Description

Job Summary
This is a highly responsible executive leadership position with the Public Safety Department, serving as the senior administrator and operational commander of Clay County Fire Rescue. The Fire Chief provides strategic direction, executive oversight, and command leadership for all fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, and disaster operations throughout Clay County.

The Fire Chief directly supervises Division Chiefs and senior command staff and is responsible for ensuring effective emergency response, organizational readiness, fiscal stewardship, regulatory compliance, and alignment with the strategic priorities of the Board of County Commissioners and County Manager.

The position requires 24-hour availability and executive-level decision-making during routine operations and declared emergencies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Executive Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Provides strategic vision and executive leadership for Clay County Fire Rescue consistent with County priorities and long-term growth planning.
• Develops and implements short- and long-range strategic plans addressing service delivery, station placement, staffing models, apparatus replacement, technology modernization, and capital improvements.
• Establishes measurable performance objectives including response time standards, ISO classification goals, EMS clinical benchmarks, and community risk reduction outcomes.
• Advises the County Manager and Board of County Commissioners on fire rescue policy, operational readiness, and public safety initiatives.
• Ensures alignment of departmental operations with the County’s Strategic Plan.

Operational Command and Emergency Management

• Serves as Incident Commander or Unified Command representative for major emergencies, including structure fires, mass casualty incidents, hazardous materials events, hurricanes, floods, and other disasters.
• Ensures compliance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS).
• Maintains operational readiness across all stations, apparatus, EMS units, and specialty teams.
• Coordinates Fire Rescue operations with the County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC); serves in a leadership role during activations.
• Oversees disaster preparedness planning, continuity of operations planning, and after-action review processes.

Emergency Medical Services Oversight

• Provides executive oversight of Advanced Life Support (ALS) transport and EMS operations.
• Ensures compliance with Florida Department of Health EMS regulations and state licensure requirements.
• Oversees EMS quality assurance, clinical performance improvement programs, and system-wide service delivery standards.

Fiscal and Resource Management

• Develops, administers, and monitors the Fire Rescue operating and capital budgets.
• Forecasts long-term staffing, facility, apparatus, equipment, and technology needs.
• Leads capital improvement planning for fire stations and emergency response infrastructure.
• Identifies and pursues grant opportunities and alternative funding sources when appropriate.
• Implements data-driven deployment strategies to optimize staffing and resource allocation.

Personnel Leadership and Organizational Development

• Directly supervises Division Chiefs and senior leadership staff.
• Establishes leadership expectations and accountability standards throughout the organization.
• Oversees recruitment, hiring, promotion, evaluation, discipline, and retention strategies.
• Promotes workforce development, succession planning, and leadership training.
• Fosters a culture of safety, wellness, and risk management consistent with NFPA standards and Florida Statutes.
• Engages in labor relations activities and collaborates with bargaining units, as applicable.

Community Risk Reduction and Public Engagement

• Oversees fire prevention, inspections, plan review, and fire code enforcement functions.
• Implements and advances a comprehensive Community Risk Reduction (CRR) strategy.
• Represents the Department before civic groups, professional organizations, community stakeholders, and media.
• Responds to complex or sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Policy, Compliance, and Administration
• Develops and maintains departmental policies, procedures, and standard operating guidelines.
• Ensures compliance with Florida Statutes Chapter 633, NFPA standards, OSHA requirements, EMS regulations, and other applicable laws.
• Maintains accurate reporting systems and performance metrics.
• Conducts operational research and evaluation to improve service delivery.
• Evaluates departmental structure and administrative systems; implements improvements with County Manager approval.

Emergency Assignment Requirement

• In case of emergency or crisis (hurricane, flood, etc.) position is required to respond/perform emergency and recovery duties as assigned by the County Manager or designee.
• During an emergency or crisis situation, this position will be required to be present at the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) to provide assistance while activated.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements

• Valid Florida Driver’s License with an acceptable driving record, or the ability to obtain a Florida Driver’s License within six months of hire.
• Bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, Emergency Management, or related field required.
• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in fire suppression, prevention, and EMS operations.
• Five (5) years of command-level leadership experience within a multi-station fire department.
• Current State of Florida Firefighter Certification, or ability to obtain within six months of hire.
• Current State of Florida Fire Officer Certification, or ability to obtain within six months of hire.
• Current Florida EMT or Paramedic Certification, or ability to obtain within six months of hire.
• Ability to successfully pass a Level II Background Screening.
• 24-hour on-call availability required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Emergency Management, or related discipline.
• Executive Fire Officer (EFO) designation or equivalent executive fire service credential.
• Experience in executive-level budgeting and capital planning.
• Experience in a growing Florida county or comparable jurisdiction.

Supplemental Information
Knowledge of operational characteristics of a comprehensive all-hazards fire rescue and EMS organization.

Knowledge of modern fire suppression, prevention, emergency medical response, disaster management, and community risk reduction principles.

Knowledge of public sector budgeting and capital improvement planning.

Knowledge of NFPA standards, Florida Statutes Chapter 633, OSHA regulations, and EMS regulatory requirements.

Knowledge of principles of executive leadership, organizational development, and labor relations.

Provide decisive leadership in high-stress emergency environments.

Supervise and evaluate executive-level staff.

Develop and administer complex budgets.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, staff, partner agencies, and the public.

Plan and organize work to meet strict timelines and operational demands.

This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties to be performed. Employees occupying the position will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor.

Working Environment and Physical Demands 
Meet the physical demands and requirements set out by Florida Statutes 633.34 and NFPA 1582.

Some Sedentary work Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, or pull otherwise move objects, including the human body.

Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds with no less than a 40 db loss @ 55 HZ, 1,000 HZ and 2,000 HZ with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound, such as when making fine adjustments on machined parts.

Work includes both office and field environments. Position may require exposure to extreme temperatures, hazardous conditions, smoke, chemicals, noise, and emergency scenes.

Physical activities may include standing, walking, lifting, bending, kneeling, reaching, climbing, operating emergency equipment, and performing duties necessary to supervise emergency operations.

May risk exposure to extreme temperatures, strong odors, toxic agents or chemicals, smoke, humidity, electrical current, noises extremes, etc.