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Find out more about some of the reasons you may want to join team NWFRS...

Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service promotes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in everything that we do, and we are fully committed to meeting our equality duties in all areas of our service. 

The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of our North Wales community, and for each employee to feel respected, valued and included. 

The diversity of our workforce is one of our greatest assists, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to consider a career in our Service.

We have set clear EDI objectives and priorities in our EDI Strategy, and this ensures we are an inclusive employer and public service provider. You can access our strategy here.

Our EDI Annual Performance Report outlines key achievements and progression in the past year – please click here to access the report.

As a public sector organisation with 250 or more employees, we effectively collect, monitor and publish Gender Pay Gap data each year. Each year, clear actions are agreed and taken to ensure progress is made. You can find out more about this work and access the report here.

Staff Networks

Our Service have four Staff Networks - FirePride LGBTQ+ Staff Network; Women in the Fire Service; Neurodiversity Staff Network; and Religion, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Staff Network. 

All staff networks meet regularly, provide support to it members (that welcome allies too), organise events and seminars, and act as an important sounding board to consult, advise and steer strategic planning and decision making. 

Our commitment to the Welsh Language 

We are committed to the recruitment of employees with the appropriate level of Welsh Language skills to provide services to the public and support employees who wish to learn Welsh or improve their Welsh in order to use it in the workplace.

To ensure the Service meets the Welsh Language requirements, employees will be required to achieve at least level 2 Welsh speaking and listening skills within 12 months of their appointment, unless the role is advertised as being a level 4, where fluency in the Welsh language is required upon appointment.

Each job vacancy advertised will state the level of Welsh language skills required.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service recognise that for some individuals the above attainments may be challenging. 

We provide support and assistance to individuals to reach the required Welsh language levels. Further information about our commitment to the Welsh language can be found on the Welsh Language page.

Training and Development

We pride ourselves on developing people in their careers and giving them the training they need to stay on top of their game.

We will make sure you have the training needed for your role and support you where we can to progress in the Service.

Other benefits include...

Competitive Salary

Support staff are paid based on the pay scales agreed by NJC for Local Government Services. New starters will commence on the bottom of the salary grade and will receive increases to the top of the grade on an incremental basis. The salary for each role will be advertised as part of the vacancy information.

Fulltime firefighters, On-Call firefighters and control room operators are paid based on the pay rates agreed by NJC for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services. The current rates of pay will be advertised as part of the vacancy information when fulltime firefighters and control room operators are recruited. Information on the current rates of pay for On-Call firefighters can be found here. 

Annual Leave

Annual Leave Entitlement

Our Support staff are entitled to 25 days upon appointment rising to 28 days per year on completion of five years continuous service. Public holidays are in addition to this.

Our fulltime firefighters are entitled to 30 days rising to 33 days after five years continuous service. 8 public holidays are in addition to this.

Our On-Call firefighters are entitled to 30 days per annum increasing to 37 days following five years continuous service.

Good Attendance Leave

We are committed to recognising good attendance and are keen to encourage a positive attitude towards employees who achieve good attendance.  Employees who do not have any absence (except for annual leave or paid special leave) within their most recent annual leave period will be credited with an additional 1 day’s leave in recognition of their good attendance.

Family Leave

Family leave

We want to support our staff through all their different life changes. And we know all families and situations are unique, which is why we have a range of support available. 

Maternity leave

All pregnant employees have the right to take 26 weeks' Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML), followed by Additional Maternity Leave (AML) for a further 26 weeks; this right applies regardless of the employee’s length of service, or the number of hours they work per week.

Paternity leave

Employees are eligible for paternity leave from their first day of employment with the Service.

Shared parental leave

Each parent can take 18 weeks’ parental leave in total for each child which can be taken before the child's eighteenth birthday.

Adoption leave

We offer statutory adoption leave in line with statutory maternity leave (a total of 52 weeks leave; up to 26 weeks ordinary leave and up to 26 weeks additional leave), but we provide enhanced occupational adoption pay for those who meet the qualifying length of service criteria.

Parental leave

We’re committed to making sure that our staff have the ability to balance their career with their role as a carer too. You have the option to take statutory leave (up to 18 weeks unpaid) to spend time with your child if you need it.

Neonatal leave

We understand that having a child in neonatal care is an extremely stressful and challenging experience and the Service is committed to supporting its employees through this difficult period. In order to support employees during this difficult time, the Service has opted to enhance neonatal care pay beyond the statutory minimum for those who meet the qualifying length of service criteria.

Pension Scheme

Firefighter Pension Scheme:

The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme is a tax approved, defined benefit occupational pension scheme. The arrangements under the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 1992 (FPS 1992), the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Wales) 2007 (FPS 2007) and from 1 April 2015, the new Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Wales) 2015 (FPS 2015) offer a range of benefits that provide financial security both in the time up to retirement and beyond.  

For further information on Firefighter Pension Scheme please visit:

https://www.dyfedpensionfund.org.uk/fire-pension-scheme/

Local Government Pensions Scheme:

The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a defined benefit scheme. This means that the value of your LGPS pension at retirement is not calculated based on the performance of investments, stock markets and cost of annuities. Instead, your pension value is calculated based on details such as; how long you have been paying pension contributions for, your pensionable salary amount, and a pension build-up rate of 1/49th of the salary you have paid pension contributions on.

It is also a funded scheme which means that it is invested in a number of ways to increase the Fund’s value and to make sure your benefits are guaranteed to be paid at retirement.

LGPS is one of the largest public sector pension schemes in the UK. It is a nationwide pension scheme for people working in local government or working for other employers participating in LGPS. The LGPS in England and Wales is administered locally through 89 local pension funds, one of which being the Clwyd Pension Fund. In 2021, there were approximately 6.1 million members of LGPS nationwide, being a valuable part of the pay and reward package for employees working for employers participating in the scheme.

Once you begin to contribute into the scheme you will start to build up a pension benefit which will provide you with a source of regular income when you retire. This pension is an annual amount, paid to you on a monthly basis for the rest of your life. Inflation is also added to your pension every year so it increases with the cost of living.

For further information on Local Government Pension Scheme please visit:

Clwyd Pension Fund - Clwyd Pension Fund

Occupational Health service

Insight Workplace Health are our Occupational Health Service provider ensuring that together, we improve and champion workplace health. 

They have facilities across North Wales, experienced occupational health advisors and physicians, and an established administrative team. 

Insight Workplace Health provide occupational health services to all market sectors including Fire and Rescue Services.

Physiotherapy service

Pen Y Lôn are the contracted physiotherapy service offered to employees, providing faster and more convenient access to physiotherapy.  Employees can self-refer themselves to Pen Y Lôn or request through their Line Manager.

Wellbeing Support

Life is full of ups and downs and managing your own wellbeing can sometimes feel like riding a rollercoaster of emotions. 

We recognise that everyone has a mental health, just like physical health, which needs to be managed and balanced in order for employees to thrive in the workplace and reach their full potential.

The level of wellbeing help and support has been recognised with the Corporate Health Platinum Award.  This ensures that everyone feels supported and there is always someone to talk if you need.

Blue Light Champions:

Blue Light Champions are volunteers within the Service who take action to raise awareness of mental health problems and challenge mental health stigma in the workplace.

Colleague Support:

The Colleague Support scheme offers private and confidential access to an understanding and supportive listener. Employees can voluntarily access the scheme at any time to talk through any issues they may be experiencing.

Individuals within the Service have undertaken specialist training to help with any issues staff feel they need to discuss confidentially.

Critical Incident Debriefing:

As part of its overall staff welfare strategy, NWFRS maintains a Critical Incident Debrief scheme to provide support and assistance to members of staff who may have experienced a potentially traumatic event, or an event where the application of the Scheme may be appropriate or beneficial to the individuals involved.

VIVUP:

Vivup is the provider of the Service’s Employee Assistance Program, which provides emotional and practical support for issues at home or work. The services are available online, and via a Freephone number, 24-hour a day, 365 days of the year.

External charity signposting:

Live Fear Free

0808 80 10 800

gov.wales/livefearfree

Fitness

Health and Fitness Team

Our health and fitness advisers monitor the fitness levels of all operational staff. 

The team can also offer the following benefits to all employees:

• Professional exercise training support
• Informative nutritional guidance
• Goal setting and motivational reinforcement
• Lifestyle coaching
• Health monitoring – including blood pressure assessment and body composition analysis
• Promoting a positive mindset

Free gym access

You can enjoy free access to any of our station gym facilities.  Inductions can be booked with a member of the Health, Fitness and Wellbeing team.

45 minutes per week fitness entitlement

As an employee you can take advantage of the 45 minutes paid fitness allowance.  Enough time to work up a sweat and get a decent workout. 

Online Workouts

Want an exercise buddy?  Need some direction?  Employees can tune into the online workouts with a Health and Fitness adviser every Wednesday and Friday lunchtime.

The Fire Fighters Charity

The Fire Fighters Charity offers specialist, lifelong support for members of the UK fire and rescue services, empowering individuals to achieve mental, physical and social wellbeing throughout their lives. 

Providing confidential, personalised support to the whole of the fire services community, delivering mental health, physical health and social wellbeing services at rehabilitation centres, remotely, online and in communities around the UK.

Championing the health and wellbeing of all those employees - serving, retired or dependant – the charity aim to ensure that our beneficiaries can live well, for life. And they’re not all firefighters, they support all fire and rescue service personnel, whatever their role in the service. They are also there for all those who have retired, as well as for spouses and qualifying dependants.

Cycle2work Scheme

Our Cycle to Work scheme can help you create a healthier, happier and more motivated workforce; all whilst reducing your carbon footprint.

Calon Fund

All staff members are offered the opportunity to join the Calon Fund. It costs only £2 per month and is taken directly from your pay.  

The fund is a tool to strengthen and empower members and their families, to support our Fire and Rescue Service. Calon provides benefits and support based on the following principles:

• Emotional – Mental Health can be a rollercoaster and affects everyone in different ways and at different times in their lives. Calon is here to ride with you.
• Financial – During times of financial difficulty Calon will signpost and support you.
• Social – Belonging and feeling involved is vitally important. Calon promotes and supports inclusion and integration within our Fire and Rescue family.
• Physical – Staying fit and belonging to a sport, a team, a Service, provides benefits like no other.

Discounts

Corporate Blue Light Card

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service provides its employees a Blue Light Card free of charge and is the perfect, hassle-free way to provide employees within the emergency services with discounts online and in-store.  

Home of a range of official discounts from large national retailers to local businesses in a wide range of categories including holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones and much more!

There is also a free Blue Light Card app on Apple Store or Google Play, to make further savings online.

Other important information...

Disability Confident Employer

As a Disability Confident employer, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are committed to recruiting and retaining disabled people and those with health conditions. Applicants with a disability will not be excluded unless it is clear that they will be unable to perform a duty that is intrinsic to the role, having taken into account all reasonable adjustments.

All disabled applicants who meet the essential requirements of the job as set out in the job description and person specification will be guaranteed an interview. Applicants should ensure they complete the declaration relating to disability on the application form in order to ensure guarantee an interview is offered, providing the essential criteria is met.

Living Wage Employer

The Living Wage Foundation’s real Living Wage remains the only UK wage rate independently calculated based on the cost of living, rising annually based on living costs. 

As a Living Wage accredited employer, we are reaffirming our commitment to fairness and ensuring that everyone who works for us is paid a wage that reflects the real cost of living.

Armed Forces Covenant

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant to mark our commitment as an organisation to members of the British Armed Forces and their families. Members of the armed forces community should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of services and special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given the most.

We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our organisation and country. A guaranteed interview will therefore be offered to Veterans and their Spouses/Partners, serving Regular members of the Armed Forces approaching the end of their service and the Spouses/Partners of currently serving Regular members of the Armed Forces. This is conditional on the essential criteria of the job being met and no longer than 5 years has lapsed since leaving the Armed Forces (subject to supporting information being provided on request).

Applicants should ensure they complete the declaration relating to Armed Forces service on the application form in order to ensure an interview is offered, providing the essential criteria is met.

Safer Recruitment

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of a Standard DBS check as a minimum requirement. 

Where identified as necessary for relevant roles, an Enhanced DBS Check or Security Vetting will be undertaken. The level of check to be undertaken will be outlined in the advertised job description.

Regardless of the level of check undertaken, individuals will not be permitted to commence in the role until satisfactory results of the check have been received and evidence provided.

Safer recruitment is a set of practices to help ensure employees and volunteers are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults. These practices will ensure that staff and volunteers are recruited safely and fairly and that the safety of children, young people and vulnerable adults is being considered at every stage of the recruitment process.

For any role where the incumbent may work with children, young people or vulnerable adults, the Service will ensure that a fair and structured process is followed to minimise the risk of appointing someone unsuitable to the role.

The Service is fully compliant with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 when making decisions around the recruitment and retention of staff.