Senior Fire Safety Advisor

at  Northern Care Alliance NHS Group

Job overview
Based at The Royal Oldham Hospital, yet with travel across all Northern Care Alliance sites, the successful post holder will report to the Group Fire Safety Manager and play a key role in the Northern Care Alliance’s Estates and Facilities fire safety team.
Main duties of the job

The Senior Fire Safety Advisor is tasked with supporting the Group Fire Safety Manager in the development and delivery of the Group Fire Safety Strategy:

• The day-to-day implementation of the fire safety policy and fire safety management plan.
• Reporting of non-compliance with legislation, policies and procedures to the Associate Director of Estates.
• Deliver a package of Fire Safety Training material across all Care Organisations within the Northern Care Alliance (NCA), with the requirement to interpret and answer questions based upon locality.
• Programme, complete and record fire risk assessments including the development of suitable action plans for all required areas.
• In the absence of the Group Fire Safety Manager, the post holder will hold full delegated responsibility or deputise accordingly to represent the department across a wide range of services.

Working for our organisation
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) provides hospital and integrated health and social care services to over one million people living across Greater Manchester. Our 20,000 colleagues care for people in hospital and in the community, working across Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Salford, to save and improve lives.
As a large NHS trust we are committed to enhancing the health of our local population by delivering consistently high standards of care and working closely with local authorities and key partners. We believe in our power and potential to make a difference and we’re always looking for people who demonstrate our three core values - care, appreciate and inspire – to join our team.
In return, we can offer you a job role with purpose and flexibility. The size and scale of the NCA means we can provide more challenge and opportunities so your career can always be moving in the right direction. By joining us you can also access a competitive benefits package, including, a fantastic annual leave allowance, flexible working opportunities and protected hours for health and wellbeing activities, helping you to achieve more personal downtime and a better work-life balance.
For the latest information around our values and behaviours, please visit our careers website careers.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk
Detailed job description and main responsibilities

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

MAIN TASKS & OVERVIEW OF RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide expert fire safety advice to the Care Organisation (CO) Chief Operating Officers, Capital Managers and General Managers for Estates and Facilities.
• Co-ordinating fire safety issues throughout the organisation’s activities across all sites including Community Properties.
• Ensuring co-operation between all relevant parties so fire safety standards across the Trust meet national requirements and recommendations.
• Support with the management of all day-to-day fire safety matters across the Oldham Care Organisation and drive implementation of the NCA Fire Safety Management Plan across the EF&C department, clinical areas, and back of house departments.
• Provide a link to relevant Care Organisation committees and other stakeholder meetings as required.
• To provide specialist, technical advice, and support in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 as required.
• Liaise with Estates staff, design teams, local building control officers and fire authorities in the preparation of specifications for fire precautions in new and existing premises and to ensure to that they are compliant with relevant Building Regulations and HTM guidance in respect of fire safety.
• Provide assurances to the Fire Strategy Group that the NCA Organisation properties under the management of third parties are fire safety compliant.
• Apply the Regulatory Reform Safety Order by ensuring the completion, recording and reporting of a fire risk assessment of all premises. Ensure, where necessary, fire safety improvements identified by the assessment are actioned accordingly.
• Programme, complete, record and devise suitable action plans for fire risk assessments and ensure that risks identified are included in the Northern Care Organisation’s risk register as appropriate.
• Ensuring that requirements related to fire procedures for less-able staff, patients and visitors are in place.
• Ensure effective liaison with the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) in respect of inspections, site visits and fire calls.
  To read more information about the advertised role, and the main job duties/responsibilities please open the Job Description and Person Specification located under the supporting documents heading. You can also read more information about working at the Northern Care Alliance within the attached Candidate Information Pack or by visiting our careers website: careers.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk
  Person specification
  Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Science or engineering-based education to diploma level or equivalent or practical experience gained within the fire safety work environment.
• Science, engineering or fire engineering / fire safety diploma level 6 (or equivalent), CIPFA qualification or attendance at SFPO course or equivalent.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries to improve standards.

Desirable criteria

• Qualified Fire Brigade inspecting Officer. (FSC Modules or Level 4)
• IOSH managing safely or equivalent.
• Teaching /Assessing qualification
• Membership of a professional organisation (i.e. Institute of Fire Engineers IFE; Institute of Fire Prevention Officers IFPO).

Knowledge, Skills, Training and Experience

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of the application of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order).
• Experience in undertaking fire risk assessments.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries to improve standards.
• Extensive experience gained within the management and delivery of fire safety/fire prevention

Desirable criteria

• Experience of reviewing Business Continuity Plans
• Knowledge on the application of Building Regulations
• Experience of working with regulatory external stakeholders
• Experience of applying HTM fire safety guidance in a large multi-site Acute hospital setting

Attributes

Essential criteria

• Ability to work under pressure and deal with difficult situations
• Proven organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload with interruptions and changing priorities whilst meeting deadlines
• Highly motivated and resourceful with a proactive approach to problem-solving
• Able to work with minimal supervision and manage fire safety matters & compliance matters.
• Ability to travel and work across all sites

We understand the importance of balancing work and home life. We are committed to supporting flexible working for our people wherever possible and all our colleagues are given the opportunity to discuss potential for flexible working. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) serves a diverse population, and each Care Organisation works hard to ensure all services are accessible and fair.
We respect the value of difference. So, our aim is to employ a workforce representative of the communities we serve. Regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, trans status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief, all are welcome.
We also warmly welcome interest from serving and ex-personnel, and their relatives. Please identify that you are a member of the armed forces community on your application form to be entitled to a guaranteed interview (subject to essential criteria being met). As a Disability Confident Employer, guaranteed interviews are also available to disabled applicants when essential role requirements have been met.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process, please contact resourcingnca@nca.nhs.uk
For posts advertised on a fixed term contract basis, we will offer secondments only for NHS appointments. Fixed term contracts will be only be offered for external non-NHS appointments.