Latest Vacancies

Control Room Operator – Make a Real Difference Every Day

North West Fire Control
Starting Salary: £30,960, rising to £33,798 after 13 weeks (subject to passing assessments) and up to £39047 with experience
Start Date: October 2025
Full Time / Permanent

At North West Fire Control, our people make the difference. That’s why we recruit individuals who share our values. We invite passionate and dedicated individuals to join us as Control Room Operators, where every 999 fire call starts with North West Fire Control.

Who We Are
We are the emergency control room for the Fire and Rescue Services in Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Cheshire. Every 999 fire call in these regions starts with North West Fire Control, where we help get the right help to the right place — fast.

We’re here to protect lives, property, and communities guided by our core values of Integrity, Respect, Honesty, Accountability, and Leadership.

What You’ll Do
As a Control Room Operator, you’ll answer 999 calls with calm professionalism, gather critical information, and make sure the correct fire and rescue appliance and crews get to the right place – fast.

You’ll work closely with other operators, emergency services, and fire crews to coordinate responses and provide accurate, calm support in high pressure situations.
This is a vital role where every decision matters. Your work will help save lives. You’ll be trained, supported, and expected to meet the required standards to progress.

What You Can Expect
>11 week training programme with experienced trainers.
>Mentoring from skilled colleagues as you transition into live control room environment
>A clear pathway to progress, with regular assessments to pass and ongoing learning
>Shift work: You’ll work 12-hour shifts on a 4 on 4 off basis working days 0700 – 1900hrs, mid-shift 1100 – 2200hrs and nights 1900 – 0700hrs
>A supportive environment committed to our Code of Ethics: integrity, respect, honesty, leadership, and accountability

The Ideal Candidate – Essential Criteria

We’re looking for people who share our values and are ready to meet the challenges of this essential role.

1. A skilled communicator with excellent listening abilities and a confident, clear phone manner.
2. The ability to stay calm, focused, and effective when under pressure, when facing setbacks, or dealing with high stress situations.
3. Good listeners and communicators with a clear and professional phone manner
4. Digitally proficient – You must be fast, accurate, and focused under pressure, able to process and enter information quickly and accurately in a time-critical environment. (Minimum typing speed of 40 words per minute, test required.)
5. Team-oriented yet independent, able to collaborate effectively but also make decisions on their own when needed.
6. Adaptable, comfortable with change and ready to learn
7. Committed to growth, continuously seeking to improve their knowledge and support the development of teammates.
8. Able to meet required standards and pass relevant assessments and tests as part of your role progression
9. Detail-focused — accuracy is essential for public safety
10. Minimum age requirement of 18 years old, due to shift patterns and nature of work.
11. Competent in basic English and Maths (for logging incidents clearly and correctly)

What We Offer

Competitive Salary – Reflects the essential contribution you make every day. Progression through the pay scales is performance-based, subject to passing a series of assessments at each critical phase with the potential to earn up to £37,837 with experience and continued development.

Control Room Operator Salary
Foundation £30,960
Practicing £32,250
Training £33,798
Developing £34,830
Proficient £36,120
Progressing £37,152
Experienced £39,047

Generous local government pension scheme to support your future.
Clear Career Progression – Structured pathways supported by ongoing learning, training courses, and development opportunities to help you grow and succeed.
29 days annual leave (pro rata) rising to 32 after 5 years, ensuring work-life balance.
Employee Assistance Programme, accessible 24/7 for guidance and support, along with Mental Health First Aiders, occupational health services, and flu vaccines to support your well-being.
Free uniform and onsite parking.
Roster pattern provided 12 months in advance.
Enhanced Family Leave – Maternity, paternity, and adoption provisions that go beyond statutory entitlements.
A Culture That Cares – We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive, contribute, and feel valued — all while putting communities first in everything we do

We’re proud to be an inclusive employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

We’re happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to support neurodiverse candidates and others with specific needs.

This role requires a Standard DBS Check.

Start your career where every shift makes a difference. Join NWFC and become a vital part of protecting your community.