General Manager, Fire & Emergency Management Services / Regional Fire Chief

Regional District of Central Kootenay; Nelson; On-site; CAD 153,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation time

Extended health and dental coverage

Generous pension plan

Job summary

Regional District of Central Kootenay is seeking a General Manager, Fire & Emergency Management Services / Regional Fire Chief in Nelson, BC. This 35-hour-week, full-time executive role reports to the CAO and leads RDCK’s Fire Services and Emergency Management programs, guiding risk management and organizational resilience across multiple jurisdictions.

You will work with municipalities, First Nations and provincial agencies, advising the Board on policy, resources, and priorities, with

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management, Fire Services Leadership, Business Administration, or related field.
• Post-graduate education in emergency management, fire services leadership, public administration, or related discipline is considered an asset.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in fire services, emergency management, or related field, including significant senior leadership experience.
• Strong budgeting, financial management, and resource allocation experience in public sector environments.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and political acumen.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic oversight of Fire Services and Emergency Management programs.
• Lead risk reduction, preparedness, response, recovery, and organizational resilience.
• Advise CAO and Board on service levels, policy, risk, and resources.
• Collaborate with municipalities, First Nations, provincial agencies, and partners.
• Oversee EOC/ICS structures and emergency management systems.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive leadership

Policy development

Communication

Stakeholder management

Decision making

Financial acumen

Change management

Education

Undergraduate degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management, Fire Services Leadership, Business Administration, or related field

Post-graduate in emergency management, fire services leadership, public administration or related discipline (asset)

Job description

Regional District of Central Kootenay

General Manager, Fire & Emergency Management Services / Regional Fire Chief

Full-Time Benefited Position

This is a unique opportunity to join the RDCK in a senior management role and experience all that the Kootenay Region has to offer.

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the General Manager, Fire & Emergency Management Services / Regional Fire Chief provides executive leadership and strategic oversight of the RDCK’s Fire Services and Emergency Management programs. The position leads risk reduction, preparedness, response, recovery, and organizational resilience, while advising the CAO and Board on service levels, policy, risk, resources, and priorities. The role works closely with municipalities, First Nations, provincial agencies, and community partners to ensure effective, coordinated services. Emergency response may require EOC or field participation, extended hours, and occasional travel or overnight stays.

Join us in Nelson!

This exciting opportunity is based in the beautiful city of Nelson BC, a world-class recreational playground with all the comforts of today's amenities and lots of exciting things to do and see year round. Nelson and its surrounding rural communities offer all the bene-fits of small town living, strong and diverse economies and thriving business sectors, have convenient access to parks, great schools and heath care services and are located just a few hours away from major city centres. Locals enjoy a wide range of recreational opportuni-ties including ,skiing, hiking, and biking, as well as access to multiple special interest groups, theatre, music, arts and, of course, excep-tional recreational facilities!

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management, Fire Services Leadership, Business Administration, or a related field. Post-graduate education in emergency management, fire services leadership, public administration, or a related discipline is considered an asset.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in fire services, emergency management, protective services, or a related field, including significant senior management experience leading complex, multidisciplinary services.
• Significant experience in strategic planning, organizational leadership, policy development, financial management, and resource allocation, preferably in a public sector or local government environment.
• Strong understanding of fire services and emergency management systems, regulatory requirements, risk management, and service delivery in a regional, rural, or remote context.
• Demonstrated experience working with elected officials, senior leadership, and diverse external stakeholders.
• Valid Class 5 Driver’s Licence.
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Strategic and systems thinking, with the ability to connect fire and emergency management services to broader organizational priorities and long-term community needs.
• Strong executive leadership, delegation, accountability, and change management skills.
• Sound understanding of emergency management, EOC/ICS structures, fire service delivery, and risk-informed decision-making.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including budgeting, capital planning, resource allocation, and stewardship of public funds.
• Excellent political acumen and ability to work effectively with elected officials, senior leaders, partners, and the public.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, negotiation, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to remain calm, adaptable, and decisive in high-pressure and emergency situations.
• Ability to lead continuous improvement, leverage technology and information, and support innovation in service delivery.
• Demonstrated commitment to culturally safe, inclusive, respectful, and collaborative leadership.
• Commitment to RDCK values of Health and Safety, Accountability, Integrity, and Respect.

This is a full-time position of 35 hours per week and offers a comprehensive benefits package including paid vacation time, extended health and dental coverage and a generous pension plan. The normal starting annual salary is $160,048.25, with a range from $153,089.66—$173,965.61 depending upon education and experience.

This posting, along with a detailed job description can be found on our website at www.rdck.ca /jobs.

Thank you for your interest in working with the Regional District of Central Kootenay. All submissions will be acknowledged although only those individuals shortlisted to participate in the interview/ testing process will be contacted.

This posting may be used to fill other similar positions within the RDCK over the next six months.

For more information contact:

[e-mail]

250.352.1515

or visit rdck.ca/jobs