Somersworth, NH - Fire Chief/Emergency Manager
Deadline to apply: 01/26/24
The City of Somersworth, New Hampshire (pop. 12,159) is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of Fire Chief. The new Fire Chief will guide the Department forward, including leading
the organization in maximizing the operational effectiveness of a new $9M facility.
The City of Somersworth is located 17 miles northwest of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire. The Department covers an area of 10 square miles from a centrally located fire facility. The City is a prosperous and growing community with an expanding residential and commercial base. The Department is an ISO Class 4 full-service fire/rescue organization that has a total of 18 full-time personnel including the newly approved position of Deputy Fire Chief. The Fire Chief serves as the City’s Emergency Management Director. The SFD responded to 1,527 service calls in calendar year 2022; including 670 fire service related and 857 EMS calls. The current annual operating budget of the Fire Department is $2.3 million. EMS is provided by a private contracted Ambulance/EMS service provider.
The Fire Chief is appointed by the City Manager. Candidates must have strong leadership and managerial skills combined with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. A proven, success record of experience in progressively responsible supervisory, administrative and command assignments is also required.
Minimum qualifications include: Associate Degree from an accredited university or college, a Bachelor’s Degree highly preferred; 5 years of municipal fire/rescue experience with at least 2 years of experience as a command officer in a comparable or larger organization. The Chief must have completed career firefighter certification 1 and 2, ICS 400, 800a. Participation in Executive Fire Officer and Pro Board Fire Officer III certification are preferred. An equivalent combination of training and experience may be considered.
Candidates must have demonstrated experience and skill within the following critical areas: budgeting, crafting collaborative interagency relationships, pacing change, fireground management, incident command and emergency management.
It is preferred, however not required, that the new Fire Chief establish residency in Somersworth. Salary range is $100,000 to $118,697 depending on qualifications.
A resume and cover letter formatted as a PDF file can be sent to recruitment@mrigov.com. Applications will be accepted until 8 am on January 26, 2024. The City of Somersworth is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, color, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, mental or physical disability, religious creed, national origin, veteran status, pregnancy, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in its programs, activities and employment practices.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
