Job Description

Ready to take the next step in your leadership journey within Sellafield Fire & Rescue Service?

We are inviting expressions of interest from capable and committed Sellafield Fire & Rescue Service Crew Managers who are keen to progress into the role of Watch Manager through our structured Career Pathway Process. This is a key opportunity for those ready to lead teams, manage operational readiness and uphold the highest standards of safety, professionalism and nuclear security across the Sellafield site.

Participation in and successful completion of the SL Leadership Standard Assessment is a mandatory step within the Watch Manager Career Pathway.

Once successfully passed, individuals will enter a holding pool until a Watch Manager position becomes available. If more than one candidate is in the pool when a vacancy arises, a structured scoring process will be applied using agreed criteria to ensure fair and transparent selection.

Full details of how the pathway works and the governance procedure can be found via the ‘Career Pathways’ tab on the ‘Security, Resilience and Emergency Management SharePoint Page’.

About the Role

Watch Managers play a critical leadership role within SF&RS. Acting on behalf of the Station Manager, they supervise and develop teams of firefighters to ensure readiness for fire, medical, environmental and other emergency incidents. They provide incident command, manage safety-critical and SQEP training and oversee the inspection, testing and maintenance of fire and rescue equipment.

Watch Managers also support multi-agency coordination, apply JESIP principles and contribute to strategic site command operations, including liaison duties at the Main Site Command Facility (MSCF). The role demands resilience, sound judgement and the ability to lead by example in high-pressure environments.

This is an excellent opportunity to:

• Lead and develop operational teams to maintain SF&RS emergency response capabilities.
• Act as Incident Commander and apply risk-based decision-making in dynamic situations
• Manage the delivery of training, competence assurance and safety-critical activities
• Represent SF&RS in multi-agency command environments and support site command centres
• Uphold SL’s Nuclear Professionalism Standards and contribute to a strong leadership culture

Who Should Apply (must be/have all of the following)

• Sellafield Fire & Rescue Service substantive Crew Managers.
• Crew Managers that have a My Contribution ‘Performance Rating’ of ‘Meets Expectations’ or above.
• Crew Managers that have a ‘Potential Rating’ of ‘Potential to progress at a higher grade or zone in the organisation’.

Individuals with a current rating of ‘Unable to rate’ will also be eligible to express interest.

How to Apply

Please submit your Expression of Interest including:
• A brief statement detailing how you would ensure your team continues to grow and develop whilst meeting operational demands, especially when time or resources are limited (max 500 words).
• A brief statement about how you would help build a culture of continuous improvement and accountability within your watch and how would you measure whether or not it is working (max 500 words).
• A brief statement describing the leadership behaviours you believe are essential at Watch Manager level and how you currently demonstrate or aspire to develop them (max 500 words).
• A description of a situation where you’ve led or supported a team through a challenging operational or developing scenario. Include what you learnt and how you would continue to apply that learning as a Watch Manager (max 500 words).
• A summary of your relevant experience, skills, and qualifications, including details of leadership, command or development activities.

If you have any questions or would like an informal discussion about the Watch Manager Pathway or the application process, please contact either James Todhunter (Emergency Response Manager) or Matt Saulters (Station Manager).

The Profession has the right to withdraw the Expression of Interest Advert at any stage.

The closing date for this vacancy is Tuesday 6th January 2026.