Fire Chief

The City of Chestermere has an opportunity in the Community Safety Department for a FIRE CHIEF.

WE ARE a city on the rise, reinventing itself as a community that emphasizes opportunity both within the city and within the organization. Chestermere is building something special from the ground up and is looking for people looking to make a difference.

YOU ARE a Fire Professional with many years of experience in the Fire Hall, who is looking to make their mark as part of the Management team in a city. More than just running a fire hall, you want to engage with community members, take the lead on projects that affect your team, and interact meaningfully with the Senior Management team on the direction of not just community safety, but the city itself.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director of Community Services, the Fire Chief assumes primary responsibility for the comprehensive management, leadership, planning, organization, and direction of all facets pertaining to Fire Service and Emergency Management programs. Serving as a pivotal liaison among internal departments and external stakeholders, this role plays a critical function in ensuring seamless coordination and communication within the departments.

Key outcomes under the purview of Fire Services encompass fire prevention, fire suppression, regional collaboration, public education, and the diligent enforcement of pertinent provincial and municipal regulations, including Alberta Safety Codes, and the Emergency Management Act. The Fire Chief is integral to the City’s Leadership Team, fostering a workplace culture grounded in Pride, Professionalism and Proficiency. By aligning divisional strategies and operations with the City’s Strategic Plan, the Fire Chief actively contributes to the advancement of municipal goals and community safety initiatives. This role requires a broad combination of strategic leadership, political acumen, business intelligence and oversight of the department's operations.

Key Accountabilities:

• Provide visionary leadership, coaching, and unwavering support to direct reports. Foster and champion a positive organizational culture and work environment that steadfastly upholds the organizational values.
• Manage the assessment of the current and future needs of Community Safety, gathering input and feedback, utilizing evaluation tools, and analyzing and reporting statistical and evaluative data to continuously update the City’s strategic plan.
• Develop comprehensive short- and long-term strategies and direction for the division that aligns seamlessly with the City’s Strategic Plan.
• Participate in sensitive negotiations, contracts, and agreements with service providers and partners.
• Ensure a safe and healthy work environment for staff, visitors, the community, and stakeholders, e.g., participate in workplace safety initiatives, participate in formal and informal worksite safety and environmental inspections and audits, ensure compliance with the City’s Health and Safety Management system, report and assist in the analysis of near misses or incidents.
• Direct the fire department with precision to achieve its defined mission and strategic objectives.
• Efficiently manage the departmental budget and resources to ensure optimal allocation and utilization.

Experience:

• Minimum of 8 -10 years of progressively responsible experience in senior leadership positions, including 5 years in a supervisory or command position.
• Extensive experience with the delivery of fire-medical response services within a unionized environment and how it interacts with the community and other response agencies. This includes building respectful relationships, clearly articulating expectations and creating appropriate, fair, and reasonable work environments.
• Proven experience in team building, change management, and strategic thinking and implementation.

Education:

• Post-secondary education related to Fire Service Management, Business Administration, or Public Administration. A combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Class 5 Driver’s License with a driver’s abstract deemed satisfactory by the city.
• Certification as a Fire Officer or equivalent is considered an asset.
• Advanced Incident Command System training is considered an asset.
• Medical Response training is considered an asset.
• Project management and procurement principles experience is considered an asset.

Attributes:

• Strategic, analytical, and creative thinking skills; ability to solve problems, make decisions, negotiate, and deal effectively with people in difficult situations.
• Business acumen, including budget management skills, grant or contract management skills; ability to make effective decisions that are well-informed and reflect input gathered from stakeholders.
• Proven leadership and management capability including supporting staff in all aspects of continuous improvement, creating safe spaces, coaching, mentoring, performance management, and development.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and data management.
• Proficiency working in Microsoft Office Programs including Word, Excel, and Outlook as well as operational databases and software platforms.
• Personal health habits that develop and maintain resiliency. Ability to observe, identify, and communicate about mental health matters. Willingness to participate in mental health sessions and counseling for the development and maintenance of positive and resilient mental health.

Salary and Benefits:

Salary Range: $170,000 to $200,000

Health and Dental and Prescription Drugs

Defined Benefit Pension

Health Benefit Spending Account

Closing Date for Applications: This posting will remain open until November 22, 2024

Join Our Team:

To apply, combine your cover letter and resume into a single document (PDF or Word) and email to: jobs@chestermere.ca

To help us learn more about you, in your cover letter please clearly explain the following:

1. Why you want to be the Fire Chief for the City of Chestermere. Why live and work in Chestermere?
2. What leadership skills and experience do you have that would make you a great leader-mentor for the team and our community?
3. What emergency service and leadership experience do you have that would help you to successfully navigate the complex issues of our evolving and growing community?