Assistant Chief, Fire

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has an opening for a permanent full-time Assistant Chief in the Fire & Rescue division.

The position
Chatham-Kent Fire & Rescue (CKFR) incorporates an Assistant Chief model whereby Assistant Chiefs fulfill the role of a Deputy Chief and report directly to the Fire Chief. Assistant Chiefs are valued members of the CKFR Command Team and members of the Senior Management Team (SMT) for the Municipality.

Fire and Emergency Services:
Under the direction and guidance of the Fire Chief, CKFR is an all-hazards community safety organization with the responsibility to care for the community through planning, prevention, public education, emergency response and recovery in three operational services: Fire Services, Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Management as required by various provincial legislations. Careful coordination in these three key emergency service areas makes for a well-integrated and effective public safety and pre-hospital health care service that is cost efficient throughout the 2,500 km² of Chatham-Kent 24/7 x 365.

The Community of Chatham-Kent
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is a single tier municipality. Located between Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, Chatham-Kent covers a large geographical area of 2,500 sq. km. Each community in Chatham-Kent has its own unique character and history, but all enjoy the safe and affordable lifestyle that makes the region popular. Chatham-Kent's population has steadily been increasing and diversifying. Chatham-Kent is currently home to 106,091 people and over 55 languages are spoken. With a population density of 42.4 people/sq. km, there is plenty of room to grow.

The Assistant Chief Fire portfolios include:
The Operations Chief oversees the service delivery of the fire & rescue teams in both the rural and urban stations.  Responsible for labour relations, performance management, planning and discipline, the Operations Chief has line management responsibility for the emergency response areas of the service. This includes firefighting, MVC extrication, tiered medical response and other specialised services such as marine and ice water rescue. Operational intelligence (pre-planning) and managing complex public event response are requirements for this role.

The Logistics Chief oversees the technical aspect of the service including administration, budget, equipment, apparatus, and communications.  Emergency Management currently sits within this portfolio with oversight of our emergency management functions and Emergency Operations Centre.  Management of our contracted paramedic service falls within this directorate, including some equipment and fleet.  Project management of new initiatives is a key part of this portfolio.

The Prevention Chief is responsible for our fire prevention branch, fire investigation and community safety including our home safety strategy.  With oversight of the Fire Prevention officer, Inspectors and Public Information Officer, the Prevention Chief oversees the inspection program for code compliance, as well as our service wide community safety program working with partner agencies through various groups and strategies to protect homes and vulnerable persons.

The Training and Safety Chief manages the training branch and oversees our safety program including recruitment, auxiliary training, continuation training, H&S committees, and cancer prevention. The training Chief also takes critical lead roles in our wellbeing arrangements such as our peer support group and our contribution to equality and justice. 

All of the Command Team works with the Administration team who support operations and provide support to all of the functions of the department.

Overall responsibilities
Demonstrate Chatham-Kent’s core values and competencies.

Lead a team in a fast-paced and constantly changing unionized and non-unionized environment.

Support the Fire Chief in managing the day-to-day operations of the service.

Participate in critical strategic decisions including formulation of the department’s strategic and operational plan, policies, procedures, regulations, and program objectives, be able to respond to local, provincial, and federal boards/ agencies.

Represent CKFR in the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), the Department Operations Centre (DOC) or on site for the coordination of resources during disasters and large-scale incidents.

Develop briefs for arbitration hearings, take the lead in contract negotiations and other related labour relations matters as required.

Oversee promotional protocols, champion change and diversity and facilitate professional development and training programs for all staff.

Complete annual performance reviews of senior staff and oversee the performance reviews for all personnel in portfolio.

Develop operating guidelines, policies, and procedures.

Develop and implement operational plans and strategies to meet emerging risks and events.

Establish continuous quality assurance and improvement processes to ensure optimal service delivery.

Ensure that the CKFR customer service delivery meets or exceeds the standards expected by Council and the community.

Fulfill the role of Command Officer or Senior Advisor on a rotational basis.

Act as the Fire Chief as needed.

Education & training
College diploma or university degree in a related program, preferably in Fire, Health Sciences or Public Administration, or a related program, with six (6) to ten (10) years of related experience.

Required knowledge, abilities, and skills:
Experience as an executive officer in emergency services, including assignment in Fire Operations, prevention and/or training.

Knowledge of Fire/Medical Priority Dispatch is preferred.

Knowledge of Project Management principles.

Several years' experience in managing a complex highly unionized operational environment including the various aspects of human resource management such as performance management, labour relations, progressive discipline, succession, and strategic planning.

Support the negotiation and implementation of collective agreement.

Previous experience working collaboratively on a multi-functional team.

Ability to be flexible and assume responsibility for another portfolio at the direction of the Fire Chief.

Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) training an asset.

Experience as a Firefighter an asset.

Experience in Incident Command/Senior Advisor at Emergency Scenes an asset.

Demonstrated competency in courage of convictions.

Strong performance management skills.

Certifications/licenses/memberships

• Completion of Fire Officer III and Fire Officer IV (NFPA 1021) would be an asset.
• CFO (Chief Fire Officer) Designation or Executive Chief Fire Officer (ECFO) would be an asset.

Work environment/hours of work
This position works both indoors and outdoors. This position works weekday, afternoon, evening and weekend hours, and on call after hours and on weekends.

COVID-19 Vaccination
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent no longer requires a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. Although it is not mandatory to be vaccinated, it is highly encouraged.

Driver’s license requirements
Because of the responsibilities, this position requires the successful candidate to have a valid class G (or higher) Ontario driver’s licence; a driver’s abstract will be conducted by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. An acceptable driver’s abstract will: be an original document and current (within the previous thirty (30) days); have no more than four (4) demerit points; have no more than two (2) convictions for the same offence; have no criminal code convictions; have no ‘non-medical or administrative’ license suspension in the preceding three (3) years; because this position may be required to drive their own vehicle, a reliable vehicle is also required.

Background check requirements
Successful candidates will be required to complete a background check prior to commencement of employment. A background check may include the following: Police Criminal Record Check, education/certification verification, and employment reference check.

Benefits
This permanent full-time position has an annual wage of $129,522 to $152,487 and will receive benefits including participation in the OMERS pension plan (mandatory), vacation entitlement and a comprehensive benefit package, short- and long-term disability, extended health and dental benefits following the successful completion of a 3-month waiting period.