Partnership Manager

Salary: Corporate - £64,648 - £71,148 per annum

Fire Control - £70,642 per annum (calculated on 95% of the respective operational role as determined by the NJC) 

Wholetime Operational - £74,360 per annum (with a requirement to maintain operational competence)

This post does not attract any additional allowances, inclusive of the flexi duty. 

More information on salaries and progression can be found on our pay and policies page.

Hours of work: Wholetime Operational/Control – 42 hours per week on a 9 day fortnight

Non-Operational/Corporate – 37 hours per week        

Contract type: Temporary appointment or Secondment – Up to 18 months (end of May 2027)

Location: The service encourages flexible working and is open to flexible working options. The role has the flexibility for individuals to work from home / FRS Stations / Support Offices and we would welcome a conversation with the successful candidate on what type of flexible working arrangement will work best for you. There will be a requirement to attend locations across the South West and Kent around 8 days a month for key activities and meetings

This is not a Wiltshire Council vacancy therefore please contact Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue for further information.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service working with the Networked Fire Services Partnership (NFSP) on a temporary basis for up to 18 months. 

We invite applications from individuals with appropriate experience for this temporary position. This includes non-fire service applicants as well as Fire Service staff who are competent, substantive Station Managers or above and ready for the next step in their career as a temporary Area Manager, or a substantive Area Manager. 

What is the NFSP?

The NFSP Partnership brings together Devon and Somerset, Hampshire and the Isle of White, Kent, and Dorset & Wiltshire, Fire and Rescue Services working collaboratively to deliver a hosted Command, Control and Integrated Communication System.

We are looking for applications from individuals who are able to evidence against the Essential Criteria as stated on the Person Specification.

• Non-operational/Corporate individuals as a temporary role or secondment
• Substantive WDS Area Managers wishing to undertake a secondment
• Substantive WDS / Control Group Managers seeking temporary promotion via a secondment
• Competent and substantive WDS / Control Station Managers seeking temporary promotion via a secondment.

This will not guarantee a permanent post on completion of the temporary arrangement. This is a temporary opportunity and does not provide access to a promotion pool, it is only connected to this role. If you are being appointed from a Fire and Rescue Service, this would be on a secondment basis with agreement from your existing Fire and Rescue Service.  

If a Wholetime Duty System or a Control individual is appointed through a secondment, maintenance of skills will remain the responsibility of the primary employer.

Should you be shortlisted for interview, further details regarding the interview format / location will be provided before the interview date.

We offer a wide range of employee benefits and strive to ensure that staff are valued and rewarded. For example, a generous annual leave allowance, a variety of family friendly schemes including 39 weeks’ full pay during maternity leave (subject to qualifying criteria) and health & well-being services. 

As the NFSP Partnership Manager you will:

• Effectively manage and lead a four Services’ partnership function and ensure delivery of the NFSP strategic objectives 
• Manage the Contract for the NEC Control Replacement during the implementation phase, providing legal, governance and financial input into the project and contractual meetings. 
• Oversee the Quality Management of the project delivery and provide the escalation route between the project and the governance boards. 
• Develop the NFSP Strategic plan and deliver annual reporting on progress against the NFSP objectives. Plan activity to meet both long term, medium and short term objectives and report on progress to the boards. 
• Continue work on the completion of the Partnership Legal Agreement, developing the final schedules, alongside the onboarding of Kent into the partnership. 
• Build on the strong collaboration across controls, developing a structure of governance, management and delivery groups that continually improve and enhance partnership working 
• Budget Management - Prepare the budget to provide the partners with a 3-year rolling forecast. Allocate funds and manage budgets, on behalf of the Partnership Members

For full details of the role and requirements please have a look at the job description and person specification.

Other Information:

• If applying for this role on a secondment basis, it is the expectation you would notify and seek approval from your substantive line manager of your intention to apply for this role at the earliest opportunity.
• You must have a full current driving licence and be able to fulfil the travel requirements of the role. Use of your own vehicle will be required; however, a Service vehicle may be available. Please note Service vehicles are manual transmission only. 
• Any offer of employment will be subject to full pre-employment checks which include identity checks, right to work in the UK, medical, negative drug test, receipt of satisfactory references, verification of employment history and an explanation of any gaps in employment in the last 3-years. We are required to obtain references for your full 3-year employment history so we may need to ask you to provide additional referees. 
• Please click here for information relating to raising tax awareness and pension considerations when applying for a job. 

Find out more and apply:

If you require any additional information or would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact: NFSP Partnership Manager - Jennifer Cutler on 07799 075950 or by email: Jennifer.cutler@dwfire.org.uk

The advert link is: Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service | Current vacancies 

Closing and Interview date:  The closing date for applications is Sunday 19 October 2025 (midnight).  It is intended that interviews will take place on Wednesday 5 November 2025. 

Our Candidate Charter outlines the commitments we make to you when applying for a vacancy with us. 

Please note we do not accept CV’s in place of application forms. 

We welcome the use of AI responsibly and ethically to demonstrate your skills in your application, but please don’t allow it to overshadow your own unique voice.

While we appreciate innovative approaches, we also value authenticity. Our assessment considers both the content of the application and how it was created, ensuring fairness and inclusivity for all applicants. At the end of the day – we want YOU to work for us!

You should ensure you include satisfactory evidence in your application to demonstrate all of the areas stated as being measured at the Application Stage on the Person Specification. This will ensure you have the best opportunity of progressing to the next stage of the selection process. 

We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities and welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances.  All applications will be treated on merit and staff involved in recruitment and selection processes undertake unconscious bias training.

We are committed to the Disability Confident Scheme and guarantee an interview to applicants with a disclosed disability if they meet the minimum criteria for the post to which they are applying.  Please tell us in confidence if this applies to you, or if there are any reasonable adjustments that would help you apply for this post. To find out more, please see our website

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Adults, Children and Young People.  All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.

If you hold international qualifications, you will be required to provide official evidence that shows how these compare to UK Qualifications. We will accept a Statement of Comparability from a UK organisation called ENIC which can be obtained via their website. Please note that UK ENIC charge for this service, so if you request a Statement of Compatibility, you will be required to pay for it as we are unable to reimburse you.

For further guidance on how to complete your application, please refer to the Job Application Guidance Notes. If you are experiencing difficulties completing your application or have a need to complete your application in an alternative format due to a disability, please contact HR Resourcing on 01722 691444 within plenty of time of the closing date of the position you are applying for. 

Values & Behaviours Framework 

Our recruitment, assessment and progression processes are based on our Code of Ethics that has been developed specifically for Fire and Rescue Services.  When recruiting, we identify the most important behaviours for the role and these are used as part of the short-listing and selection process.

Job application guidance notes

Employment benefits 
 

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