Lead with Purpose. Inspire People. Protect Communities. Shape the Future.



This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the UK's most progressive and ambitious Fire & Rescue Services at a pivotal moment in its journey. Serving more than 800,000 residents across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS) is seeking an exceptional Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive to lead our organisation through its next phase of transformation, innovation and service excellence.



Recent HMICFRS inspections have recognised the significant progress we have made, identifying no causes of concern, no recommendations, and highlighting our Leadership and Behaviour Framework as innovative practice. Yet our ambition remains undiminished. We are determined to build an even stronger culture, deliver outstanding services and ensure every member of our workforce feels valued, respected and empowered to succeed.



Reporting directly to Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority, you will provide visible, values-led leadership to an organisation of approximately 500 employees, with strategic oversight of a £43.9m revenue budget and a £22.6m capital programme. As the Authority's principal strategic adviser, you will guide the Service through an increasingly complex environment shaped by evolving community risks, financial pressures, technological change and growing public expectations.



We are looking for a leader who combines strategic insight with humility, integrity and authenticity. You will have a proven track record of leading large, complex and politically accountable organisations, driving organisational improvement, cultural change and high performance. Most importantly, you will genuinely believe in the potential of people, creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, contribute and deliver exceptional outcomes for the communities we serve.



You will bring the credibility to influence across government, regulators, elected members, partners and communities; the resilience to lead through challenge and uncertainty; and the vision to ensure BFRS remains at the forefront of modern public service leadership. We welcome applications from outstanding leaders within the fire and rescue sector and will also consider candidates who can demonstrate equivalent executive leadership experience within highly regulated, operationally critical and publicly accountable environments.



This is more than a leadership position. It is an opportunity to make a lasting difference to communities; shape the future of public safety and lead an organisation whose people are proud to serve.



Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are an equal opportunity employer. Applications from people of any colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or disability are welcome. If there are any adaptions or adjustments, we can make to help you in your application, or with our recruitment process, please do let us know.



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Recruitment Timetable



Closing date

23:59 Sunday 29 November 2026



Shortlist Meeting

Wednesday 2 December 2026



Assessments and Final Panel Interviews

Monday 14 December 2026




How to Apply



All applications submitted before
23:59hrs on Sunday 29 November will be considered. All applications received after this deadline will be rejected.



All applicants are required to provide the following:

• An up-to-date CV which shows your full career history with any breaks explained. Please include details of all roles that are currently held - we recommend that this is no longer than two pages.


• A supporting statement which shows the answers to the following three questions.

A supporting statement which shows the answers to the following three questions.



Each answer should not be more than 350 words (i.e. 1,050 words in total). The questions are:




1. Understanding the dual role: Please outline how you would balance the dual requirements of providing effective leadership and oversight of the organisation's day-to-day operations as Chief Fire Officer, whilst also delivering strategic leadership of a multi-million-pound organisation employing 500 people as its Chief Executive?




2.The first three years: The service has a significant and exciting period ahead in the next three years. Projects include the delivery of a purpose-built firefighter training centre, improvements to our On-Call response, and a determination to build further on the excellent outcome of the recent HMICFRS inspection. How will your knowledge and experience contribute to success in these specific areas?




3.Future challenges: Budget constraints, local government re-organisation, climate change and housing growth will all impact on the Fire Service. How has your experience to date prepared you for these issues?



If, having read all the available information, you would like an informal confidential discussion about the role, please contact Duncan Collins on duncan.collins@gatenbysanderson.com / 07586 705475



If you do experience any issues with submitting the documents, please contact Mary Dempsey-Kelly at mary.dempsey@gatenbysanderson.com .