Group Manager - Transfer or Promotion Opportunity
An exciting opportunity has emerged for wholetime Group Managers and competent wholetime Station Managers (seeking promotion) to join one of the UK's leading fire and rescue services. The outcome of our latest HMICFRS inspection includes eight ‘good’ judgements.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) serves a diverse population of over two million people across nearly 800 square miles. Providing 24/7 fire cover every day of the year, we are dedicated to protecting and serving our communities.
We are an organisation where everyone is encouraged, trusted and supported to play their part in promoting safety and wellbeing across all communities in West Yorkshire. We are looking for candidates who are committed to our vision of making West Yorkshire safer and who demonstrate the NFCC Core Code of Ethics.
What We Offer
- 20% Flexible Duty System (FDS) allowance plus an additional 15% GM duty system allowance.
- Lease car scheme.
- A new modern HQ and Training Facility
- Relocation assistance package (for those relocating from outside of West Yorkshire).
- Access to an employee assistance programme to support wellbeing.
- Training and development to help you grow in your career.
- Sports and social clubs with free use of gym.
We are an equal opportunities employer; we value and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome candidates from communities that are currently under-represented at WYFRS, including women, racially & ethnically diverse applicants and applicants with disabilities. We can offer support and adjustments for candidates and staff who experience barriers to work that result from health conditions or Specific Learning Differences, such as dyslexia.
Applications are welcome from existing UK wholetime Group Managers and competent wholetime Station Managers as a promotion opportunity.
Eligibility
The following criteria must be satisfied to be eligible to apply:
- be a wholetime substantive and competent Station Manager (or above) in a UK Fire and Rescue Service.
- have no current/outstanding development action plans, performance improvement action plans or capability issues related to competency.
- be free of current formal disciplinary awards throughout the entire process.
- identified as showing potential for promotion as part of their Annual Review (AR) with a supporting statement from the Line Manager (Internal only).
- hold and maintain all qualifications required for their current role.
- have completed and maintained all role related courses within the required refresher periods.
The selection process will comprise of:
- Stage 1 – Identified as showing potential for promotion as part their Annual Review (AR) (Internal Station Managers Only).
- Stage 2 - Completion of an online application form and subsequent shortlisting.
- Stage 3 - Operational Command Assurance Assessments.
- Stage 4 – Real World Leader Assessment.
- Stage 5 – Career Progression Gateway.
- Stage 6 - Interview/role suitability exercise.
- Stage 7 - Pre employment checks.
Stage 2: Application Form
Applicants must complete and submit an online application form using the e-recruitment system.
Shortlisting
Following the closing date, submitted application forms will be forwarded to the Shortlisting Panel for consideration. As part of the shortlisting process, applications will be scored against a set benchmark score and only those applicants who meet the benchmark will be shortlisted and progress through to the next stages. All applicants will be advised via the e-recruitment system whether or not they have been successfully shortlisted.
Stage 3: Operational Command Assurance
Applicants will be assessed and graded (Pass or Fail) against Skills for Justice Advanced Incident Command scoring criteria. However, prior to this assessment taking place, development opportunities will be available for all candidates prior to the assessment taking place.
Stage 4: Real World Leader Assessment
The RWL is designed to help applicants reflect on the extent to which they demonstrate 11 different leadership behaviours in their day-to-day work. The assessment should take less than 30 minutes to complete.
The responses will be used to inform a structured interview, providing an opportunity to explore their leadership approach and experiences in more detail.
Stage 5: Career Progression Gateway
Career Progression Gateway (CPG) is an online assessment that evaluates performance, knowledge, skills and behaviours. Applicants will be assessed and graded (Pass or Fail). The CPG will consist of 2 online exercises:
- The case study exercise
In this timed exercise, applicants receive various pieces of information along with clear task guidelines. They must read the provided information and type their responses, which may include writing an email or article, drafting a proposal and recommendation, or conducting an analysis, strategy, and initiative, all within free text boxes during the allotted time.
- The role-play exercise
Applicants have a set time to read the scenario information before an assessor calls them via video. The role-play begins and is timed from the moment the candidate answers the call.
Stage 6: Interview and role suitability exercise
A behavioural interview will take place along with a role suitability exercise to test the candidates’ suitability for the vacant GM positions.
Stage 7: Pre-Employment Checks
All offers of employment will be subject to a skills gap analysis, references, medical, fitness test, Disclosure and Barring and pre-employment checks.
Merit List
- Successful candidates will be held on a successful applicant list in grade/score order and will be offered a promotion development role, as soon as a suitable vacancy arises. This successful applicant list will remain in place until a new promotion process is undertaken up to a maximum of 18 months. Applicants still on this list will need to reapply and undertake the promotion process again if a new promotion process for that rank is commenced.
- Applications close: Sunday 6th December 2026
- Shortlisting: by end of week 11th December 2026
Break for Christmas period and notification of shortlist decisions
- Command Assurance Development sessions 6th to 8th January 2027
- Command Assurance Assessments: Various dates between 13th and 22nd January 2027
- CPG e-learning 25th January 2027 to 5th February 2027
- Real World Leader Assessments 25th January 2027 to 31st January 2027
- Online CPG testing: 8th to 10h February 2027
- Real World Leader validation interviews between 8th February and 19th February 2027
- Interviews/role suitability exercise: Week Commencing 22nd February 2027.
Applicants must complete and submit an online application form using our e-recruitment system.
The closing date for applications will be midnight on Sunday 6th December 2026.
All offers of employment will be subject to a skills gap analysis, references, medical, fitness test, security clearance, DBS checks.
For an informal discussion about this role, please contact:
Director of People and Culture Sonia Pawson
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07813727030
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Nick Smith
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07919182619
AM Dave Teggart
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07810354638
Click here for Guidance Document
Click here for Additional Guidance for our new E-recruitment System
All correspondence will usually be sent to your email account registered with the online recruitment system rather than by letter. Please check your email account regularly.
If after reading all of this information, you are interested in applying, please read the documents listed above for more details and click on 'Apply' for the application form.
Please note we do not accept CVs. If you are viewing this vacancy on ‘jobsindeed’ or other external platform, the only way to apply for this vacancy is to visit www.wyfs.co.uk/careers and complete the application form via our online Access vacancy system.
We are an equal opportunities employer; we value and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome candidates from communities that are currently under-represented at WYFRS, including women, Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic applicants and applicants with disabilities. We can offer support and adjustments for candidates and staff who experience barriers to work that result from health conditions or Specific Learning Differences, such as dyslexia.
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service are committed to the safeguarding of our staff, volunteers, visitors and the community we serve. This includes protecting vulnerable adults, children and young people from potential neglect and harm. All employees must share the same commitment.
WYFRS is a ‘Real Living Wage’ employer and have been rated ‘good’ by HMICFRS in all areas of our service.
