Rob MacDougall appointed as new People Programme Executive

Rob MacDougall, Director of Community Safety and Chief Fire Officer at Oxfordshire County Council, has been appointed National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) People Programme Executive.

The appointment follows the departure of Ann Millington, Chief Executive for Kent Fire and Rescue Service and former NFCC People Programme Executive, after 11 years in post.

Having joined the sector in 1998, Rob has enjoyed a wide and varied career in Oxfordshire, and even took a short secondment with the Ghana National Fire Service, before becoming Director of Community Safety and Chief Fire Officer at Oxfordshire in 2019.

Rob continues to support NFCC work, he is the Category sponsor for ICT for the Strategic Procurement Hub, chairs the End Point Assessment Partnership between Cornwall FRS and NFCC, and is the NFCC representative on the Fire Aid Steering Group. He also sits as an advisor on the NJC Advisory Forum.

His new venture as People Programme Executive will see him defining the next People Strategy, providing a direction of travel for the sector over the next few years.

Rob shared his thoughts: “I am thrilled to be stepping into the role as NFCC People Programme Executive. I have admired the excellent products landing in services under Ann’s guidance and look to steer the programme on this continuous improvement journey.

“The People Programme team should be incredibly proud of their achievements to date, made possible by the strong collaborations with fire and rescue services.

“This is an interesting time for our people as we navigate through the cost-of-living crisis and the impact that may have on our communities and colleagues.

“Now more than ever, collaboration is vital to ensuring that the programme delivers fit-for-purpose products in response to what the sector needs now and in the future.

“I look forward to working with the programme team and many fire and rescue service colleagues to shape what’s coming next.”