Benefits:

Salary: (£20.11 to £20.67 per positive hour), plus a retainer of up to £6606 to £6789, depending on cover hours provided, and a disturbance allowance of £5.12 per occasion
Hours: On-Call providing between 40 and 120 cover hours per week, and a commitment to attend drill nights (typically Monday evenings from 7 pm)
Location - either at Hungerford Fire Station or Lambourn Fire Station, depending on the post being applied for.


About the role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a substantive on-call Watch Manager A position within Service Delivery, one at Hungerford Fire Station and a second at Lambourn Fire Station.
The successful candidate (s) will be responsible for providing leadership to support the effective and efficient delivery of services to the public, aligned with the local safety plan, and for managing resources and administration at their on-call fire station, with direct managerial responsibility for their crew managers and/or firefighters at their appointed station.
They will also be required to support the delivery of effective development activity aligned to progressing DAPS and OCTP.
They will also be required to work alongside a variety of departments and stakeholders to help implement activity that supports on-call operations.
The roles for both on-call stations will require the successful candidate (s) to provide between 40 and 120 hours of cover per week, from either your home or work location, or a combination of both; however, you will need to respond to your allocated station within the 6-to-8-minute response times. Additional positive hours will also be expected on a Monday night ‘drill night’ and for managerial responsibilities.




About you:

Ideally, you will have knowledge and understanding of the on-call role, either by currently being in an on-call post or by previously working in one. Secondly, you will be expected to hold a CAVA qualification or equivalent training; if not, you will be required to work towards this as soon as you commence the role. You must have a passion for development and training. You will be willing to learn and develop your own skills and knowledge, as well as those of others.
You will have a flexible approach to working and be able to manage your own time effectively to work towards objectives, working to high standards in a stimulating and challenging environment.
Eligibility:
Applications will be accepted from Competent Crew Managers within a Wholetime or On-call (RDS and Retained) contract, who have completed a Level 1 Incident Command qualification and have maintained their knowledge and skills.

The ideal candidate will be:
1. Committed to Equality, Diversity and Integrity with an understanding of how this relates to organisational culture and equality of access in the delivery of services.
2. An enthusiastic leader who is keen to share their knowledge and experience and develop the skills and behaviour of others.
3. Confident in planning and decision making, able to effectively share and communicate with colleagues and managers.
4. Highly motivated and committed to delivering quality work.
5. A skilled and experienced Level 1 Incident Commander


Key role requirements (knowledge, skills and experience):

• Good knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by the on-call duty system
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• Good working knowledge of station management procedures.
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Office packages.
• Experience in planning and delivery of learning and development activities.
• Adaptable to change with a flexible approach to the role.



Application and selection process

The successful candidate will demonstrate and promote behaviours in line with the Job Profile/Person Specification and our Behaviour Competency Framework as attached.

If you are interested in applying for this position, click Apply Now.

Please see the link to the Job Profile/Person Specification.

Appointment is conditional upon undertaking a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, that is appropriate to the role applied for.
Rechecks will be required in line with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy.

For further details about the role please get in touch with Matt Riley, Station Manager, West Hub, On-Call on 07899 063951 or at rileym@rbfrs.co.uk to arrange an informal discussion.
If you have any queries about the application process, or would like to discuss any adaptations or adjustments we can make to assist you with your application or our promotion process, don't hesitate to get in touch with Sue Press (presss@rbfrs.co.uk), Resourcing Adviser.  
 
Closing date for applications is 09:00hrs on 26/01/2026

It is anticipated that the assessment/interview process will run week commencing the 02/02/2026

Anticipated start date: 16/02/2026

Eligible staff wishing to apply for this position should apply through the portal, submitting a supporting statement (restricted to 1000 words) detailing how they meet the person specification for the role.

Assessment process
If shortlisted:
On the same day as your interview, you will be given 30 minutes to review a scenario linked to being an on-call Watch Manager, making notes if required, before delivering a 10-minute presentation, with a further 5 minutes allocated to any supplementary questions that your interviewers may deem necessary to clarify your responses.

Please note that it is your personal responsibility to check whether applying for / accepting this position would result in any Annual Allowance implications. A breach in the Annual Allowance threshold could result in a Tax charge.

Please view our privacy notice via this link: Applicant Privacy Statement

Our Commitments:
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service values your individuality, your diversity and your dignity. All are welcome here. Inclusion, diversity and equality are principles which guide our decisions and will be visible throughout the Service, and we will continually work to improve in these areas.
We are committed to creating an inclusive culture of dignity and trust where everyone feels safe and comfortable to bring their whole self to work.
Simply: The communities we serve are varied and diverse, we should be too.
Applications are welcome for job-share or part-time arrangements. Please enquire about the application.
All applications are considered on merit alone. We are a Disability Confident Leader - if you meet the essential criteria of the role, you will be guaranteed an interview if you choose to opt into the Offer of an Interview Scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).
To find out more: https://www.rbfrs.co.uk/your-service/about-us/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/