Deputy Director - People Services (GMFRS)

Shape the future of people, culture and leadership in a world-class Fire & Rescue Service

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most

Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (GMFRS) plays a vital role at the heart of our communities - protecting lives, supporting resilience, and responding to critical incidents 24/7. It is a leading and the most improved Fire Service in the country today.

We are now seeking an exceptional Deputy Director People Services to help shape a modern, inclusive and high-performing workforce - ensuring our people are supported, empowered and equipped for the challenges of the future. This is a rare opportunity to operate at executive level, influencing culture, organisational performance and service delivery in one of the UK’s most important emergency services.

The Opportunity

As Deputy Director, you will act as a strategic executive business partner to GMFRS; driving transformation across people, culture and organisational effectiveness. GMFRS is one of three organisations under the Greater Manchester Combined Authority umbrella, and this role will work strategically alongside other People Services leaders in the group to deliver improved outcomes for the communities of Greater Manchester under the wider ‘three organisations, one team’ ethos. It will play an important part in ensuring alignment between service priorities and the broader people agenda across the organisation.

Working closely with the Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and senior leadership teams, you will lead the Fire Service’s contribution to the wider GMCA People Strategy, aligned to national Fire & Rescue priorities and local service ambitions. You will work alongside other People Services leaders across the group and matrix into a shared HR operational service, helping to create a more connected, consistent and high-impact people offer. You will also provide expert strategic advice at the highest level, deputise for the Director of People Services as required, and directly lead key GMFRS functions including the Professional Standards department. Through this, you will elevate People Services as a strategic partner, improving customer experience and organisational impact, and help shape organisational culture and behaviour, fostering inclusion, wellbeing and psychological safety.

Who We’re Looking For

We are seeking a credible, values-led HR leader with the experience and impact to operate at executive level and provide expert, credible advice at the highest level, influencing key decisions across the Service.

You will bring:

• Significant senior HR leadership experience in a complex, unionised environment
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders, Members and a wide range of stakeholders
• Deep expertise in employee relations, industrial relations, negotiation and organisational change
• Experience of delivering strategic people programmes linked to organisational performance outcomes
• Strong understanding of the Fire & Rescue, emergency service or wider public service context, including how people services support operational resilience
• Experience of using workforce insight, benchmarking and best practice to shape decisions at senior level
• The political awareness and judgement to operate effectively in a complex public service and governance environment

As GMFRS is a 24/7 emergency response service, this role is based at Service Headquarters and requires the flexibility to work in a pattern aligned to executive leadership requirements, including regular office based working.

Ready to Apply?

If you are a strategic, people-focused leader with the ambition to make a real difference at scale, we want to hear from you. Work at the heart of public service reform in Greater Manchester . Join us and help shape the future of People Services in Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service.

About us:

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) brings together the cityregion’s ten councils and key partners including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) - to deliver the Greater Manchester Strategy. Our shared vision is to create a thriving city region where everyone can live a good life. We work to grow an inclusive economy and ensure people have what they need to live happy, healthy lives, tackling inequalities. Our policy department include Digital, Economy, Education, Work & Skills, Environment, Place Making, Public Service Reform, and Safer & Stronger Communities - who are supported by our essential corporate functions like Finance, Legal & Governance, People Services, Procurement and Communications.

We value the diversity of our employees, and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across Greater Manchester. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified individuals, irrespective of people's age, disability, Trans status and Non-binary identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We have guidance in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

To find out more about working for us please visit:

Our offer:

In return for your hard work, we offer our employees a competitive package as part of our offer that you can find out more about here:

Greater Manchester Combined Authority - Home | greater.jobs

Mandatory Information:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.

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Employees on the redeployment register will be given priority for any vacancies in the first instance. If employees are identified as a match from the register then the vacancy may be withdrawn or put on hold pending an outcome.

For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK ( Please note we are not a licenced sponsor.

GM Elevate Programme

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme within the last two years, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application?

DBS checks

The role holder will be subject to an Standard level check by the Disclosure & Barring Service.

This post involves working for a Fire and Rescue Service and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Failure to disclose information when asked within this application could result in dismissal but will not necessarily be a bar to employment with us. The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.

Safeguarding Policy and Procedure

Supporting Documents