CHIEF OF FIRE FIGHTER STAND & TRAINING - 43000674

State of Florida•OCALA, FL

14d•$52,513 - $136,587•Onsite

About The Position

The Bureau Chief provides executive leadership for the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training and the Florida State Fire College. The position directs statewide firefighter standards, training, testing, certification, curriculum, instructor and training-provider oversight, and operates a residential fire-service education campus with dormitories, classrooms, training grounds, specialized props, apparatus, equipment, and infrastructure. The Chief advises Division and Department leadership on policy, legislation, budgets, and complex or sensitive matters; exercises independent judgment under applicable law and policy; and is accountable for safe, consistent, effective services to Florida’s fire service. The role also leads Bureau programs and personnel, oversees College and campus operations, administers statewide training and certification programs, manages budgets and information systems, represents the Division and Department with stakeholders, and may respond to disasters or major incidents as directed.

Requirements

Six years of supervisory experience in fire-based or academia-based fields; a post-secondary degree in fire science, education, or business may substitute year-for-year for required experience.
Executive leadership, personnel management, strategic planning, public administration, budget and contract administration, organizational change, and sound judgment in sensitive matters.
Knowledge of fire-service operations, firefighter health and safety, curriculum, adult learning, examinations, certification, accreditation, instructor and academy oversight, and applicable statutes, rules, and professional standards.
Knowledge of campus and facilities operations, capital planning, procurement, risk management, live-fire training safety, emergency management, and incident command.
Clear written and oral communication, public presentation, relationship building, conflict resolution, data-informed decision-making, and effective stewardship of public resources.
Ability to travel and respond to emergency assignments as required.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, emergency-management and incident-command training required by Department policy.
A security background check, including fingerprinting, is required as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

Florida Certified Firefighter II – FS 633 or equivalent.
Florida Certified Fire Instructor III – FS 633 or equivalent.
Fire Officer III or IV certification or equivalents.
Chief Fire Officer, Executive Fire Officer, or comparable designation.
Experience managing personnel, programs, budgets, and organizational resources in a fire-service, public-safety, governmental, educational, or comparably complex organization, including supervision of managers or multidisciplinary teams.
Experience with firefighter training, certification, curriculum, testing, fire academy operations, or related programs; interpreting statutes, rules, policies, and standards; and developing plans, budgets, contracts, or executive initiatives.

Responsibilities

Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate Bureau programs, priorities, performance measures, staffing, and service delivery; advise executive leadership on strategic, operational, regulatory, fiscal, and sensitive matters.
Supervise managers and professional, instructional, field, administrative, facilities, maintenance, and OPS staff; manage employee work, recruitment, development, retention, succession planning, and personnel actions.
Promote ethical conduct, accountability, workplace safety, responsive customer service, consistent interpretation of rules, and continuous improvement.
Direct residential, instructional, administrative, and campus operations at the Florida State Fire College, including dormitories, classrooms, student services, training grounds, live-fire and specialized props, apparatus, equipment, utilities, grounds, and support facilities.
Develop campus master plans, capital improvement priorities, maintenance and equipment replacement plans, and funding requests; oversee construction, renovation, repairs, procurement, contracts, vendors, and coordination with facilities and technical professionals.
Ensure safe operation of high-risk training facilities and establish campus safety, security, environmental, emergency, risk-management, and continuity plans.
Evaluate campus utilization and develop partnerships that advance statewide education, professional development, research, conferences, and exercises.
Direct curricula for minimum standards, advanced and specialized training, fire officer and instructor development, and other fire-service disciplines.
Oversee written and practical examinations, certification, credentialing, instructor approval, and continuing education, ensuring validity, security, fairness, quality assurance, appeals, and consistent statewide administration.
Direct approval, inspection, monitoring, and compliance oversight of training providers and facilities, and direct authorized corrective or administrative actions.
Develop and administer operating and capital budgets; monitor revenues, expenditures, procurement, contracts, grants, internal controls, and cost effectiveness; prepare legislative budget requests and funding proposals.
Develop or recommend rules, policies, procedures, forms, and standards; analyze legislation, regulatory changes, and national standards; prepare bill analyses, fiscal impacts, technical correspondence, and executive briefings.
Oversee information systems and records for training, examinations, certifications, instructors, providers, and students; use data to improve quality, efficiency, and decision-making.
Administer the Florida Firefighters Supplemental Compensation Program and assigned programs.
Represent the Division and Department before governmental bodies, advisory councils, fire-service organizations, educational institutions, and the public; provide technical support to the Firefighters Employment, Standards, and Training Council.
Maintain relationships with fire chiefs, training officers, labor and professional organizations, local governments, NFPA, the National Fire Academy, accreditation bodies, and other partners; present information and solicit input on statewide needs.
Serve on the Department Disaster Response Team and respond to the State Emergency Operations Center, disasters, or major incidents as directed; serve in roles consistent with qualifications and assignment.
Maintain appropriate incident-management knowledge and qualifications and perform other duties as assigned.