The Opportunity

Salary: Station Manager B development £52,040 – competent £57,402

Working Pattern: Full time, average of 42 hours per week.

Location: Your primary office location will be our Training Centre in Horsham, and you will also have the flexibility to work from other stations throughout West Sussex. Additionally, there will be opportunities for you to work remotely from home, as deemed appropriate for your work responsibilities.

Assessments and Interview: Incident Command assessments are scheduled for w/c 31 August 2026 and interviews from w/c 21 September 2026

At West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, we're committed to protecting and supporting the communities we serve. As part of West Sussex County Council, we deliver vital response, prevention and protection services to more than 850,000 residents and visitors across the county.

We're looking for an exceptional and motivated leader to join us as Station Manager – Firefighter Development & Competency, a pivotal role within our Operational Training, Safety & Preparedness Department.

This is a unique opportunity to lead the team responsible for ensuring our operational workforce remains competent, compliant and prepared to meet the challenges of a modern Fire and Rescue Service.

Based at Horsham Training Centre, you will manage the Operational Development & Competency team, overseeing the assessment and quality assurance of operational training delivered across the Service.

You'll have oversight of key areas including:

• Breathing Apparatus competency
• Emergency Response Driving
• Operational Fitness
• Recruit firefighter training, development and competence assurance

Working closely with colleagues across the Service, you will ensure training and development activities align with National Operational Guidance, national standards and legislative requirements, while delivering innovative learning solutions that support operational excellence.

This role will be conditioned to the Day Duty system. A Flexi-Duty line may be offered later subject to business needs and statutory duty requirements but is not immediately applicable to this post. If the successful applicant is internal and already holds a substantive Flexi Duty line this would be maintained.

Please read through our Community Risk Management Plan 2026 to 2030 to find out more about our Strategic Priorities.

Who We’re Looking For

We're looking for an experienced operational leader who is passionate about developing people and improving organisational performance.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Strong and inclusive leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire teams.
• Extensive knowledge of operational competence, learning and development, and assessment processes.
• Understanding of National Operational Guidance and its application within Fire and Rescue Services.
• Experience of designing and implementing effective training and development solutions.
• Excellent communication, coaching and stakeholder engagement skills.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, creating positive and supportive working environments.
• The ability to drive improvement, embrace change and solve complex problems effectively.

Please see the attached job description for the specific Key Skills, Qualifications and Experience required for this role.

How to apply

To be eligible to apply you must currently be a substantive and competent Watch Manager (or higher grade) who has demonstrated and maintained competence against the requirements of the NJC Watch Manager role map.

To apply click the Apply Online button at the bottom of this page and upload the following documents.

1. Current CV

Your CV should demonstrate how you meet the qualifications section of the job description, provide a full employment and education history, including reasons for any gaps.

2. Covering Letter

Using evidence-based examples your covering letter should explain how you demonstrate the required key skills and experience in the job description. Your letter should be no more than three sides of A4 long, use font style Verdana, size 11, with normal margins and single line spacing.

3. Incident Command certificate

Upload your Incident Command certificate and if the qualification was attained more than two years ago, also upload evidence of your most recent re-validation

Selection process overview

Stage 1 - Application submission

Once the advert has closed, our shortlisting panel will review applications. Candidates who have demonstrated they meet the criteria will be invited to the next stage.

Stage 2 – Incident Command Assessment

The incident command assessment will be held in person. Candidates who meet the criteria will be invited to the next stage.

If a candidate is successful at Stage 1 and already holds a Level 4 Award in Intermediate Incident Command or has successfully undertaken the assessment as part of another WSFRS Station Manager process in the past 24 months, they will not need to attend Stage 2 and will be invited to the next stage.

Stage 3 - Virtual exercise

Candidates who meet the criteria will be invited to the next stage.

Stage 4 – Presentation and Interview

The presentation and interview will be held in person. Appointments will be subject to a security clearance check, satisfactory references, full medical and fitness assessment. 

Please note while we will do our best to accommodate alternative dates for in person assessments if requested, it may not be practicable due to the number of participants required.

Further information

The reference number for this role is CPP01401.

Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to this advert as you will not have the opportunity to download it again once the advert has closed.

We understand that some people may use artificial intelligence (AI) to help them when applying for roles. However, it is important the submitted application is your own work. While AI can be useful for things like checking spelling, grammar, or helping to structure answers, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism is identified (presenting ideas and experiences of others, or ideas generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn.

We are committed to fair, inclusive and merit‑based recruitment. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and are dedicated to removing barriers that may prevent people from progressing. Our processes are transparent, consistent and designed to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to demonstrate their strengths. We value the diversity of our workforce and believe it enhances our Service, our culture and our performance.

WSCC operates a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who have a disability (including neurodivergent conditions), are a veteran or are a care leaver and meet the essential criteria for the role. As this is a multi-stage process, candidates who apply under the scheme will need to meet the essential criteria at each stage to progress to the next. More information can be found on our application help page.

We are immensely proud you are considering joining us as a Station Manager and are here to support you. If you need any support throughout the process would like to speak to someone about the role or selection process, please email us at [email protected]

Together we will make West Sussex a safer place and have an everlasting impact on our community. We look forward to receiving your application.

Safeguarding Statement

WSFRS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and all employees must share this commitment.

Fire & Rescue Service roles are listed in Schedule 1 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order and as such it is our policy to require all applicants to disclose any criminal convictions (both spent and unspent held in the UK or overseas) including driving offences, cautions and/or reprimands. As part of the application process, you will be required to list the dates and details of any sentences if applicable. The information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and will be considered only in relation to the appointment for which you are applying (please refer to the Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information).

Legislation enables Fire & Rescue Services to be eligible for a Standard level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for employees of their Service, including volunteers. You are also required to inform us of any pending or incomplete investigations of a safeguarding nature that are ongoing, or that arise during this period of application and pre-employment. A table of rehabilitation periods for the most common sentences and disposals, and example scenarios can be found here Rehabilitation Periods - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)