The vacancy

Permanent, 18.5 hours

About the Role

As our Fire Safety Officer, you will be the organisation's lead specialist on fire safety, responsible for ensuring we meet all statutory fire safety obligations. You will:

• Develop, maintain and oversee our fire risk assessment programmes for blocks of flats and other properties.
• Carry out and audit fire risk assessments in line with bpha's Fire Safety Policy and Strategy.
• Recommend and drive improvements in fire safety to ensure best practice is always adopted.
• Review development plans and advise on fire precaution specifications.
• Work closely with contractors to ensure fire safety works are delivered on time and to a high standard.
• Develop and update fire safety policy, procedures and internal guidance.
• Liaise with fire safety regulators and external stakeholders as required.
• Provide advice and guidance to staff, managers, contractors and partners.
• Deliver fire safety training to colleagues.
• Engage with residents, offering guidance and contributing to fire safety communications and publications.

About You

We're looking for someone who can work independently, build strong relationships, and champion best practice in fire safety.

As our Fire Safety Officer, you will bring:

Essential Skills & Experience

• Excellent customer service skills and a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in a Social Housing or Fire Service environment.
• Extensive experience conducting or auditing fire risk assessments in simple and complex housing settings.
• In-depth knowledge of fire safety legislation, codes of practice and guidance relevant to housing.

Qualifications

• Fire Risk Assessment qualification (minimum NVQ Level 4, or equivalent).
• Desirable: Fire Service College (or equivalent) training, including:
  • Fire Safety Foundation Theory/Practical
  • Fire Safety Legislation & Risk Assessment Auditing

About us

bpha is a Housing Association located in the Oxford to Cambridge Corridor, which is committed to providing its customers with high quality, value for money services whilst continuing to develop energy efficient, sustainable and affordable housing.

We are a leading provider and developer of affordable homes - for rent, shared ownership and supported housing.

We work together with communities - to improve opportunities, independence and quality of life for our residents, and to benefit the wider community. We bring people together, and run and support a wide range of community activities.

We invest the money we make in existing homes, to enable us to build new homes, and to deliver new and improved services.

As a bpha employee, you'd be joining 500 passionate and valued colleagues. All working together, to achieve our mission and deliver quality service for over 20,000 homes and a more than 33,000 residents (and counting!).

Our vision and values

'Quality homes. Connected communities'.

Our vision underpins our commitment to provide and maintain safe, sustainable, efficient, high standard homes for local people.

Our values underpin the work that we do and are ingrained in our culture at bpha. We are looking for people who can share these values and translate them into day-to-day practices for the benefit of our communities, customers and fellow colleagues. So that we can realise our vision, together.

We are ambitious

We are better together

We show empathy

We take responsibility

Benefits

We believe that benefits should be more than just perks. For us, they aren't simply little extras added on at the end, they're fundamental parts of what we stand for, from the very beginning. As standard.

That's why at bpha, we reward our employees by making sure we give them a supportive and caring environment, that empowers them to be happy, healthy and inspired, every day.

Money & Time

• Holiday entitlement of 28-33 days a year, plus public holidays
• Contributory pension scheme
• Competitive pay
• Life assurance cover

Health & Wellbeing

• Private healthcare
• Mental Health First Aid
• Counselling service
• Eye tests
• Discounted gym membership
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Free annual flu jabs
• Wellbeing activities and events
• Free fruit and refreshments

Recognition

• Long service award
• Annual staff recognition awards
• Discretionary reward scheme

Lifestyle

• Annual volunteering day
• Social events, clubs and activities
• Breakout areas
• Onsite cafe/restaurant at headquarters

Development

• Opportunities for professional training and qualifications
• Workshops and training sessions for new skills
• A fresh and modern eLearning platform