Description
FRA Compliance Manager | Interim
£45.56 per hour | 6–12 months | Local Authority | Fire Safety
We are currently recruiting for an experienced FRA Compliance Manager to join a large London local authority on an interim basis, overseeing fire safety compliance across a portfolio of approximately 10,000 residential homes under direct and indirect management.
The organisation is a major London borough with a substantial housing portfolio and a strong focus on maintaining safe, compliant and well-managed homes for residents. This is a senior role within Property Services, working closely with internal teams, external contractors and key statutory partners.
The Role
This is a fire safety specialist position, with the primary focus on overseeing the Council's fire safety contracts and ensuring that actions arising from Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) are effectively managed, prioritised and completed.
The immediate priority will be clearing a backlog of FRA actions, ensuring remedial works are appropriately risk-rated, delivered to the required standard and completed within budget.
You will oversee an external FRA contractor alongside two fire remedial works contractors and an asbestos contractor, ensuring performance, quality, cost and compliance are effectively managed.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Overseeing the delivery of the Council's ongoing programme of Fire Risk Assessments across its residential portfolio.
- Managing and prioritising FRA actions according to risk and urgency, ensuring remedial works are tracked through to completion.
- Reviewing proposed remedial works to ensure they are proportionate, necessary and cost-effective, challenging unnecessary or excessive contractor costs where appropriate.
- Overseeing programmes relating to fire doors, rolling fire door works, communal doors and other fire safety remedial measures.
- Managing external fire safety contractors, monitoring performance, quality, programme delivery and expenditure.
- Carrying out quality assurance and challenging poor, incomplete or undelivered works while maintaining effective contractor relationships.
- Working closely with Planned Works and other internal Property Services teams to coordinate remedial programmes and avoid duplication.
- Providing technical leadership and advice on residential fire safety and compliance.
- Supporting the Building Safety Manager, who will have responsibility for the Council's higher-risk buildings.
- Managing and developing two direct reports: a Contract Delivery & Quality Manager and a Building Safety Manager.
- Maintaining robust compliance records, reporting systems and audit trails for FRA actions and remedial works.
- Representing the Council with external stakeholders and partner organisations, including the London Fire Brigadewhere required.
- Ensuring fire safety programmes are delivered to a high standard, within agreed timescales and within budget.
About You
We are looking for a senior fire safety professional with substantial experience of fire safety within residential housing.
You will ideally have worked within a local authority, housing association or similar residential property environment, with a strong understanding of the practical challenges associated with managing fire safety across a large housing portfolio.
You will need:
- Extensive knowledge of residential fire safety and Fire Risk Assessments.
- Strong experience managing fire safety contracts and remedial works programmes.
- Proven experience of managing and challenging external contractors to ensure quality, compliance and value for money.
- Experience of prioritising remedial actions based on risk, while balancing financial and operational considerations.
- Strong understanding of fire safety requirements across residential buildings, including communal areas, fire doors and remedial works.
- Experience managing compliance data, FRA actions, audits and assurance processes.
- Strong contract, budget and performance management experience.
- Experience leading teams and working collaboratively across multiple internal departments.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to represent an organisation externally.
- The ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, particularly where there is a significant compliance backlog to address.
A relevant health and safety qualification such as IOSH or NEBOSH, or equivalent professional experience, is desirable.
Why Apply?
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Fire Safety / FRA / Building Compliance professional to take ownership of a significant residential fire safety portfolio and make an immediate impact.
The initial contract is expected to run for 6–12 months, with the potential for the opportunity to become permanent thereafter.