Now Hiring: Fire Chief
Town of Beaufort, North Carolina

The Town of Beaufort, North Carolina (population approximately 4,900) is seeking an experienced, strategic, and mission-driven Fire Chief to lead the Beaufort Fire Department and serve as a key member of the Town’s executive leadership team.

This position offers a rare opportunity to lead a modern, well-equipped department in a historic coastal community with substantial emergency management responsibilities tied to hurricanes, flooding, marine incidents, and seasonal population increases. The Fire Chief plays a central role in advancing coastal resilience, emergency preparedness, and continuity of operations.

Department & Service Area Overview

• Fire Protection District: 33 square miles
• • 8 square miles municipal
  • 25 square miles rural, residential, and commercial
• Approximately 100 miles of shoreline, including waterfront, marine, and flood-prone areas
• Two (2) fire stations
• Three-shift operation
• Annual Fire Department budget: approximately $4.3 million, within a total Town budget of approximately $20 million

Staffing & Organization (28 Full-Time Personnel)

• Fire Chief
• Deputy Chief
• Administrative Specialist
• Fire Marshal
• 3 Captains
• 6 Lieutenants
• 12 Firefighters

Apparatus & Equipment

The department maintains a modern frontline fleet, all replaced within the past five years:

• 3 Command vehicles
• 4 Pumpers
• • 2 frontline
  • 2 reserve
• 107-foot Ladder Truck
• Tanker
• Fire Boat
• High-Water Rescue Vehicle
• 2 Utility trucks

Position Highlights

• Lead and manage all Fire Department operations, programs, personnel, and facilities
• Provide strategic vision, policy development, and long-range planning with a strong focus on coastal hazards, flood response, and disaster mitigation
• Oversee departmental budgeting, capital planning, and fleet management
• Serve as the Town’s Emergency Manager, leading hurricane preparedness, evacuation coordination, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation, and post-disaster recovery
• Coordinate emergency response across municipal, rural, marine, and shoreline environments
• Collaborate with Town leadership, Carteret County, state and federal agencies, and regional emergency partners
• Engage the community through preparedness education, risk communication, and resilience initiatives

Qualifications

• Significant fire service leadership and management experience, preferably in coastal or hazard-exposed jurisdictions
• Strong working knowledge of NFPA standards, incident command systems, emergency response, and municipal operations
• Demonstrated experience in emergency management, disaster response, and recovery
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage complex budgets, and communicate effectively with elected officials, staff, partner agencies, and the public
• Fire Officer certification, EMT certification desired
• Valid North Carolina driver’s license (or ability to obtain)

Compensation

$95,655 – $143,483, depending on qualifications and experience

Application Deadline

January 12, 2026, at 5:00 PM

This is a unique leadership opportunity for a public safety professional committed to coastal resilience, emergency management excellence, fiscal stewardship, and community-centered service.

Learn more and apply today: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/beaufortnc/