Fire Chief

The City of Jersey Village; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 134,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

TMRS 2:1 match

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life & Disability Insurance

Paid Parental Leave

Job summary

The City of Jersey Village seeks an inspirational Fire Chief to lead the Jersey Village Fire Department. The role directs all department activities, oversees budgets, and guides EMS operations, staffing, and performance improvements.

Reporting to the City Manager, this is a strategic leadership position within the city’s executive team. The ideal candidate combines fire-service leadership with strong administrative skills, a commitment to service excellence, and the ability to build cross-agency

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in fire science, public administration, emergency management, or related field.
• 10+ years in fire service with 5+ in command-level roles.
• TCFP certification or eligibility for certification (Structure Fire Protection Personnel).
• Current EMT certification and strong EMS knowledge.
• Valid Texas driver’s license or ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Lead and direct all activities of the Fire Department.
• Prepare and administer annual operating and capital budgets.
• Provide managerial, technical, and operational recommendations to the City Manager.
• Oversee EMS operations, ambulance staffing, and service-level improvement.
• Build relationships with neighboring departments and mutual-aid partners.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Budget management

EMS operations

Policy development

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in fire science/public administration

TCFP certification

Paramedic certification

Tools

CAD analytics

Job description

Pay Type: per year Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, TMRS 2:1 Match, LTD, Life Insurance, Paid Parental Leave, and more!

City of Jersey Village, Texas
Hiring Range: $133,936 – $154,027
Full Salary Range: Up to $177,130.70
Applications Due: Sunday, October 4, 2026

The City of Jersey Village is seeking an inspirational, proactive, forward-thinking, and service-minded Fire Chief to lead the Jersey Village Fire Department into its next chapter.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a modern, fully professionalized career fire department at a time of significant investment and growth. The successful candidate will join the City's Executive Team, report directly to the City Manager, and play a key role in shaping the future of fire and emergency medical services for the Jersey Village community.

ABOUT JERSEY VILLAGE

Jersey Village is a Texas Star Community of approximately 7,800 residents located just 21 miles northwest of Downtown Houston. The City offers a small-town quality of life with convenient access to the many amenities of the Houston metropolitan area.

Governed under a Council-Manager form of government, Jersey Village is a full-service city providing Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Police, Parks and Recreation, and Water and Wastewater utilities.

The City is financially strong and committed to investing in its future, with approximately $112 million in total citywide budgets and major capital projects underway.

ABOUT THE JERSEY VILLAGE FIRE DEPARTMENT

Serving the community since 1953, the Jersey Village Fire Department is a career department operating from a centrally located station. The department provides all-hazards emergency response, including:

• Structural firefighting
• Technical rescue
• Hazardous materials response
• Flood and swift-water rescue
• Advanced life support through Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulances

JVFD is an ISO Class 2 department, reflecting strong standards in training, staffing, and equipment.

The department responds to an average of approximately six incidents per day, with emergency medical calls accounting for nearly two-thirds of total call volume. The incoming Fire Chief will have an opportunity to continue improving response performance and service delivery through the use of operational data and modern CAD analytics.

The City has also made significant recent investments in the department, including two new front-line apparatus in 2025: a Pierce Velocity Engine and a Pierce Velocity/Ascendant aerial tower.

With 21 full-time equivalent positions and a FY2027 operating cost of approximately $4.95 million, the department has a strong foundation upon which the next Fire Chief can build.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Fire Chief is responsible for the overall planning, direction, and coordination of the City's fire suppression and emergency medical services operations. The position oversees personnel, departmental budgets, facilities, apparatus, equipment, training, EMS operations, compliance, and strategic planning.

The Fire Chief will:

• Lead and direct all activities of the Fire Department.
• Establish departmental goals, objectives, and performance measures.
• Prepare and administer annual operating and capital budgets.
• Provide managerial, technical, and operational recommendations to the City Manager.
• Prepare and present administrative, technical, and financial reports to the City Manager and City Council.
• Oversee EMS operations, including ambulance staffing, response performance, and service-level improvement.
• Maintain an effective working relationship with the EMS Medical Director and ensure compliance with clinical protocols and medical oversight requirements.
• Recruit, develop, and retain qualified personnel and support succession planning.
• Direct training programs for career and part-time personnel.
• Ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, codes, and standards.
• Maintain the readiness of department facilities, apparatus, and equipment.
• Build strong relationships with neighboring fire departments, allied agencies, and mutual-aid partners.
• Oversee coordination between the Fire Department and Fire Marshal's Office.
• Use operational data to monitor and improve department performance and service levels.
• Serve as a member of the command staff during significant emergency incidents and events requiring activation of the Incident Command System (ICS/NIMS).
• Represent the department before the City Council, community, employees, media, and other stakeholders.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The City is looking for a leader who combines strong fire service experience with exceptional leadership, communication, administrative, and interpersonal skills.

• Visionary and forward-thinking leadership.
• Initiative, resourcefulness, creativity, and strong problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading organizational culture change in a fire service environment.
• A demonstrated record of leadership and administrative ability.
• The ability to build trust and work effectively with employees, City departments, City Council, community members, and partner agencies.
• The ability to listen, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively.
• Sound judgment and impartiality.
• The highest level of personal and professional integrity.
• A commitment to service excellence and the future of the organization.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate must possess:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in fire science, public administration, emergency management, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of fire service experience, including a minimum of five years in a command-level position such as Battalion Chief, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, or Chief in a career or combination fire department.
• Certification, or eligibility for certification, as Structure Fire Protection Personnel by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP).
• Current EMT certification and strong working knowledge of EMS operations.
• A valid Texas driver's license, or the ability to obtain one.
• Preferred qualifications include:
• TCFP Head of Department – Suppression certification.
• Paramedic certification.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Hiring Range: $133,936 – $154,027

Full Salary Range: Up to $177,130.70

Salary will be dependent upon the successful candidate's qualifications and experience.

The City offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) with a 2:1 City match
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Life and disability insurance
• Other competitive benefits