Deputy Head of Protection

Gloucestershire County Council; Gloucester; Hybrid; GBP 53,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Gloucester seeks a Deputy Head of Protection to lead the Business Fire Safety Team. The role involves enforcing fire safety legislation and engaging with communities to ensure compliance. Candidates should have excellent organisational and communication skills, alongside the ability to motivate the team. This permanent position offers a salary of £53,937 - £57,844 per annum with a hybrid working model and various employee benefits including generous leave and pension plans.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Generous annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in fire safety management or related field.
• Ability to influence stakeholders effectively.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing demands of the role.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Business Fire Safety Team in strategic delivery.
• Enforce the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Engage with community to promote fire safety compliance.

Skills

Organisational skills

Effective communication

Team management

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Job description

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.

• Job Title: Deputy Head of Protection
• Job Location: Quayside House
• Salary: £53,937 - £57,844 per annum
• Hours per Week: 37.00
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Closing Date: 26/01/2026
• Job Requisition Number: 13343

This post is not open to job share.

About The Role

The Fire Protection Team are integral in delivering the business fire safety, inspection and enforcement function within Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service. The Team work closely with other departments including Fire Prevention and Operational Response to raise awareness, promote fire safety and deliver on our statutory duties. We actively engage with staff and businesses in the community, providing information, advice and support to ensure buildings and premises used for work, leisure, entertainment and care are compliant with fire safety legislation.

The role of the Deputy Head of Protection is to lead the Business Fire Safety Team by creating the vision to ensure the effective delivery of strategic commitments and Service priorities outlined in the Business Fire Safety programme. The role will take the lead on enforcing the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and support any prosecutions arising from a breach of the Order.

About You

To be successful you will need to have excellent organisational skills to balance multiple workstreams simultaneously, along with a commitment to delivering high standards of work. You will be a self‑starter, capable of motivating yourself and the team, whilst being flexible to meet the changing demands of the role and any emerging challenges. You will communicate effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders across different levels, influencing them where necessary to support the delivery of the Team’s and Service’s vision. Management of the Business Fire Safety Team will be based from Service Headquarters; hybrid working is available and you will be able to operate from any Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service station.

About Us

• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
• Option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part‑time staff)
• Family‑friendly employer offering benefits to help support you and your family
• Career development and qualification opportunities
• Supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
• An in‑house Occupational Health service
• Employee discount scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme (Eligibility criteria and T&Cs apply)
• Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (Eligibility criteria and T&Cs apply)
• Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network

How to Apply

If you feel you have the skills, desire and experience required to make a positive difference then please submit your application and personal statement today by clicking the “Apply Now” button.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Group Manager Matt Armstrong via email at [e-mail].

Short‑listed candidates will be contacted by e‑mail and invited to interview week commencing 9th February 2026.

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below: Deputy Head of Protection - Job Profile

This position is subject to a standard DBS check. The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

If you are an internal applicant and consider yourself to have a disability as per the Equality Act (2010), please declare this in an email to [e-mail], as this is not currently covered in the application due to a technical error. By providing this information, you can choose to be considered for a guaranteed interview under our Disability Confident pledge if you meet all essential criteria. It also enables the recruiting manager to arrange any reasonable adjustments you may need during the process.

a disability is defined as: a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long‑term (more than 12 months) adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day‑to‑day activities.

Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.

It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.