FIRE Control Operator

Overview

FIRE CONTROL OPERATOR – 3 year Fixed Term Contract

Location – Service Headquarters, Calcot, Reading

Rota Pattern
: 42-hour week across 4 days, comprising 2-day shifts (09:00 - 18:00) and 2-night shifts (18:00 - 09:00), followed by 4 days off

Salary
: £28,865- £36,937 per annum (once competent)

Benefits
: onsite gym, parking facilities, Benenden Health (discretionary private healthcare), My Lifestyle employee discount scheme, Blue Light Card and a Local Government Pension Scheme

Additional information
:
For other information about benefits, see the linked page

The Thames Valley Fire Control Service (TVFCS) is a collaboration between Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, Oxfordshire County Council and Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority. We are inviting applicants for the role of a Fire Control Operator to join the team. This is a vital position within TVFCS.

You will be supporting callers with a wide range of incidents as calls to fires are only a small part of our job. As a Fire Control Operator, you will:

• Receive and handle 999 emergency calls
• Gather and process critical information from callers
• Support callers during a wide range of incidents, including fires, road traffic collisions, chemical spills, flooding, and rescues

You will evaluate the situation, decide on the best course of action and mobilise resources in line with the incident using our command-and-control system to communicate to the fire appliances, stations and officers passing on the information gathered from members of the public or other agencies.

• Are you genuinely interested in people?
• Are you dependable and capable of working with people from different cultures and backgrounds?
• Can you work as part of a close-knit team and react quickly when given direction?
• Can you work calmly under pressure, respond positively, and communicate quickly and clearly?
• Can you think on your feet, solve problems, multi-task and prioritise?
• Are you prepared to work days, nights, evenings, weekends and public holidays, including Christmas Day?
• Do you have a confident telephone manner and good IT skills?

• GCSEs in English and Mathematics (A–C or equivalent)
• Effective and confident written and oral communications
• Able to work calmly under pressure
• Able to prioritise tasks appropriately
• Flexible attitude and able to work days, nights, weekends and public holidays

The successful candidate will demonstrate and promote behaviours in line with the Job Profile/Person Specification and our Behaviour Competency Framework as attached. The Behavioural Competency Framework helps identify behaviours that drive successful performance and will be assessed throughout the selection process.

We are recruiting for fixed-term contracts and creating a pool of candidates for future vacancies. If you are interested in applying, click Apply Now. Applicants will be expected to detail their personal skills, qualities and attributes against the Job Profile/Person Specification. Please see the link to the Job Profile/Person Specification on application. Appointment is conditional upon undertaking a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Rechecks will be required in line with the DBS and Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy. Please note we do not accept applications via Agencies or CVs without an accompanying application form. Closing date for applications is 17 February 2026 at 17:00 hours. Initial selection assessments for accuracy and speed in typing will be online during the week commencing 23 February 2026.

Successful candidates will then be invited to complete further typing tests / teamwork assessment on-site and to visit the Control room at 09:30hrs on 2 March 2026. If successful after full completion of all the above, interviews will take place between 13 to 20 March 2026. Medicals will be carried out after successful interview – dates TBC. Anticipated first start date:
End of April 2026 (dates to be confirmed).

Compliance
:
The applicant is reminded to view our privacy information and policies on application. Our commitment s include promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, safeguarding, and safer recruitment statements.

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