Deputy Fire Chief

City of Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Berkeley invites applications for the Deputy Fire Chief position in the Fire Department. This role leads one of two major divisions in Operations or Administrative/Support, reporting to the Fire Chief and guiding Battalion Chiefs, Assistant Fire Chiefs, and a Fire Captain.

It includes policy setting, training oversight, and emergency response readiness. The Deputy Fire Chief provides executive leadership, manages cross‑departmental initiatives, and may assume Acting Fire Chief duties

Qualifications

• Possession of a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited college or university.
• Equivalent of one year of full-time experience as a chief officer in a paid fire department.
• Substitution for a Bachelor's degree: possession of an A.A. or A.S. degree with the California State Fire Training Chief Officer Certification.
• Other requirements include the ability to travel to various locations within and outside the City of Berkeley to meet program needs; valid California Class C (or higher) driver's license and satisfactory driving record; willingness for off hours call-in; and physical fitness for emergency response.

Responsibilities

• Oversee emergency operations, Training Division, EMS Division, and Logistics Division; provide executive leadership to Battalion Chiefs and other senior staff.
• Establish operational priorities and performance expectations; coordinate promotional development and examination processes.
• Oversee first responder and ambulance transport programs, including QA/QI efforts; manage maintenance, replacement, and readiness of major fire apparatus and resources.
• May serve as Acting Fire Chief in the Fire Chief’s absence; build relationships with city leadership and regional partners.

Education

Bachelor's degree (B.A./B.S.)

AA/AS degree with CSFT Chief Officer Certification

Job description

The City of Berkeley invites you to apply for the position of Deputy Fire Chief in the Fire Department! In this role, you will have the opportunity to lead one of two groups of major divisions within the Fire Department in either the Operations or Administrative/Support roles.

Operations Deputy Chief: Under the direction of the Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief of Operations serves as a senior executive leader responsible for the oversight and coordination of the Department’s emergency operations, Training Division, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division, and Logistics Division. The position provides executive leadership to three Battalion Chiefs who manage day-to-day emergency operations from seven fire stations, with daily operational staffing consisting of seven fire engines, two truck companies, four ambulances, one EMS Supervisor, and one Battalion Chief, collectively responding to approximately 18,000 calls for service annually. The Deputy Fire Chief responds to larger and more complex emergency incidents as appropriate and provides support and coordination.

The position also provides executive leadership to two Assistant Fire Chiefs who lead EMS and Training and one Fire Captain who leads Logistics. Major responsibilities include establishing operational priorities and performance expectations; overseeing firefighter and single-function paramedic recruit academies and Department-wide training; coordinating promotional development and examination processes; providing executive oversight of first responder and ambulance transport programs, including quality assurance and improvement activities; and overseeing the maintenance, replacement, and readiness of major fire apparatus and other operational resources. The Deputy Fire Chief develops effective working relationships with Battalion Chiefs, division managers, labor and City partners, and regional public safety agencies; promotes operational readiness, consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the Department; and may serve as Acting Fire Chief in the Fire Chief’s absence.

Administrative/Support Deputy Chief: Under the direction of the Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief of Support Services serves as a senior executive leader responsible for oversight of the Office of Emergency Services, Wildland Urban Interface Division, and Fire Prevention Division, while also providing executive coordination for other key departmental support functions. The position serves as the Department’s designated Fire Code Official, primary Public Information Officer, liaison to the Police/Fire Communications Center, workers’ compensation program lead, and Secretary to the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission. Major responsibilities include establishing priorities and performance expectations for assigned divisions; overseeing emergency preparedness, community risk reduction, wildfire mitigation, fire prevention and code enforcement programs; coordinating public information and community engagement; supporting personnel, administrative, and public records functions; directing cross-departmental initiatives and special projects; and representing the Department with City leadership, regional partners, regulatory agencies, commissions, and the community. The Deputy Fire Chief also provides executive leadership during emergencies and significant operational periods and may serve as Acting Fire Chief in the Fire Chief’s absence.

See the full job class specification here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/berkeley/classspecs/104816

A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position is:

Possession of a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited college or university and the equivalent of one (1) year of full-time experience as a chief officer in a paid fire department.

Substitution for a Bachelor's degree is the possession of an A.A. or A.S. degree from an accredited college or university with the California State Fire Training (CSFT) Chief Officer Certification.

Other requirements include the ability to travel to various locations within and outside the City of Berkeley to meet the program needs and to fulfill the job responsibilities. When driving on City business, the incumbent is required to maintain a valid California Class C or higher driver's license as well as a satisfactory driving record. Must be willing to be subject to off hours call-in for major emergency response. Must be physically fit to participate in emergency response if needed.

• Application review for minimum qualifications and required documents (qualifying experience will be calculated based on the application close date)
• Competitive review and assessment of applicants' education, training, and experience
• Oral Board Exam - Tentatively Scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, 2026

Please note that candidates must receive a passing score for each component of the exam in order to be placed on the eligible list. Tests may consist of any combination of written, oral or other exercises or assessment procedures that test content and may include, but are not necessarily limited to, typing, math, reading, writing and analytical skills; problem solving ability; computer and software proficiency, or any other job-related knowledge, skill, ability or qualification. The examination process and dates are subject to change. The City may, without notice, change or eliminate any assessment component as needs dictate. Applicants passing all examination phases will have their names placed on an employment eligible list that hiring departments will use to conduct final selection interviews slated for the week of October 26, 2026.

Reasonable Accommodations: The City is committed to making reasonable accommodations in the examination process and in the work environment. Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in the examination process must submit a request in writing to [e-mail] at the time of application.