Deputy Fire Chief

THE POSITION

Please Note:
A candidate must successfully pass a thorough background investigation, including a criminal history check, fingerprinting, p olygraph test, psychological test, credit check, and a drug use history, to be considered for this position.

The Deputy Fire Chief manages key responsibilities and supports the Fire Chief in developing, proposing, and implementing programs that provide quality fire protection services and ensures excellent customer service within the department’s area. The Deputy Chief also collaborates closely with the Fire Chief to develop strategies and solutions for critical issues, helping to build consensus and maintain a clear and timely policy and decision-making process. The Deputy Fire Chief is responsible for overseeing one or more major divisions within the Fire Department and may serve as Acting Fire Chief when needed. Their duties are primarily administrative and managerial, involving significant authority over daily operations within their division(s). However, they also have the duty and authority to respond to complex incidents requiring greater oversight and the autonomy to make significant decisions. They regularly interact with public officials, State, Federal, and local agencies, as well as other public and private organizations, and the community.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

The ideal candidate should be an experienced organizational leader and a change agent who has mastered collaboration, takes initiative, and is solution- and results-oriented. They should be an excellent and diplomatic communicator, successfully developing and fostering strong cooperative working relationships. The candidate will have a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in programs and hiring practices. They should be an inspirational, creative, and strategic leader with the expertise to build on past successes, a vision to identify and pursue new opportunities, and the strength of character to inspire and mobilize necessary resources. This person will have demonstrated experience in engaging key stakeholders to invest in and support a shared vision for the Fire Department and the community we serve.

The Deputy Chief will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, which are vital for building strong relationships with staff, the community, business leaders, elected officials, and other key stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be a capable manager of staff, focusing on performance management, boosting morale, creating a positive work environment, and applying best practices and efficiencies to ensure departmental success.

DEFINITION

Under minimal supervision, the Deputy Fire Chief performs responsible administrative and management duties in the Fire Department; manages and oversees the activities of one or more fire service Divisions responsible for operations, administrative/ personnel, support and/or other services; develops Division goals and objectives; coordinates activities with other Fire Department managers, City officials, and outside organizations; helps assure Department compliance with and enforcement of applicable Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances and codes.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is a senior-management sworn classification populated with multiple incumbents. The Deputy Fire Chief is assigned broad responsibility for overseeing one or more major Divisions within the Fire Department and may act in the absence of the Fire Chief. Duties are primarily administrative and managerial in nature, and incumbents perform work involving significant authority for various day-to-day operations within their assigned Division. Incumbents interface frequently with public officials, State/Federal/local agencies, other public/private organizations and the general public, and assist the Fire Chief in the development, proposal, and implementation of programs designed to provide quality fire protection services and maintain excellent customer service within the Department's jurisdiction. This classification is distinguished from the lower classification of Fire Assistant Chief in that the Deputy Fire Chief is responsible for Division activities, while the Fire Assistant Chief manages/supervises a section within a Division, serving as senior administrative officer only as required outside of normal business hours. This classification is distinguished from Fire Chief in that the latter class is responsible for all department activities.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Minimal direction is provided by the Fire Chief. Incumbents supervise a large and diverse group of sworn and civilian employees performing a full-range of fire service management, supervisory, professional, technical, and support duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

TYPICAL DUTIES

- Selects, assigns, trains, directs, and evaluates subordinate managers, supervisors, professionals, and others; assures training and guidance for staff involved in various aspects of fire service; may be responsible for administering comprehensive training programs in fire suppression, emergency medical response, and other Department activities; recommends and implements disciplinary actions when necessary.
- Plans, organizes, manages, leads, and directs the operations of one or more Divisions within the Fire Department; develops, plans, and recommends Division goals and objectives in accordance with the core purpose, mission, vision, and values of the Fire Department as a whole; develops, recommends, and administers Division policies and procedures; establishes priorities; coordinates assigned activities with other Fire Department managers, other City officials/managers and/or outside organizations as appropriate; participates on committees and boards and in community activities; attends meetings, conferences, and workshops.
- Helps administer Department budget for assigned areas of responsibility; participates in budget development as assigned; analyzes data to identify and project resource needs; submits proposals for needed resources; recommends strategies to improve fiscal efficiency; may help develop and implement grant-funded programs; may monitor and approve budget expenditures within limits of authority; and prepares complex statistical and narrative reports, correspondence, and other documents.
- Monitors equipment, fleet, and/or facilities performance; assures equipment, fleet, and/or facilities readiness as assigned; researches and recommends new equipment/fleet purchases and/or facilities development/re-location as assigned; may participate in difficult fire, medical, and/or other emergency scenes as necessary to help manage and/or oversee operations; may provide administrative coverage for evening, night, and/or weekend shifts.
- Monitors legal requirements, trends, and issues in order to assure Division compliance with appropriate fire and emergency service-related laws, regulations, statutes, and codes; may develop, recommend, and/or manage enforcement programs and activities; monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of work products through quality control and
related activities.
- Performs other or related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

- Principles and practices of modern public administration including planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling.

- Principles and practices of human resources management, supervision, and training.

- Public relations practices and techniques.

- Current principles, practices, methods, and techniques of fire and life safety, fire prevention, fire suppression, emergency medical response, emergency planning, hazardous materials response, and other fire service-related activities; operation, maintenance, and use of modern fire-fighting and rescue equipment.

- Current literature, laws, regulations, and developments, as well as various agencies, that impact fire service-related operations.

- Research methods; report writing techniques; statistical concepts and methods; principles and techniques of project management.

Skill in:

- Use of modern office equipment, including computers, computer applications and software.

- Use of modern communication devices including radios, pagers, and cell phones.

- Use of modern fire suppression equipment; familiarity with emergency medical response equipment.

Ability to:

- Manage one or more Divisions within a city Fire Department.

- Make command decisions in emergency situations.

- Maintain effective working relationships with Department staff, Federal/State/local agencies, various emergency services agencies, the general public, and others.

- Supervise subordinate personnel including managers, supervisors, and professional staff.

- Develop and implement fire and related service plans, policies, and procedures.

- Assist with the development, administration, and control of large budgets.

- Read and interpret complex laws and regulations affecting fire service-related functions.

- Establish effective working relationships with public officials, public/private agencies, and the general public on a variety of issues.

- Prepare complex narrative and statistical reports, correspondence, and other documents; communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing.

- Participate in or command difficult on-scene fire, rescue, or other emergency operations if required.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:

Experience:

Seven years of broad and extensive sworn supervisory experience in municipal fire service-related work including at least two years at a level higher than or equal to the Sacramento City class of Fire Battalion Chief.

Education:

A Bachelor's degree in fire technology fire science or management, public or business administration, or a related field.

Substitution:

Additional qualifying experience may substitute for the required education on a year for year basis.

PROOF OF EDUCATION

Should education be used to qualify for this position, then proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Driver's License:

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Background:

Must successfully complete a background investigation.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

Please note, the City of Sacramento's preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders. All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the governmentjobs.com applicant inbox.

1. Application: (Pass/Fail) - All applicants must complete and submit online a City of Sacramento employment application by the final filing deadline ;

• Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
• Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:
  • If applicants do not list current and past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).
  • If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.
• Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
• Proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted online with your application. Proof of education will be required at time of appointment.

2. Supplemental Questionnaire: (Pass/Fail) - In addition to the City of Sacramento employment application, all applicants must complete and submit online responses to the supplemental questionnaire to the City of Sacramento Employment Office by the final filing deadline ;

• Responses to the supplemental questionnaire must be submitted online; paper questionnaire will not be accepted.
• Incomplete supplemental questionnaire will not pass the review process; omitted information cannot be considered or assumed.
• A resume will not substitute for the information required in the supplemental questionnaire.
• Possession of the minimum qualifications is not necessarily a guarantee for further advancement in the selection process.

3. Screening Committee: (Pass/Fail) - All applications received by the final filing deadline will be forwarded to the hiring department for review. The hiring department will select the most competitive applications for further consideration. Human Resources will only evaluate employment applications for the minimum qualifications, as stated on the job announcement, for applications selected by the hiring department.

4. Interview Process: Human Resources will forward applications to the hiring department. Those determined to be the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an interview process.

5. Conditional Hire: Upon receipt of a conditional offer, the selected candidate must complete and pass Live Scan/fingerprinting. If applicable, candidates may also need to pass a pre-employment medical exam, controlled substance and/or alcohol test, and possess any required licensure or certification prior to receiving a start date from the Department. Failure to meet these prerequisites will be grounds for withdrawal of your conditional offer of employment.

QUESTIONS:
For questions concerning this job announcement and the application process:

• Please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/Home/ApplicationGuide for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application process.
• For technical support between 6 AM - 5 PM PT, contact Live Application Support at 855-524-5627.
• Visit the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department website at https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/employment ;
• Send an email to employment@cityofsacramento.org ; or
• Call the Human Resources Department at (916) 808-5726

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information

Civil Service Rules: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/CivilServiceBoardRules62012.pdf

Union Contracts: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/labor-agreements.html

Salary Schedule: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/SalarySchedule.pdf

Closing Date/Time: 8/8/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of Sacramento

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