Position: Apprenticeship Manager
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Grade F, £37,280 per annum
Location: Joint Training Centre, Ripley
Hours: 37 hours per week, however you may occasionally need to work beyond normal office hours. Agile working arrangements can be discussed with the successful candidate.
Department: Learning & Development
Reports to: Learning & Development Manager
Closing date: midnight on Monday 18 May 2026
About Us:
At Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, we’re more than an emergency service—we’re a team of over 900 dedicated people working together to make Derbyshire safer every day. Whether it’s responding to emergencies, preventing incidents before they happen, or supporting our frontline teams behind the scenes, every role here makes a real difference.
We’re proud to be one of the country’s top-performing fire and rescue services, recently rated ‘Good’ in 9 out of 11 areas by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). This recognition reflects the professionalism, progress, and dedication of our people. We continue to strive to be an outstanding Service and we know we have more to do.
About the Role:
We’re looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Apprenticeship Manager to lead our apprenticeship provision and help shape the future of learning across the Service. This is a newly designed role, to support the design and project phase of the Firefighter Apprenticeship and ongoing success and management of the programme.
Working within the Learning & Development team, you’ll be the lead contact for all apprenticeships, with a particular focus on ensuring the quality and successful delivery of our Whole time Firefighter apprenticeship programme an employer provider. You’ll work closely with operational teams, HR and finance colleagues, external providers and assessment organisations to make sure apprentices and their managers are well supported throughout their journey.
This role plays a key role in ensuring our apprenticeships are high-quality, compliant, and make the best use of levy funding. You’ll provide expert advice on apprenticeship standards and funding rules, oversee quality assurance and evaluation activity, and help prepare the Service for external scrutiny such as Ofsted inspections. You’ll also represent DFRS at local and national apprenticeship forums, sharing best practices and building strong partnerships.
We’re looking for someone who enjoys working collaboratively, communicates clearly, and brings a proactive, solutions focused approach. If you’re motivated by developing people, improving learner experience, and making a real difference to service delivery and firefighter safety, we’d love to hear from you.
There will be a requirement for some travel for which a pool car will be provided.
Please see the attached Job Description/Person Specification for more information about this exciting role.
Required Qualifications and Experience:
To be successful in this role, you will bring the following qualifications and experience:
• Knowledge and experience related to assessment and quality assurance of accredited qualifications
• Experience working within apprenticeships, preparation and support for Ofsted inspections and monitoring visits
• Ability to manage a demanding workload where there are conflicting priorities and deadlines
• Level 4 Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) qualification
What We Offer in Return:
We believe in rewarding our people with more than just a salary. Here’s what you can expect when you join us:
• Flexible working hours.
• Agile working (60% office based).
• Family friendly policies.
• Annual leave entitlement of 27 days, increasing to 32 days after 5 years’ service.
• Free, secure on-site car parking.
• Health & wellbeing services, including free access to gyms at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service locations.
• Employee discount scheme (Boost) and eligibility to apply for Blue Light Card.
• Employee support networks.
• Enhanced maternity pay (subject to meeting eligibility criteria).
• Occupational sick pay subject to length of service, increasing up to 6 months’ full & 6 months’ half after 5 years’ service.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• Eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with generous employer contributions.
• Eligibility to join Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) offering highly beneficial tax advantages.
Guidance on the pension implications of taking a promotion are attached.
How to Apply:
We are a Disability Confident employer committed to equality and fairness at work. Applications are encouraged from all diverse communities. Under the Disability Confident scheme, we will offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of applicants with a disability that meet the essential criteria for the role.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment.
Police security vetting procedures at the appropriate level will be requested for the successful applicant. Please note that, due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.
The closing date for completed applications is midnight on Monday 18 May 2026
Interviews will be held in the week commencing 01 June 2026
For an informal chat regarding the role please contact the recruiting manager Ruth Holden on 07775 812548 or rholden@derbys-fire.gov.uk.
If you have a disability and need assistance completing the application form, please contact the Service Centre on 01773 305441.
