Specialist Practitioner Prevention Full Time NEW

• Suffolk County Council – Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
• Address: Suffolk – Countywide – Community based
• Salary: £28,598 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week with occasional weekend working (flexible working options available)
• Contract: Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change. As a Specialist Practitioner in the Fire Prevention Team, you’ll see the direct impact of your work on the people and places that make Suffolk special. Join us and turn your passion for progress into action.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Posts available:

Post 1 and 2: Home Fire Safety focus, Countywide but primarily West Suffolk

Post 3 and 4: Education focus, Countywide

Your Role And Responsibilities

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service are seeking passionate, community‑focused Specialist Practitioners to join our dedicated Fire Prevention Team. This is your chance to make a real difference working across the county to protect those most at risk, inspire safer living, and help keep Suffolk’s communities safe, informed, and resilient.

• Roles 1 and 2 (Home Fire Safety focus) will primarily focus on delivering Home Fire Safety Visits to at-risk adults and families across Suffolk in their homes, providing Fire Safety advice to those individuals.
• These roles also work collaboratively with partner agencies to address health, wellbeing, and safeguarding concerns, especially in cases involving vulnerabilities such as hoarding, domestic violence, and enhanced care needs.
• Furthermore, these roles attend events as a speaker or exhibitor to provide Home Fire Safety advice, promote prevention methods, and share knowledge with the community.
• Roles 3 and 4 (Education focus) will primarily be responsible for the delivery of education to all age groups, encompassing Road Safety, Fire Safety, Water Safety, Arson Reduction and Anti-Social behaviour reduction using as dedicated education resources and vehicles.
• All roles will manage and maintain resources such as vehicles, safety and education equipment and various IT systems, ensuring accurate recording, stock availability, and equipment security.
• All roles will maintain accurate records, participate in ongoing personal development, attend team meetings, and contribute to improving policies and multi-agency reporting processes.

You will need

• Qualifications in English, Maths at GCSE level C or equivalent (Essential)
• A Strong ability to identify risk, assess individual needs, and apply appropriate, tailored solutions.
• To be a confident communicator able to present learning to diverse groups, converse effectively with customers and partners, and accurately report key safety information.
• To be a competent user of IT systems including Word, Excel, and Outlook, with knowledge of recording processes for vulnerable individuals.
• A comprehensive understanding of Community Safety and the ability to influence, implement, and adapt to change when needed.
• An effective problem‑solver with both practical and analytical skills.

You can view a full list of requirements in the  Job and Person Profile (Word) . If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don’t meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

The Prevention Team is responsible for keeping communities safe by delivering Home Fire Safety support, including visiting at‑risk residents, offering tailored fire safety advice, working with partners such as Social Care and Housing, and attending community events. They also provide education to all age groups on topics such as road and fire safety, arson and anti‑social behaviour reduction, and water safety, helping to prevent harm and promote safer behaviours across the community.

Home Fire Safety

The Home Fire Safety focus is centred on protecting vulnerable and at‑risk residents through proactive prevention activity. This includes carrying out Home Safety Visits in people’s homes, providing tailored fire safety advice, and identifying risks that could lead to fire or other incidents. Practitioners work closely with a range of partner organisations, including Social Care and Housing, to ensure coordinated support for individuals and communities. The role also contributes to wider prevention activity through attendance at fire safety community events, helping to raise awareness, reduce risk and promote safer behaviours across Suffolk.

Education

The Education focus involves delivering interactive preventative education to people of all ages, helping communities to stay safe and reduce the likelihood of incidents before they occur. This includes providing road, fire and water safety education in schools and at larger style events such as the Suffolk Show, alongside targeted work to reduce arson and anti‑social behaviour. Practitioners play a key role in safety education, supporting Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service’s wider prevention priorities by engaging with schools, groups and communities to build knowledge, influence behaviour and create safer environment.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report .

For more information

Please contact Claire Watkins (Youth Education and Development Manager) by emailing Claire.Watkins@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 07720157657

Alternatively, please contact Roxanne Smith (Safeguarding Manager) by emailing Roxanne.Smith@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 07732603856.

How To Apply

Step 1 – Read the Job and Person Profile (Word)

Step 2 – Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 – Complete the Supporting Statement template answering the following questions (no more than 250 words per question)

In your supporting statement, please indicate which of the roles you are applying for. You can be considered for any combination of the roles including all four. You only need to answer each question once, regardless of how many roles you are applying for.

• Please describe a time when you dealt with an unhappy client or member of the public. What actions did you take to resolve the situation, and what was the outcome?
• Please describe a time when you had to explain a complex or unfamiliar concept to someone with no prior knowledge of the subject. How did you ensure they understood?
• Please describe a time when you worked collaboratively with another person or group to achieve a common goal. What was your role, and what was the outcome?

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences, so we encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the process. You can also read our Using AI in Your Application and Interview guidance to understand acceptable and unacceptable use of AI. If AI is used inappropriately, your application may not be progressed.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at  recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk  or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages . If you’re invited to the next stage, you’ll have another chance to request adjustments.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 12 May 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

About Us

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .