Assistant Fire Chief

Kings County • Hanford, CA

49d

About The Position

The Kings County Fire Department invites dynamic and visionary fire service leaders to apply for the position of Assistant Fire Chief. This is an exceptional opportunity to play a key leadership role in shaping the future of fire and emergency services within a forward-thinking organization committed to excellence, teamwork, and community safety. The successful candidate will work closely with the Fire Chief to guide departmental operations, oversee the management of personnel and resources, and support strategic planning initiatives that ensure the department continues to meet the highest standards of professionalism and preparedness. In this role, you will have the chance to influence policy, foster collaboration across county departments, and lead innovative programs that directly impact the safety and well-being of the community. If you are a decisive, analytical, and results-oriented leader with strong communication and relationship skills, this is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference while advancing your career in public service.

Requirements

• Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in fire science, fire administration, business or public administration or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of increasingly responsible current experience in fire suppression or prevention work in an organized fire department in a fulltime capacity comparable to or above a Fire Captain, including at least two (2) years as a Battalion Chief or higher class.
• Possession of a valid California driver's license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of appointment.
• Possession of valid EMT-1 certification.
• Possession of valid CPR certification.
• Possession of ICS 400.
• Possession of a valid CSFM Chief Officer Certificate within one year.
• Qualify for security clearance through a background investigation and fingerprint check; must be willing
• Ability to work irregular hours including emergencies, evenings, weekends, and holidays and work varying shifts, including on-call as necessary; ability to travel within and outside of the County as required; may be required to travel out of state as needed to complete job duties.
• Effective June 18, 2007, incumbents must not smoke or chew tobacco, or otherwise use tobacco products, on or off duty.

Responsibilities

• Assists in planning, coordinating, organizing and managing the staff and operations of the Fire Department, including suppression and prevention operations, and safety and training.
• Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the department; recommends within department policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommends and administers policies and procedures.
• Participates in the development, administration, and oversight of department budget; determines funding needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; ensures compliance with budgeted funding.
• Develops and standardizes procedures and methods to improve and continuously monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of assigned programs, service delivery methods, and procedures; assesses and monitors workload, administrative, and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identifies opportunities and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Participates in the selection of, trains, motivates, and evaluates assigned personnel; works with employees to correct deficiencies; recommends and implements discipline and termination procedures.
• Develops and manages requests for proposals for professional and/or contracted services; prepares scope of work and any technical specifications; evaluates proposals and recommends award; negotiates contracts; administers contracts to ensure compliance with County specifications and service quality.
• Coordinates and supports Battalion Chiefs to establish daily priorities; evaluates daily activity locally, regionally, and statewide for impact on local resource distribution and concentration; allocates resources to ensure County coverage for emergency response and training.
• Directs multi-unit emergency operations; may serve as Incident Commander; conducts pre-incident planning and deploys assigned resources consistent with incident need; directs firefighting operations to ensure all response activities are conducted in a manner consistent with prescribed policies and procedures.
• Prepares and presents staff and agenda reports and other necessary correspondence related to assigned activities and services; presents reports to various commissions, committees, and boards.
• Conducts a variety of organizational and operational studies and investigations; recommends modifications to assigned programs, policies, and procedures, as appropriate.
• Serves as a liaison for assigned functions with other County departments, divisions, and outside agencies; provides staff support to commissions, committees, and task forces as necessary.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in fire service operations; research emerging products and enhancements and their applicability to County needs.
• Monitors changes in regulations and technology that may affect operations; implements policy and procedural changes after approval.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to difficult and sensitive problems and complaints in a professional manner; identifies and reports findings and takes necessary corrective action.
• Directs the establishment and maintenance of working and official department files.
• Ensures staff compliance with County and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Maintains strict confidentiality.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• This position includes Management Group II benefits, which features CalPERS retirement (plan and tier placement determined at benefits selection) and fully paid PPO health, dental, vision, and chiropractic insurance for employees and eligible dependents.
• Employees are also eligible for the Deferred Compensation Plan, with the County contributing one dollar for every three dollars contributed by the employee, up to $3,500 per year.
• Vacation accrual ranges from 12 to 20 days per year, based on years of service, and the County Administrative Officer may authorize an adjusted accrual rate for employees hired from other public agencies to reflect prior service.
• In addition, this position includes 80 hours of management leave (pro rated upon hire date), which may be cashed out at the employee's option.
• Employees receive 12.5 scheduled paid holidays per year, plus an additional 3.5 days when the County participates in holiday closures, and 10 to 12 days of accrued sick leave per year with unlimited accrual.
• Other benefits include $40,000 term life insurance and access to the onsite Health Center Monday through Friday for employees and eligible dependents, without the need to use sick or other leave for personal appointments.
• Uniform allowances and longevity pay is available for safety classifications after 5, 10, and 15 years of service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support