Deputy Chief of Fire & Rescue

Bernalillo County•Albuquerque, NM

About The Position

Employees at Bernalillo County enjoy the ability to team up with each other to build a high quality of life for our county residents, communities, and businesses. In addition to being an organization with a strong focus on work-life balance, building a culture of flexibility, learning, and belonging the County offers many benefits. Employees of Bernalillo County enjoy many thoughtful rewards such as, but not limited to generous leave accruals; career development opportunities; remote & flex-work options as appropriate; longevity pay; education assistance program; health benefits; lucrative retirement; and so much more. The Deputy Chief of Fire & Rescue performs administrative, professional, and technical duties to support the operations and administration of the fire and rescue department and emergency management services. This position aligns departmental activities with County goals, objectives, and performance standards.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited educational institution
Current Battalion Commander or higher rank with Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue or a paid, professional fire department of equal or greater size.
Minimum of two (2) consecutive years in the rank of Battalion Commander or higher.
Must hold and maintain a valid EMT Basic (or higher) certification or license.
Out-of-state candidates must either hold an active EMT license from another jurisdiction eligible for reciprocity with New Mexico or be able to obtain and maintain full licensure by the State of New Mexico within six (6) months of hire.
Successfully complete and pass all elements of the promotional process as determined by the Fire Chief.
Meet and maintain NFPA 1582 medical screening requirements for firefighters.
Comply with and enforce all Bernalillo County policies, Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue policies and procedures, standard operating guidelines, directives, memos, and the collective bargaining agreement.
Successfully complete a post-offer medical examination and background investigation.
Follow all Bernalillo County safety guidelines.
Complete required FEMA trainings assigned to the position.
Complete all required supervisory training, if applicable.
Employees must possess and maintain a valid New Mexico driver’s license with a Class E endorsement throughout employment.
Individuals who do not possess the required license and endorsement at the time of hire must obtain them within six (6) months of hire.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and supervise daily operations of fire, rescue, and emergency management personnel in collaboration with the Chief of Fire and Rescue.
Serve as acting Chief of Fire and Rescue in the Chief's absence.
Represent the Fire Department or County to federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, as well as private organizations.
Direct, assign, and evaluate the work of subordinate personnel as delegated by the Chief.
Prepare, plan, and schedule efficiency and performance strategies in consultation with the Chief.
Establish staffing patterns and prepare work schedules for fire, rescue, and emergency management personnel.
Assist in preparing the annual budget and support its development with administrative staff.
Monitor departmental spending to ensure responsible stewardship of County resources.
Manage the discipline policy and program as directed by the Chief.
Respond to alarms and direct activities at the scene of major emergencies, as needed.
Supervise assigned Division Chiefs and ensure divisions meet departmental goals.
Analyze trends and practices in fire suppression, fire safety, emergency medical services, and emergency preparedness.
Ensure policies and procedures are developed, communicated, and followed; recommend updates to improve operations.
Ensure standard operating procedures and guidelines are in place and followed; recommend changes to enhance effectiveness.
Assist in developing, communicating, training, and implementing the Department’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP); ensure all staff understand their roles and responsibilities.
Respond to emergency situations when needed and provide assistance based on expertise or assigned role.
Assume command of large or complex incidents when required.
Assume full management responsibility for administrative operations including budgeting, accreditation, policy development, records management, personnel processes, and administrative support services.
Manage the development and implementation of departmental goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for assigned administrative areas.
Recommend and administer policies and procedures; develop and revise standard operating procedures based on ongoing needs assessments.
Represent the department to County administration, elected officials, external agencies, and partner organizations; coordinate administrative activities with other County departments and regional partners.
Explain, justify, and defend administrative programs, policies, and activities; negotiate and resolve sensitive or controversial issues.
Plan, direct, and coordinate administrative work plans through subordinate staff; assign projects and programmatic responsibilities; evaluate work methods and procedures; identify and resolve organizational and administrative challenges.
Oversee and manage the development, submission, and administration of the department’s annual operating and capital budgets; prepare financial forecasts and recommend resource allocations.
Monitor and evaluate administrative systems, processes, reporting relationships, and technology needs; implement improvements in administrative support systems, hardware, and software.
Manage personnel processes including recruitment support, hiring coordination, promotions, training, performance evaluations, absences, compensation cases, and corrective actions; ensure compliance with County personnel policies and labor agreements.
Oversee professional development and mandatory training programs; coordinate certifications, continuing education, leadership development, and training documentation systems.
Ensure the development, communication, and training of the Department’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) for administrative functions; ensure adequate administrative resources are provided during emergency responses.
Prepare and submit administrative reports, analyses, and performance reviews to support strategic decision-making and compliance.
Attend and participate in professional group meetings; remain informed of new trends in fire administration, emergency management, public safety leadership, and government operations.
Plan, assign, and supervise the work of administrative staff; provide coaching, mentorship, and development opportunities.
May handle sensitive and/or confidential records, documents, investigations, personnel matters, or decisions requiring confidentiality.
Assume full management responsibility for operational functions including fire suppression, rescue, EMS, hazardous materials, emergency preparedness, and field operations staffing.
Manage the development and implementation of operational goals, objectives, policies, and priorities; recommend and administer operational policies and procedures; develop and revise SOPs based on needs assessments and after-action reviews for continuous improvement.
Oversee daily operational readiness, deployment strategies, and response plans; evaluate operational efficiency and ensure resource allocation aligns with incident trends and community risk.
Represent the department to regional fire agencies, emergency management organizations, law enforcement partners, and mutual aid jurisdictions; coordinate operational activities with outside agencies during emergencies and planned events.
Establish appropriate service and staffing levels; monitor workload, response times, training needs, and operational performance indicators.
Plan, direct, and coordinate the operational work plan through subordinate chiefs, captains, and commanders; assign operational projects, evaluate performance, and resolve complex operational challenges.
Direct major incident operations, assume command of large or complex events, and support incident commanders during multi-agency responses.
Lead operational training and readiness programs including fire suppression, EMS, technical rescue, hazardous materials, wildland operations, and incident command training.
Oversee apparatus, equipment, gear, and operational resource management; ensure equipment readiness, maintenance schedules, and compliance with safety standards.
Monitor safety and risk management practices for field operations; ensure compliance with NFPA standards, OSHA regulations, and department safety policies.
Coordinate the development and operational implementation of the Department’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and continuity plans; ensure operational staff understand and execute their assigned roles.
Prepare operational reports, incident analyses, deployment assessments, and recommendations for improvement.
Attend operational working groups, mutual aid councils, emergency management committees, and professional organizations to remain informed of emerging best practices.
Plan, assign, and supervise the work of operational staff; coordinate training, evaluate performance, and implement discipline as appropriate.
Maintain readiness to respond to emergencies at any time; provide operational leadership during large-scale or high-risk incidents.
May handle sensitive and confidential incident information, tactical response plans, and safety-critical data.