Assistant Deputy Fire Chief

The Opportunity:

The Assistant Deputy Chief is directly responsible to lead and manage the day-to-day functions of their respective branches and sections within Red Deer Emergency Services. They are responsible for technical activities, personnel, recruiting, mentoring and staff development, budget, labour relations, health & safety, goal setting, procurement, asset tracking/lifecycle accountability of equipment, and overall administration of the division as directed by the Deputy Chief.

As a member of the Chief Officer Team, the ADC inspires and supports a shared vision for the future of Red Deer Emergency Services in a climate of accountability. Assists in developing long range plans that ensure the services provided by the department are integrated and aligned with the goals and priorities of The City of Red Deer. The ADC provides advice, support, and assistance with all aspects of the RDES Accreditation process. The ADC works in partnership with Council, community groups and the media, while forming and maintaining collaborative partnerships with other organizations and agencies in the community and also contributing as a staff member of The City of Red Deer.

Top Key Responsibilities:

• Staff Leadership & Supervision - Hire, coach, manage performance, and oversee scheduling, discipline, and safety.
• Operational & Program Management - Plan, implement, and improve branch programs while ensuring compliance and effectiveness.
• Budget & Resource Management - Control budgets, staffing, contracts, equipment, and overall resource allocation.
• Labour Relations Management - Handle employee relations, grievances, negotiations, and act as a liaison with HR.
• Emergency & Strategic Leadership - Serve as On-Call Chief Officer, support incident response, and provide strategic advice to senior leadership.

Branch Specific Portfolio Assignments:

• OPERATIONS: Operations provides emergency response services to The City of Red Deer through a Fire and EMS service delivery model. Personnel provide coverage in emergency services stations across The City. Operations delivers fire suppression, Fire medical co-response (ALS), HAZMAT, technical /vehicle/ water rescue and wildland/urban interface services as well as advanced life support ground transport as a contract provider to Alberta Health Services. Operations also provides fire services with mutual aid partners in Central Alberta. The ADC, as directed by the DC, provides day-to-day leadership of the Fire Suppression branch and its Platoon Chiefs and staff. The ADC leads the design, development and implementation of the emergency medical services operating procedures, in conformance the MCPs and policies and legislated acts and regulations which govern the delivery of prehospital care. Additionally, they are responsible for analyzing external stakeholder requirements as they pertain to the emergency medical services delivery of prehospital care.
• ADMINISTRATION: Leads in the design, implementation and review of the department Business Continuity Plan, which addresses planning, risk identification and mitigation strategies. Identifies and maintains compliance with standards, including department accreditations, Fire Underwriters and legislated requirements. Manages department OH&S, disability management, department and corporate Safety Committees. Liaises with corporate Health & Safety department for investigation, reporting and documentation purposes. Additionally, addresses department accreditation programs (CPSE), Fire Underwriters’ (FUS), CPSE, Accreditation Canada and IAED accreditation, management systems and internal / external audits.
• COMMUNICATIONS: Responsible for overseeing the 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Branch; including staff and technology. Dedicated to continuously developing and sustaining partnerships with industry stakeholders, municipalities, The City of Red Deer departments. Ensures the effective delivery of public safety communication services, focusing specifically on call processing time and Quality Assurance to dispatching protocol standards. Ensures that operational performance requirements of the branch meets or exceeds the terms of contracts with other external municipalities and the Province. Analyzes and identifies liability and risk issues arising from services provided by the 9-1-1 ECC. Ensures back-up 9-1-1 centre is prepared for activation.
• TRAINING: Provides input and guidance to assist the department in prioritizing training initiatives, based on life safety, legal, legislated and mandatory department requirements. Assist with strategic planning related to training programs, learning & development processes, course implementation and program review. Oversees the activities of the Chief Training Officer and the Fire Training Facility. Collaborates with Operations, required stakeholders and the CTO in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of training branch courses and programs.
• PREVENTION: The City of Red Deer Emergency Services oversees the responsibility of ensuring compliance with the Quality Management Plan (QMP). The QMP is a documented in which the City agrees to perform certain duties within the Fire Prevention Bureau, such as Fire Inspections and Fire Investigations. The portfolio is responsible for the planning of community services/safety programs in prevention, inspections, licensing, education, regulation, financial revenues, investigations, and partnerships with municipalities, provincially and federally. Oversees the activities of the Fire Marshal and Fire Prevention Branch providing day-to-day guidance to ensure compliance with administrative codes, laws and ordinances, policies, procedures related to community safety.

As our preferred candidate, you will have:

• Successful completion of a two-year certificate or diploma in Fire Service Administration Management, or a related field.
• A minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in emergency services delivery, must include supervisory experience.
• Emergency Fire Dispatch – Q certified considered an asset.
• Qualified Fire Officer Level II (NFPA 1021) considered an asset.
• Communication Skills – Excellent communication and negotiation skills, both written and verbal. Articulate and well-developed presentation skills. Will possess strong listening skills. Has a clear and precise communication style and utmost respect for confidentiality. Ability to create and sustain shared commitment to key issues pertinent to Red Deer Emergency Services.
• Strategic Leadership Approach – Ability to coach/mentor staff and business leaders to understand the bigger picture and work collegially to define and deliver key business solutions / results. Ability to think strategically and translate vision into action. Is creative and innovative in seeking new revenue sources, partnerships and new ways of delivering sustainable services.
• Change Management – Ability to support, embrace and champion initiatives mandates within the organization. Help others within the organization understand what the initiative means to them and to gain buy-in from those resisting change. Maintain enthusiasm, vision and commitment throughout the change process.
• Technically Competent and Confident – Able to lead multi-function teams and maintain a sense of success for all parties. Comprehensive knowledge of current fire suppression, firefighting techniques, fire codes and standards. Understands and has working knowledge of the principles of risk management, legal issues and liability management. Can lead and command effectively in emergency situations.
• Financially Competent and Confident – Strong working knowledge of budgeting, variance analysis and how operations impact the financial aspects of the business. Recognition that Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story – understand that narrative information and qualitative factors need to be included with financial figures in order to add value to financial analysis reports used for management and decision-making purposes.
• Credible – Able to build rapport with various stakeholders to coordinate activities. Cognizant of the development of staff and will utilize a collaborative approach to getting the work done. Politically astute yet not political – able to gain the trust of fellow Red Deer Emergency Services employees and the public. Direct and coordinate a multidisciplinary staff in firefighting, fire prevention, and fire service activities. Able to counsel, motivate and provide leadership to department personnel and promote and maintain a positive workplace.
• Self-Initiative / Proactive – Demonstrates a proactive approach to resolve issues prior to conflicts arising. Establish relationships and work cooperatively with City Council, Corporate Leadership Team, Operational Leadership Team, employees and the public. Will have highly organized and proficient problem-solving skills.
• Organization Savvy – Understands the workings of municipal government, structure and culture in order to deliver performance and customer value. Strategically and systemically evaluates the impacts of decisions on projected needs and prospective services, not just in Emergency Services, but as a critical member of the Protective Services Division leadership team. Will be able to demonstrate judgment from a broad perspective – will have a keen understanding of Municipal Fire Administration.
• Multi-task Oriented – Ability to change gears quickly, manage heavy workloads and tight deadlines and assess and make appropriate recommendation both internally and externally. Prioritize tasks accordingly with ability to see the big picture and deliver results.

Affiliation: Exempt

Status: Regular Full-Time

Remuneration: $66.93 to $83.66 per hour ($131,010 to $163,763 per annum).

Hours of Work:

75 hours biweekly, Monday to Friday. Some evening and weekend work may be required.