The Chief Fire Officers Association (now the National Fire Chiefs Council) was the professional membership association for chief fire officers across the UK’s Fire and Rescue Services. I joined in 2004 to create and lead its Information Systems department (the first such function in the organisation), growing it over eight years into a team covering software engineering, IT operations, and digital delivery across a group of associated organisations including the Association of Principal Fire Officers (APFO).
As a member of the senior management team, I held responsibility for all technology strategy and operations across the group, contributing to annual business planning and priority-setting at organisational level.
Key achievements:
- Created the Information Systems department from scratch and expanded its staff and remit over eight years
- Delivered a bespoke Membership Management and CRM system
- Delivered a bespoke Web Content Management System powering eight websites across CFOA and associated organisations, UK fire services, and the fire directorate within the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)
- Delivered a health and safety alert system used by all UK Fire and Rescue Services, distributing bulletins on equipment usage and working practices to operational staff across the country