Fire Chief - City of Orlando, FL

Contact Information

Contact: Tim Sashko
Phone: 847-380-3240
View Website

More Information

Orlando, FL (population 307,573). Orlando is one of the most friendly, dynamic, and diverse communities in America. Located in Orange County, Florida, the City is the 4th largest city in the state of Florida (pop. est. 307,573) and one of the largest cities in the nation. Orlando is proud to be an inclusive City with opportunities for everyone. Orlando includes an historic and bustling downtown area, museums, multiple colleges and universities, multiple entertainment options including award-winning golf courses and world class venues. The City is best known around the world for its many regional attractions and theme parks, including Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. Internationally recognized, Orlando is one of the most visited destinations in the world with more than 75 million visitors per year. The City is seeking a progressive, highly collaborative, and passionate leader to serve as its next Fire Chief. The Fire Chief position is a visible member of the City’s senior administrative team and requires well-developed leadership abilities and management skills that are based upon consensus building and problem-solving. The Fire Chief is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and reports to the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. The Chief provides counsel and administrative leadership to and for the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer in all matters of public safety pertaining to development and maintenance of city fire protection and EMS. • The Fire Department is staffed by 613 total employees of which 520 are sworn personnel. Civilian staff includes Emergency Communication Specialists/Supervisors, Civilian EMT/Paramedics, and other support personnel. Sworn personnel below the rank of Assistant Chief are covered by collective bargaining agreements. • The Department has an ISO Class 1 rating, International Fire Accreditation, CAAS accreditation (EMS transport), Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) certification and ACE accreditation (911 Communications Center) • The Department provides services from 17 fire stations with fire suppression, emergency medical transport services, arson investigation, bomb mitigation, dive rescue, community risk reduction and aircraft rescue as well as emergency management and special teams operations. • The Communications Center has 30 civilian employees consisting of Emergency Communications Specialists, Supervisors, Technical Support and Managers through two divisions (Call Takers and Radio Dispatch) operating on an 800Mhz radio network. • The department has programs (Administration, Public Relations/Education, Fire Safety Management and Office of Emergency Management) supporting overall operations. • The department’s FY2021 – 2022 (October 1 – September 30) budget is $125,495,714 (23% of the General Fund Budget). Annually, the department responds to more than 60,000 EMS and fire and emergency service calls. The City seeks: • Innovation: Bring fresh ideas to the organization and offer unique perspectives and experiences. • Experience: Specifically, in the areas of fire operations, emergency management transport, emergency management, master facilities planning, and large-scale events planning. Business acumen and experience with budgetary control and compliance are crucial. • Energy: Provide enthusiasm and bring focused energy to all projects and a passion for service to the community. Be one who is highly motivated and can develop and articulate a long-term plan for the fire department with the charisma to lead the team to an even higher level of excellence. Be a highly motivated, visionary, goal-oriented leader with a proven ability to gain cooperation and communicate clear direction. • Versatility: Play an important role in coordinating, facilitating, and managing projects that require involvement across multiple service areas with a strong desire to work in a collegial, team-oriented environment. • Leadership: Be dedicated to becoming an effective servant leader and building collaborative and positive relationships with employees, colleagues, and outside organizations. Have strong and confident communication skills, excellent relationship-building abilities, an accessible leadership style, and a calm demeanor; be one who can establish trust quickly with others. Have thorough knowledge of the principles of personnel management including recruiting, training, promoting, disciplining, and terminating employees within a fire service context. Minimum requirements candidates must possess: • A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a degree in Fire Administration, Fire Science Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field • 5 or more years of progressively responsible fire management and/or command experience at the Assistant Chief level or higher. Certifications or Licenses required: • Must obtain a Certificate of Compliance as a State of Florida Firefighter or certification issued by the State of Florida to an administrative and command head of a fire/ rescue/ emergency services organization within twelve (12) months of appointment in accordance with Florida Department of State, Florida Administrative Code and Florida Administrative Register Rule 69A-37.054. • Must either have a valid Florida driver’s license or obtain one within 30 days of hire. Preferred but not required: • Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university • Executive Fire Officer (EFO) certification from the National Fire Academy (NFA) • Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence • Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic certificate The City of Orlando offers a competitive salary and benefits package. The City is prepared to pay reasonable and customary moving expenses. City residency is preferred but not required. Candidates should apply by March 4, 2022, with résumé/CV, cover letter and contact information for five (5) references to www.GovHRjobs.com. Only electronic applications are accepted. Questions may be directed to the attention of T.E Sashko, Vice President, GovHR USA, 630 Dundee Road, #225, Northbrook, IL 60062. Tel: (847)380-3240 x123. The City of Orlando is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Note: Under Florida Law, resumes are public documents and will be provided to the media upon request. Please call prior to submitting your resume if confidentiality is important to you.