to shape the future of fire and rescue services? County Durham and Darlington Combined Fire Authority is seeking an exceptional individual to join our leadership team as a Director (Wholetime).

We are looking for someone who can deliver a professional, innovative, and high-performing service, ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities while meet all statutory and legal responsibilities. This is a unique opportunity to influence the future direction of a service that is proud to be recognised as high performing, forward-thinking, and trusted by the communities we serve.

Our vision is clear: "Safest People, Safest Places." To achieve this, we need a leader who can drive transformation, embrace innovation, and work collaboratively with partners during a period of financial challenge for public services. Your ability to lead change, inspire confidence, and maintain excellence will help us stand out and continue delivering outstanding services.

We are looking for an individual with a proven track record of senior leadership and delivering organisational change in complex, political, and unionised environments. Someone with strong skills in strategic planning, resource management, and decision-making, with the resilience and creativity to navigate competing priorities. Has a leadership style that is inclusive, engaging, and committed to diversity, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

Applicants should possess extensive experience as a Group Manager and hold a relevant postgraduate degree for the position. Ideally, candidates will be qualified and currently working at Fire Service Incident Command Level 4 to participate in the Executive rota; however, substantial command experience at Level 3 will also be taken into account.

If you have the vision, resilience, and leadership skills to shape the future of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, we want to hear from you. This is your opportunity to make a real difference, driving innovation, delivering excellence, and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our communities.