Fire Chief

The Fire Chief provides strategic leadership, administrative oversight and operational command within a 24-hour, career fire department in order to ensure high-quality fire suppression, emergency medical services, rescue operations, fire prevention and emergency preparedness. The position requires a collaborative leadership style, strong labor-management skills and a commitment to professional standards and community service.

• Establish departmental goals, policies and procedures consistent with city objectives and best practices to enhance public safety.
• Establish and effectively manage the department’s operating and capital budgets; manage staffing, apparatus, equipment and facility resources; prepare correspondence, records and reports as necessary.
• Develop long-term plans to improve and maintain effective operations and facility management.
• Evaluate programs for training firefighting personnel in the proper methods of firefighting, Hazmat, EMS, rescue, emergency management operations, the proper use of equipment, and on fire prevention to include inspection, investigation, and enforcement of Federal, State, and local laws.
• Direct investigations into the causes of fires; coordinate with Emergency Service Director.
• Establish and maintain effective controls for enforcing laws and ordinances. Ensure departmental compliance with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.
• Primary spokesperson on behalf of Fire Department at City Commission and other meetings as necessary to clarify/explain programs/activities. Participate on specialty boards at the State and local level as a city representative and maintain connections with government officials, key stakeholders and regional partners.
• Maintain constructive labor-management relations, including regular collaboration with union leadership and participation in contract negotiation and administration. Review and respond to employee grievances as necessary.
• Promote a culture of safety, accountability, equity and inclusion within the department in accordance with city and BCFD policy, Public Act 78 and collective bargaining agreements.
• Handle citizen inquiries, comments, and complaints regarding departmental activities; conducts activities in the development of good public relations and promotes good will, including the making of public addresses, appearances, and other activities.
• Perform other job-related duties as apparent or assigned.

• Must be able to demonstrate thorough knowledge of fire suppression techniques, Incident Command, safety codes and standards applicable to the city.
• Must have the skills or abilities to identify problems and initiate creative problem-solving techniques. Manage complex projects from inception through implementation. Make effective decisions under pressure, meet critical deadlines and follow-up assignments in a timely manner.

• Bachelor's degree with coursework in fire administration, public administration, or related field.
• EMS License is desirable.
• Experience with program and project management with budgetary oversight.
• Current NIMS certification(s).

• Minimum of 8-10 years’ progressively responsible fire service experience.
• At least 5 years in officer-level position supervising line personnel.
• Post-secondary education is preferred; however, a combination of education, training and experience that results in demonstrated competency performing the work may be substituted.

• Valid driver's license in the State of Michigan.
• Strong presentation and computer skills and ability to prepare technical and administrative reports; communicate effectively in oral and written form.
• Possess Fire Officer I, II, III certification or equivalent executive level training; or be eligible to apply, enroll and attend same or equivalent executive level leadership training within 12 months.

Executive-level position with on-call availability 24/7. Combination of administrative office work and on-scene response to major incidents. This work requires the ability to exert physical effort of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, bending, reaching, hand dexterity (grasping, holding, keyboarding, repetitive movements), reading, writing, eye-hand coordination; work has standard vision requirements (near and/or far, color, depth, field of vision);

vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to receive detailed information through oral communications (use of telephone) and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather) and exposure to outdoor weather conditions.