Job Title: Assistant Fire Chief
Posted By: City of Kalispell
Opening Date: Jun 19, 2025
CITY OF KALISPELL
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Assistant Fire Chief
Division: Operations
Department: Fire Department
Union: Non-Union
Salary/Wage: $104,468 - $133,728 DOQ (effective July 1, 2025)
Benefits: 100% paid health insurance for employee & reduced rates for dependents. State retirement plan, 3-weeks’ vacation, paid sick leave, 10 State and Federal holidays. This position may be participating in a *VEBA program.
FLSA: Exempt
Date: June 19, 2025
A. GENERAL PURPOSE:
Manages an all-risk operations program including, but not limited to fire prevention, fire suppression, community risk reduction, emergency medical response and transport, specialized rescue, and hazardous materials training, scheduling operations personnel, apparatus/equipment maintenance, purchasing, and hazardous materials response. This position will assist the Fire Chief in maintaining the highest level of operational readiness to serve community needs.
B. SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Performs under the general guidance and direction of the Fire Chief.
C. SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
a. Supervises Battalion Chiefs, operations officers, firefighters, prevention staff, and other assigned staff and oversees the routine management of firefighters. All supervised employees are career firefighters represented by IAFF, Local 547. The Assistant Fire Chief may assume full command of the Fire Department in the absence of the Fire Chief and may assume command of operations during an emergency incident from a subordinate officer, and direct the incident, or other operations.
b. SCOPE OF OPERATIONS PROGRAM: Structural and non-structural fire suppression, basic and advanced emergency medical service and ambulance transport, specialized/technical rescue response, hazardous materials operations, Pre-Fire plans and fire response in urban and wildland intermix areas. Kalispell Fire Department provides these services to the City of Kalispell and provides advanced life support to areas located outside the City of Kalispell.
D. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
a. Communications (10%):
i. Assists operations personnel in the development of skills and abilities through personal example, relationship development, and communication expertise.
ii. Represents the Kalispell Fire Department in relationships with other agencies, regional groups (Flathead Chief’s Assoc, State Training Consortium, etc.) and with partner agencies.
iii. Interact with the community, conduct public presentations, tours, events as required.
b. Budget (10%):
i. Assists in developing the overall fire department budget.
ii. Assists in the development of and manages an apparatus and equipment replacement schedule and budget for capital expenditures.
c. Quality Assurance and Training (50%):
i. Schedules, supervises, and/or conducts quality assurance program for all fire department personnel.
ii. Supervise training officers and has responsibility to schedule, supervise, and/or conduct training of all operations personnel. Establishes and maintains an annual operations training program.
iii. Manages and maintains data and records regarding operations training and response.
iv. Attends training as necessary to maintain operations, management, and incident command skills.
v. Routinely reviews personnel performance and supports continual improvement.
vi. Assists Captains in preparing and administering formal personnel evaluations of Firefighters.
vii. Develops and manages fire, basic and advanced emergency medical service, special/technical rescue, and hazardous material operations programs, including public speaking, demonstrations, and presentations before community groups, schools, and other organizations or institutions.
viii. Reviews, recommends, and develops fire department standard operating guidelines and procedures in order to implement directives from the Fire Chief.
ix. Assists personnel in career planning and officer development.
x. Take actions to support, grow, and develop members.
xi. Promotes safety at facilities and supports a culture of safety in Operations.
xii. Develops, maintains, and advocates for department and City of Kalispell policies and procedures.
d. Incident Command (20%):
i. Responsible for city wide and response area management, responds to major incidents, provides incident Command at emergency scenes, and may function as the safety officer, division or group leader, or other position as assigned.
ii. Liaison for Kalispell Fire Department with other operations, life safety, and emergency response groups in the local area, the State of Montana, and on a national level.
iii. Ensure accountability and adherence to best practices.
e. Authority (10%):
i. Responds to and investigates public and departmental complaints regarding fire department operations. Recommend disciplinary actions as necessary.
E. PERIPHERAL DUTIES:
a. Instruction in assigned subject areas.
b. Assists operations personnel in developing plans for special assignments such as emergency preparedness, pre-incident planning, hazardous communications, prevention programs, training programs, firefighting, hazardous materials, weapons of mass destruction, or emergency aid activities.
c. Assists in other duties as assigned.
F. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
a. Education and Experience:
i. Associate’s (Bachelor’s preferred) degree in business, public administration, or fire science related field or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
ii. Ten years of career experience in the field of fire department operations with demonstrated successful experience as a departmental level supervisor.
iii. Certified as Fire Instructor I or equivalent training.
iv. Certified Fire Officer I or equivalent training.
b. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
i. Extensive knowledge of theory, principles, practices, and techniques related to fire fighting in municipal and rural settings;
ii. Knowledge of fire department operations management, planning, and legislative processes;
iii. Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws and regulations applicable to firefighting;
iv. Knowledge or experience in working in a unionized workplace.
v. Skilled in personnel management, particularly in directing staff with a strong emphasis on consensus building, relationship development, and interpersonal communications;
vi. Skilled in planning, directing, and integrating broad, comprehensive fire department programs and activities;
vii. Skilled in assisting with budget preparation and administration;
viii. Skilled in computer use and related software, particularly Microsoft programs;
ix. Ability to communicate professionally, both orally and in writing, with; elected city officials, employees, consultants, other governmental agency representatives and the general public;
x. Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with elected city officials, employees, supervisors, vendors, and the public;
xi. Ability to be public service oriented with tactful and effective conflict resolution skills;
xii. Ability to make effective oral presentations to staff, committees, elected city officials and the public;
xiii. Ability to have a creative, inquiring, and innovative manner willing to explore new approaches, implement new methods, and be receptive to new ideas or others’ suggestions;
xiv. Will have a high degree of integrity and a high sense of personal and professional ethics;
xv. Ability to perform arithmetic computations accurately and quickly;
xvi. Ability to analyze and interpret various reports, budgets, contracts, and financial information;
xvii. Ability to effectively manage time and work to meet deadlines.
G. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
a. Nationally Registered EMT-Basic with experience in a fire department-based EMS system.
b. Completion of the on-campus Command and Control Class series at the National Fire Academy, or The Blue Card Command Program.
H. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
a. Must be 18 years or older;
b. Must possess & maintain or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid Montana State driver's license without record of suspension or revocation in any State;
c. No felony convictions or disqualifying criminal histories within the past seven years;
d. Must be a U.S. citizen or show proof they are eligible to work in the U.S.;
e. Must be able to pass an extensive medical examination by a practicing physician approved by the City of Kalispell Fire Department, and maintain medical fitness level as required by an annual medical examination;
f. Must be able to pass respiratory fit tests as required for use of self-contained breathing apparatus;
g. Must be able to read, write and understand the English language.
I. TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:
Vehicle, radio, pager, personal computer, internet, electronic mail, calculator, telephone, cellular phone, basic (and, if qualified, advanced) life support equipment, fire apparatus and equipment including, but not limited to, ladders, hose lines, nozzles, axes, self-contained breathing apparatus, and other hand tools.
J. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
a. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
b. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; sit; walk; talk and hear; use hands and fingers to grip, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
c. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 150 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
K. WORK ENVIRONMENT:
a. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
b. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes, or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, and vibration.
c. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, except during certain operational activities when noise level may be loud.
d. Work schedule may include 24-hour rotating shifts and/or normal Monday through Friday schedule as determined by the Fire Chief.
L. SELECTION GUIDELINES:
a. Formal application; review of education and experience; and may include written exercises; oral examinations by interview panels; interview by Fire Chief.
b. There will be a thorough investigation and evaluation of the candidate’s character before the candidate is accepted into the department. This investigation will include personal background, employment history, and full background investigation. May also include interviews of peers, subordinates, and supervisors.
c. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.
d. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.
e. Kalispell is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the ADA, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodation with the employer.
*VEBA (Voluntary Employee Benefit Association) is a tax-exempt health reimbursement account used by employees and their eligible dependent to pay for eligible medical expenses. The plan is funded by an employee’s sick and/or vacation banked hours upon leaving City employment.
POSTING DATE: June 19, 2025
CLOSING DATE: Applications must be received by July 10, 2025, 4:00 pm
A City application can be obtained from:
• The Human Resource Department with the City of Kalispell, 201 1st Ave East, Kalispell, MT; or
• Kalispell Job Service, 427 1st Ave E, Kalispell, MT 59901. Phone (406)758-6200; or
• Online at the City of Kalispell website: www.kalispell.com
Revised: 06/19/25
Contact Info
Name: Bre Hanson
Phone: 4067587774
Email: [email protected]