Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer

publicjobs; Ulster; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Donegal County Council is seeking a Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer to lead a multidisciplinary fire service across prevention, operations and major emergencies. You will manage staff, safety, training, and capital programmes while coordinating with allied agencies and local authorities.

You will ensure compliance with regulations, oversight of building control and emergency management, and act as Deputy to the Chief Fire Officer when required.

Qualifications

• A Level 8 degree in engineering, architecture, or building construction related discipline or a fire-related discipline is required.
• A Level 8 degree in science/technology including ICT or physics/chemistry is required, plus relevant professional qualifications.
• Seven years of satisfactory relevant experience with management and staff supervision is expected.
• High standards of training and competency in fire safety, emergency management and fire service operations are essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead teams across Fire Prevention, Operations, Major Emergency Management and Civil Defence.
• Manage budgets, capital programmes and service delivery within financial limits.
• Develop and implement emergency plans with principal response agencies.
• Supervise staff, training, development and HR policies; support career progression.
• Coordinate with stakeholders, property owners, the public, media and government bodies.
• Procure goods and services in line with public procurement guidelines.

Skills

Communication

Interagency collaboration

Project management

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Level 8 degree in engineering/building construction

Level 8 degree in science/tech (physics/chemistry/ICT)

Fire-related degree (fire safety/emergency management)

Level 8 degree with Level 9 fire qualification

Job description

Job title: Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 1st October 2026

About the Employer:

The Local Government structure in Donegal comprises Donegal County Council and the Municipal Districts of Donegal, Glenties, Inishowen, Letterkenny/Milford and Lifford/Stranorlar. Donegal County Council has its administrative headquarters in Lifford. The Elected Council currently consists of 37 members who are democratically elected for a period of 5 years.

Donegal is spatially unique, having the longest coastline in the State, sharing 93% of its land boundary with Northern Ireland and only 7% with the Republic of Ireland. As such Donegal’s natural functional area transcends its land boundary with Northern Ireland with substantial movement and interactions of citizens, goods and activities taking place across the region.

Donegal County Council provides a diverse range of services across a large geographic area. These services include the provision of physical and social infrastructure, housing, economic development and enterprise support, tourism development, community and cultural development, recreation and amenity services, emergency services and the enforcement of the planning and environmental regulatory framework.

Donegal County Councils operating revenue budget for 2026 is €222 million.

An opportunity now exists in Donegal County Council for the position of Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer in our Emergency Services Division. There are fifteen fire stations located in Ballyshannon, Buncrana, Bundoran, Donegal Town, Dungloe, Glencolmcille, Glenties, Gweedore, Killybegs, Letterkenny, Milford, Moville & Stranorlar. The Fire Service Headquarters is located in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

About the Role:

Reporting to the Chief Fire Officer, the Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer will be required to lead a team in any of the main disciplines of the Fire Service: Fire Prevention, Operations, Prevention, Major Emergency Management, Building Control and Civil Defence. The successful candidate will play an important role in the management of staff and will have to be capable of undertaking the role of Rostered Senior Fire Officer at operational incidents.

The Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer has responsibility for managing the service delivery and development of functions in the areas as delegated by the Chief Fire Officer. The role requires a clear knowledge and understanding of local authority services and its key stakeholders and relationships, local government structures and its democratic role and mandate, current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector, management and change.

The Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Responsibility for management of Health & Safety in Donegal Fire Service including training, policy development and implementation of the Occupational Health & Safety management system.
• Lead, manage, and develop effective teams through strong motivation, communication, and collaboration.
• Supervision of staff and adherence to Donegal County Council human resources and industrial relations policies, including staff assignment, training and development, supporting career progression, grievance and disciplinary procedures, consultation and good communications.
• Manage Major Emergency Management activities, including the ongoing development and implementation of emergency plans with principal response agencies.
• Maintain effective communication with internal and external stakeholders, property owners, the public, media, senior management, Government departments, and elected members.
• Develop and manage Donegal Fire Service’s Capital Programme.
• The management of budgets, ensuring that the service operates within overall financial limits and maximizing collection of income streams.
• Promote and support climate change adaptation activities.
• Preparing and delivering reports to Senior Management on Income and Expenditure.
• Management of the Fire prevention function including fire safety and regularisation certificate applications, dangerous substances licensing, fire safety campaigns and community fire safety programme and safety initiatives.
• Asset Management to include tracking of location, maintenance and servicing of all fire service equipment and vehicles.
• Manage and develop fire stations as operational assets, including buildings, facilities, building systems, and equipment.
• Management of fire service fleet and equipment, including servicing and maintenance ensuring optimal operational performance and safety.
• Procure goods and services in line with national Public Procurement Guidelines, requirements of Central Government funding departments, and Donegal County Council policies and procedures.
• Administration of Donegal County Councils’ Building Control Management System.
• Provide effective support and coordination for severe weather response activities.
• Act as Deputy to the Chief Fire Officer when required.

About You:

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms for the office

• (a) Hold, in the National Framework of Qualifications:
• (i) a degree at Level 8 in engineering, architecture, or other building construction related discipline,
• (ii) a professional qualification equivalent to one of the foregoing awarded by the relevant professional body,
• (iii) a degree at level 8 in science or technology related discipline including physics, chemistry, environmental or computer science, information communications technology; or a fire related discipline including fire safety, emergency management or emergency services,
• (iv) a degree at level 8 together with a level 9 qualification in a fire related discipline including fire safety, emergency management or emergency services.
• (b) Have a satisfactory knowledge of all of the following:
• - principles and practices of fire safety,
• - fire services operations,
• - technological and industrial processes,
• - telecommunications,
• - information technology.
• (c) Have at least seven years satisfactory relevant experience, including adequate experience in the areas specified at (b) above and (e) below.
• (d) Have a high standard of training and competency in the areas specified in (b) above, including:
• - fire-fighting and emergency operations techniques and tactical and strategic command of fire service operations.
• - on-site and off-site coordination at fires and major incidents/major emergencies.
• - Building design and management for fire safety
• (e) Have adequate experience in administration, service management and management of staff.
• (f) Be competent to perform efficiently the duties of the office and possess the appropriate qualities.

The ideal candidate shall have the following Skills and Experience:

• The capability to work in an interagency environment and with external stakeholders is essential.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage internal and external stakeholders, property owners, the public, and the media.
• Proven ability to develop and implement processes and systems, set targets, and coordinate the resources required to deliver assigned tasks.
• Preparation and co-ordination of reports for submission to statutory agencies and other bodies where required and the supporting the achievement of KPIs and service delivery targets.
• A strong proven track record and relevant management ethos and experience at a sufficiently high level, including management of change and project management.
• Capacity to lead and work within multi-disciplinary teams, motivating and empowering staff to achieve high performance while maintaining positive employee relations.
• Ability to coordinate and deploy resources, including financial resources, to maximise outcomes within established budgetary frameworks.
• Strong outward-facing approach with a proven record of successful interagency collaboration and coordination

Further information including details on how the Capability Framework for this position is available on www.publicjobs.ie.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 1st October, 2026.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.