The City of Durham, North Carolina seeks a Fire Chief who is a mission driven, visionary, and innovative leader with a demonstrated history of being an advocate for the fire department that results in esprit des corps among staff, as well as a being a skilled collaborator and advocate with city government and the community. The Durham Fire Department (DFD) strives to be a regional leader in the fire service and the next Fire Chief will be tasked with assessing and implementing this vision.
City Government, Fire Department and Position Overview: The City of Durham operates under a Council/Manager form of government with a budget of $388.1M, AAA bond ratings and approximately 2500 employees working across 24 departments. The Fire Chief reports to the Deputy City Manager. The Durham Fire Department is an ISO Class 2 fire department that has twice received accreditation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. The department provides fire, advanced EMT emergency medical care, hazardous materials, technical rescue, code enforcement, fire investigation, and public fire safety education to the citizens of Durham. The department’s mission is accomplished through the deployment of seventeen engine and five ladder companies, three EMS squad units, and one mobile support unit from seventeen stations. The Fire Department maintains automatic and mutual aid agreements with departments in Durham, Wake, Orange and Chatham Counties, and is a participating member of North Carolina Task Force 8, Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR). In 2017, the fire department responded to 25,941 calls for service. Total staffing is 348 uniformed and civilian personnel with department operations supported by a $26.6 million budget. The next Durham Fire Chief will be challenged to effectively manage the very recent merger of County and City resources, which added two stations and fifty-three employees to the Durham Fire Department. The Fire Chief will have to effectively navigate this opportunity and ensure that all stakeholders feel their respective needs have been adequately addressed. Additional significant challenges include working within budget constraints while continuing to ensure operational excellence in equipment, community risk reduction, the implementation of a new pay plan and consistent pressures relating to staffing levels, training and employee recruitment and retention. The next Chief must be visible and engaged within the department and in the community, exhibiting outstanding communication skills with all stakeholders to achieve the high standards and excellence of service the community has come to expect. More information about the City and Department can be found at https://durhamnc.gov/620/Fire-Department.
Qualifications and Pay: The City seeks a fire safety leader with a minimum of 15 years’ progressive fire safety experience and 10 years of cross-functional and progressively responsible experience including fire suppression, prevention, EMS and administrative work at rank of Assistant Chief or higher (or equivalent rank and duties); a BA/BS degree (Master’s degree highly preferred). NFA certification is also preferred. There is a residency requirement to live within the corporate city limits of Durham within 18 months of appointment to the position. Hiring range is $130,000 -$140,000 annually. Starting salary will depend on experience and qualifications. The City provides an excellent benefits package. Visit www.durhamnc.gov/HRbenefits to learn more.
To confidentially apply for this position, please go to www.developmentalassociates.com, click “Client Openings” (or paste https://www.developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/client-positions/ into your browser) and then the Fire Chief - Durham link. All applications must be fully completed and submitted via the online portal. Application review begins July 3, 2018. The application period will close July Interviews and onsite skill assessments will be held August 16-17 in Durham for selected semi-finalists. All inquiries should be emailed to Durhamhiring@developmentalassociates.com. Additional information about the City is available at www.Durham-nc.gov. EEO/AA Employer. The recruitment and selection process is being managed by Developmental Associates, LLC.
