Finance and commercial director jobs

Department: COO’s Office
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: Up to £115,000 per annum
Location: Home Based (UK wide travel as required)
Reports To: Chief Executive and Council Chair

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to help lead the organisation through the next phase of its development. Reporting to the Chief Executive and Council Chair, Phil Garrigan, and working closely with the Board of Trustees, the COO will play a critical role in driving organisational transformation and delivery. This will ensure NFCC is well positioned to achieve its ambitious new three-year strategy and delivery plan, including preparations for the proposed College of Fire and Rescue in 2029.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a professional, responsive and agile organisation that is focused on making a real difference to public safety.

NFCC is a charity and membership organisation dedicated to making communities safer by providing national leadership, coordination and professional expertise across UK fire and rescue services. Working at NFCC offers a unique opportunity to contribute directly to public safety, national resilience and the continuous improvement of an essential public service.

Operating at the intersection of operational practice, policy, assurance and system leadership, NFCC supports fire and rescue services to collaborate effectively, respond to complex and emerging risks, and maintain the highest professional standards. We work closely with government, regulators, emergency service partners and sector stakeholders to ensure that the collective voice of fire and rescue leaders is influential, credible and evidence-led.

As a values-driven organisation and registered charity, NFCC is committed to ethical leadership, transparency and public benefit. We foster a culture that is inclusive, collaborative and rooted in service to communities. Our people are trusted professionals, empowered to lead, innovate and deliver meaningful impact, supported by robust governance, assurance and accountability frameworks.

NFCC is a modern, agile organisation with a fully remote workforce. This enables us to attract and retain talented individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, while supporting flexible, inclusive and high-performing ways of working. We place strong emphasis on wellbeing, professional development and continuous learning, recognising that our effectiveness depends on the capability, integrity and commitment of our people.

Joining NFCC means working on issues of national significance, influencing the future of fire and rescue services, and helping to strengthen the resilience and safety of the communities we serve. If you are motivated by public service and professional excellence, have a strong focus on delivery and impact, and bring experience in leading business transformation and organisational change, this role offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity to operate at the highest level of leadership.

The Selection Process

How to apply:

If you are interested in this role and think you have the skills and experience we need, please do look at the Job description on the NFCC website.

Candidates are invited to submit their CV and a covering letter setting out how they can meet the requirements set out in the job description. Please email this to the Recruitment mailbox (details found on the NFCC Website) by 23rd April 2026.

Tests for shortlisted candidates are likely to be Week commencing 4th May 2026

Interviews taking place on the 18th & 19th May 2026

NFCC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and will require a DBS check to be completed prior to commencing in post.

NFCC is committed to being an inclusive employer. We comply with the Equality Act 2010, and we believe that everyone deserves to work in safe environments that are free from bullying, harassment and discrimination, abuse, and harm, where they feel supported, welcome, and able to thrive.

NFCC acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice, all staff are expected to share this commitment.

Harris Hill is delighted to be supporting the recruitment of a Lawyer (UK Financial Sector Focus) on behalf of the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI). CCLI is a UK charity working at the intersection of law, finance and sustainability, with a global reputation for producing rigorous legal analysis that helps clarify how existing legal frameworks apply to climate and nature-related financial risks. This newly created role will play a key part in shaping CCLI’s expanding programme of work on investor fiduciary duties across the UK financial sector.

This post is offered as a one-year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of extension subject to funding. The role can be fully remote or hybrid, with access to a London co-working space, and will involve occasional travel.

The postholder will lead the development and delivery of CCLI’s UK investor fiduciary workstream, initially focusing on the insurance, pensions and banking sectors. This will involve scoping and commissioning authoritative legal analysis from leading commercial law firms and academics, translating complex legal findings into practical guidance for boards, trustees and their advisers, and tracking relevant regulatory and disclosure developments across the financial services landscape. The role involves building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including institutional investors, regulators, professional bodies, and the legal community, as well as representing CCLI at conferences, roundtables and other external forums. Working closely with the Executive Director within a small and collaborative team, the successful candidate will also contribute to communications, strategic development and fundraising activity.

We are looking for a qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales with strong expertise in financial services law, ideally in insurance, banking, or pensions. Candidates should be able to demonstrate clear engagement with climate change or environmental sustainability, whether through their professional work, research, writing, pro bono activity, or other initiatives that connect legal practice with climate- and nature-related financial risks. To be successful, you need to bring a deep understanding of how financial institutions are structured and regulated, alongside a demonstrable commitment to addressing climate and nature-related financial risks through legal and governance frameworks. You will be a confident communicator, confident and effective in public speaking, with the ability to represent the organisation at conferences, roundtables and stakeholder events, and to communicate complex legal ideas clearly to diverse audiences. This role would suit a self-starter who is comfortable working with a high degree of ownership in a small, purpose-driven organisation and who is motivated by the opportunity to apply their legal expertise to drive meaningful change.

To apply, please submit your up-to-date CV by 3 May at 23:59 AM. Shortlisted candidates will then be asked to provide a tailored cover letter.

Please note, only successful applicants will be contacted with further information.

As a leading charity recruitment specialist and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.