Workshop Manager

Workshop Manager

Manager 2C

Publish date: Monday 28th September 2026

Closing date: Monday 19th October 2026 at 12.00 Noon

Salary: £48,738.00 – £50,908.00 + On-call allowance and Essential car user (£1239 per annum)

Hours: 37 hour week, with flexible agile arrangements, some flexibility will be required to ensure workshop is fully supervised.

You will be entitled to 29 days annual leave, rising to 34 days after 5 years. You will also receive a further 8 days Bank Holiday entitlement.

You will also be contracted to participate in an out of hours call-out agreement for which you will receive an extra payment (rota is approx.1 week in every 4 weeks and equates to approximately 8-10% base salary pensionable)

Overview

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) is the second largest fire and rescue service in England, serving an area of 902km square and a population of more than 2.9 million people.

Our vision is ‘Making the West Midlands safer, stronger and healthier’.

This vision and the strategic goals outlined in ‘Our Strategy’ are what drives the people, professionalism and pride with which we serve our communities

Transport Engineering Department (TEW) are based at our Fleet workshops in Perry Barr, Birmingham but provide a mechanical and engineering support service to all our fire stations across the West Midlands. The departments primary responsibilities are for the design, purchase, maintenance and repair of the Service’s fleet of 136 emergency response vehicles and 144 support vehicles as well as the associated equipment required by a fire and rescue service, such as ladders, plant and rescue equipment totalling over 2000 assets.

The team of vehicle technicians also provide a 24-hour emergency call out service for our breakdowns and urgent repairs to ensure the continued availability of frontline fire appliances and equipment in responding to emergency incidents.

The base location of the team is within Transport Engineering Workshops (TEW) based in Perry Barr, Birmingham.

We are looking to appoint a Workshop Manager to join our Fleet Department. Under the direction of Fleet Technical Manager, you will be responsible for leading, managing and developing the West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) Vehicle and Equipment Workshop and Stores operation. The role ensures the effective maintenance, repair, servicing and management of the brigade’s fleet and operational equipment, including fire appliances, specialist response vehicles, support vehicles and associated assets.

The post holder will ensure that all fleet assets are maintained to the highest standards of safety, reliability, operational readiness and legislative compliance, maximising vehicle availability and supporting the brigade’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies. Through strong leadership, technical expertise and continuous improvement, the Workshop Manager will ensure that workshop and stores operations deliver an efficient, cost-effective and customer-focused service that protects frontline capability and supports the safety of the communities served by WMFS.

Responsibilities

• lead and manage workshop operations
• ensure fleet safety, compliance and availability
• develop and support high-performing teams
• drive performance, quality and continuous improvement.

Experience and skills

Essential skills or experience

• Level 3 vehicle maintenance qualification (or equivalent)
• strong knowledge of LGV/PCV maintenance, DVSA standards, fleet systems, and health and safety legislation
• proven experience managing workshop teams and supervising staff performance
• strong communication skills with experience in attendance management, disciplinary procedures, and staff development
• experience managing KPIs, budgets, reporting, and workshop performance
• proficient in Microsoft Office and producing management information to support decision-making and continuous improvement.

Desirable skills or experience

• knowledge of fire service vehicles, operational equipment, and their specialist maintenance and repair requirements
• understanding of ISO quality management systems and their application within a workshop or engineering environment
• large goods vehicle (LGV) driving licence and experience or knowledge of heavy vehicle recovery operations.

Benefits

We offer a friendly working environment and benefits including:

• enhanced family leave benefits, including 52 weeks fully paid maternity and adoption leave
• flexible and agile working arrangements
• on-site free gym facilities
• free parking.

We also offer access to an in-house occupational health facility - including occupational health and fitness advisors, sports therapists, physiotherapists, cognitive behavioural therapy practitioners and counsellors.

In addition, employees have access to:

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• wellbeing programmes
• ‘blue light’ discounts across many retailers through partner schemes
• enhanced family leave benefits including 52 weeks full paid maternity and adoption leave
• Sports and Welfare scheme (for a small fee) – with access to discounted products and services

Diversity

We welcome applications from all eligible candidates. However, as women and Black and minority ethnic employees are currently under-represented in our service, we particularly encourage applications from these groups.

WMFS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect the same of every staff member.

Successful candidates will be subject to necessary pre-employment checks, including - where applicable - relevant level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, qualifications, medical clearance, identity and right to work. All applicants will be required to provide two suitable references.

How to apply

To apply for this post, please complete the application questions and attached your CV, detailing previous experience to outline your suitability for the role.

When completing your application, please familiarise yourself with the job description and the person specification within this information pack so you understand the essential qualifications, skills and attributes for the role. You will need to demonstrate that you meet all of the essential criteria detailed in the person specification in order to be shortlisted to the next stage. Whether or not you are shortlisted for an interview is based on the information you provide in your application form.

Questions

If you have any questions about the role, would like an informal discussion or Workshop tour please contact Steven Dawson Workshop Manager on 0121 380 7568 or by email at steven.dawson@wmfs.net

Job Description