Director of Fire Services

Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs; Windsor; On-site; CAD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Windsor, Ontario is searching for a Director of Fire Services. The successful candidate will oversee municipal fire services, provide strategic leadership, and manage emergency preparedness initiatives. They will ensure compliance with legislation and collaborate with protective service partners. This role requires a seasoned professional with extensive experience in fire service governance, financial management, and emergency management, along with exceptional interpersonal skills.

Benefits

Annual vacation leave

Competitive benefits package

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 8-10 years in Fire Service with 5 years as Deputy Chief or Senior Officer.
• Experience in fire department administration and governance.
• Strong understanding of emergency management principles.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all municipal fire services and collaborate with partners.
• Provide strategic leadership supporting long-range planning.
• Manage budgets and financial processes for fire departments.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Leadership

Emergency management

Communication

Education

Certificate in Fire Service Leadership

NFPA 1001 – Level 1 Professional Firefighting

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

TMR radios

Job description

West Hants Regional Municipality is a diverse collection of rural & urban communities conveniently located in equal proximity to Halifax, the Valley, and Truro; yet its own cultural blend that brings quality family living, diversity, fun & festivities, and service centres together. If you are enthusiastic and driven and want to be part of a fun, energetic and welcoming team; we’re INSPIRED and ask you to keep reading!

We strive to be an inclusive and diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, and of the citizens we serve. We welcome applications from Indigenous, Inuit and Metis People, African Nova Scotian’s, and other racially visible people, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQQIPAA community, and femme-identifying people. If you are a member of one of the equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify, either in your cover letter or resume.

If you are inspired by this work environment, you are encouraged to apply for our Director of Fire Services position.

The Director of Fire Services oversees all municipal fire services and collaborates closely with protective service partners including Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) and the RCMP. This role provides strategic leadership across fire departments and external stakeholders, supporting long-range planning, regional policy development, budgeting, training coordination, and insurance-related functions. The Director of Fire Services also provides advisory support to protective services within West Hants Regional Municipality and oversees emergency preparedness efforts in partnership with the Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO) and the Emergency Management Coordinator.

What We Offer

• Regular hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm (35 hours per week)
• Overtime opportunities as required
• Annual vacation leave
• Competitive benefits package including health, dental, and wellness benefits
• Company match pension plan
• Opportunities for learning and development

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Fire Service Governance

• Work closely with the Fire Chiefs; provide liaison between the CAO and Council on matters relating to fire protective services
• Serve as a member of the Municipality’s senior leadership team, contributing to the development and execution of organizational strategy and Municipal-wide objectives.
• Develop, recommend, and implement plans, programs, standard operations guidelines, and policies to ensure compliance with applicable legislation
• Remain current with Fire Service best practices by networking and attending conferences, seminars, or other continuous learning opportunities related to the position.
• Maintain an inventory tracking system of fire equipment and supplies with complete testing criteria and critical response dates for equipment upgrades
• Establish the Fire Services Advisory committee and serve as the staff appointment
• Chair Fire Chief Meetings on a quarterly basis
• Provides Council with a quarterly report on the quality of the fire service
• Attends meetings of the WHRM mutual aid, Fire Department Information Conference, Maritime Fire Chiefs Association, and N.S. Fire School
• Principle municipal contact for the fire departments operating in West Hants, RCMP, as well as GSAR.
• In partnership with the REMO and Emergency Management Coordinator, work to develop, update, and maintain emergency preparedness plans across the Municipality

Financial Management

• Provide recommendations for annual and long-range operational and capital budgets for the fire departments
• Collect, review, and submit fire and insurance reports and facilitate cost recovery billings and insurance claims on behalf of the fire departments.
• Procurement process oversight and standardization
• Audit and review financial processes within the Fire Service to standardize across departments.
• Presents fire services concerns and cost control measure to Council
• Establishes a life cycle replacement program for fire services equipment, vehicles, and facilities

Operations

• Oversees a program of inspections and testing of vehicles, breathing air compressors, self-contained breathing apparatuses, and other equipment
• Review and updates applicable by-laws, plans, agreements, programs, services and activities and submit observations and recommendations through the Chief Administrative Officer
• Identifies the requirement for change, develop and implement new standard operating procedures consistent with organizational policies and direction
• Support the Emergency Management Coordinator with the execution of the comfort/warming centers strategies as required.
• Provide WCB and HR support to Fire Services across the municipality, in conjunction with municipal human resources.
• Received call out sheets from dispatch to be used to complete reports
• Is aware of calls coming into departments and to assist the chiefs in major calls involving more than one department or large scale events impacting public safety
• Develop fire presentation programs for the public, schools, businesses, volunteer groups, including preparation of public information materials relating to safety and fire prevention
• Delivers emergency management programs, projects, services or activities identified in the annual operating plan
• Facilitate training and various functional exercises for all municipal and elected officials with an emergency management role.
• Conduct emergency management related hazard assessments and risk analysis
• Increase public awareness through education for emergency preparedness
• Support the establishment and help maintain communication systems to facilitate timely and accurate information dissemination during crises
• Ensure Emergency Command Centre (ECC) is prepared for use and participate in Emergency Coordination Centre operations as required.
• Act as a back of up on all tasks associated with the Emergency Management Coordinator.

Education & Experience

• Minimum eight (8) to ten (10) years’ experience within a Fire Service, with five (5) years of experience as a Deputy Chief or a Senior Officer and demonstrated progressive experience in a managerial/supervisory capacity. Experience in a municipal environment is preferred.
• Certificate in Fire Service Leadership or equivalent an asset
• Experience working in fire department administration and governance
• Solid understanding of volunteer fire service operations and best practices, and a proven track record leading and managing a diverse portfolio of responsibilities and staff oversight
• Experience relevant to emergency measures planning and operations
• Knowledge of federal, provincial, and municipal firefighting standards and regulations
• Strong knowledge of emergency management principles, practices, and methodologies
• Ability to work under pressure and make critical decisions during emergencies

Training & Credentials

• Possess a current NFPA 1001 – Level 1 Professional Firefighting Designation
• Certification or ability to obtain, within reasonable time:
  • NFPA 1041 – Level 1 Fire Service Instructor Designation
  • NFPA 1035 – Level 1 Fire & Life Safety Educator
  • NFPA 1021 – Level 2 Fire Officer
• Incident Command System (ICS) training is considered an asset, specifically:
  • Basic emergency management
  • Emergency operations centre management
  • ICS 100, 200, and 300
• Experience using TMR, VHF, and HAM radios would be an asset.
• Basic proficiency and experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal and writing skills with the ability to communicate courteously and effectively, both orally and in writing, with all levels of staff, elected officials, contractors and the general public
• Exceptional organization and time management skills, judgement, and discretion
• Be readily available to respond to emergencies
• Ability to work in team environments
• Proven ability to build effective internal and external working relationships and communicate with diverse stakeholders
• Ability to lead during high pressure/stress environments
• Proficient in computer applications and software

A complete copy of the job description can be found at:

Employment & Committee Opportunities - West Hants Regional Municipality

Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment and handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Nova Scotia.

Qualified applicants are invited to submit their CV or resume with cover letter (merged into one PDF document) with Director of Fire Services in the subject line no later than 4:30pm on Monday January 26, 2026, to the attention of Katie Rose, HR Manager at [e-mail]