Fire Marshal #2842 - Emergency Management - Unassigned Division

Hamilton-County,-Tn; Tennessee; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Hamilton County Emergency Management Department is seeking a department head-level professional to direct the Fire Prevention Bureau and oversee daily operations. This exempt, salaried role requires strategic budgeting, grant procurement, staff supervision, and cross‑department coordination to ensure compliance with regulations and safety standards.

The position emphasizes leadership in training, risk mitigation, and public safety initiatives, with responsibilities spanning budgeting, policy

Qualifications

• High school diploma and five years life safety/fire codes enforcement experience.
• Tennessee driver’s license with F endorsement or the equivalent.
• Knowledge of applicable state and federal regulations.

Responsibilities

• Directs the operations of the Fire Prevention Bureau and manages daily responsibilities.
• Formulates and monitors the annual operational budget; justifies material and staffing needs.
• Researches, develops, and drafts grant proposals to secure funding and tracks post‑award compliance.
• Oversees staff, conducts performance evaluations, and maintains a safe, collaborative environment.
• Reviews documentation for incidents, inspections, and fiscal actions; ensures data accuracy.

Skills

Budget management

Grant writing

Team leadership

Incident command

Fire prevention

Public safety

Communication skills

Customer service

Training delivery

Supervisory skills

Education

High school diploma

5 years life safety/fire codes experience

Tools

Office software suite

Job description

THIS IS A DEPARMENTAL PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITY. ONLY CURRENT EMPLOYEES OF THE HAMILTON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION.

Under general direction, directs the operations, including the management of all daily responsibilities associated with the Fire Prevention Bureau.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, physical requirements, knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics. This list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class.

This is a Fair Labor Standards Act defined Exempt Position - Exempt positions are excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers. The employee in this position is paid a salary rather than an hourly wage for this position. FLSA does not limit the amount of work time an employer may require or expect from any exempt employee, on any schedule. Hamilton County Government expects an employee in this position to complete the work assigned regardless of the number of hours involved in completing the tasks assigned.

• Manages the day-to-day activities within the department, which includes planning, coordinating, administering, and evaluating programs, projects, processes, procedures, systems, and standard operating procedures; coordinates activities with other departments; ensures compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws, regulations, codes, and/or standards.
• Formulates, projects, and monitors the annual operational budget for the Fire Prevention Bureau; justifies material and staffing needs; authorizes and tracks operational expenditures; ensures strict fiscal responsibility in compliance with Hamilton County finance guidelines.
• Researches, develops, and drafts comprehensive grant proposals to secure federal, state, and private financial funding (such as FEMA, AFG, or state public safety endowment funds); tracks metrics and compiles post-award utilization compliance reports.
• Prioritizes and assigns work; conducts performance evaluations; maintains a healthy, safe, and collaborative working environment; manages and oversees office administrative staff and functions.
• Reviews, analyzes, completes, processes, disseminates, and maintains a variety of documentation and records related to incidents, inspections, and fiscal actions; reviews and completes pre-fire plan drawings, supply orders, and accident reports; verifies data accuracy and makes appropriate corrections as needed.
• Provides direction, advice, and technical expertise on complex or problem situations.
• Receives, responds to, and resolves concerns, issues, and complaints received from other internal departments, external agencies, and citizens; designs and facilitates training sessions and safety presentations as needed to the appropriate audience.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Knowledge of applicable State of Tennessee statutes, rules, administrative orders, case law, and Federal rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of Hamilton County policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of supervisory principles; incident command principles and practices; fire suppression techniques; modern firefighting and rescue principles and tactics; vehicle extrication methods; building structures.
• Knowledge of investigation principles and practices; fire inspection principles; fire behavior; hazardous materials; customer service principles; emergency medical care; and vehicle, equipment, and apparatus maintenance principles and techniques.
• Knowledge of Hamilton County geography, roads, and critical infrastructure layouts.
• Knowledge of investigation principles and practices; fire behavior; hazardous materials; customer service principles; and emergency medical care.
• Knowledge of supervisory principles; incident command practices; fire suppression techniques; modern firefighting and rescue principles; vehicle extrication methods; building structures.
• Knowledge of grant procurement workflows, including research strategies, technical proposal writing, funding source rules, and compliance frameworks.
• Knowledge of principles of public administration, municipal/county budget development, resource allocation, and expenditure tracking.
• Skill in monitoring and evaluating the work of subordinate fire service personnel within Hamilton County prioritizing and assigning work.
• Skill in performing incident commander activities.
• Skill in developing and implementing fire prevention and mitigation strategies and tactics; conducting pre-fire planning and fire hydrant inspections; developing and facilitating fire training sessions.
• Skill in identifying and isolating hazardous materials; driving emergency fire and rescue vehicles.
• Skill in conducting investigations; maintaining vehicles, buildings, equipment, and apparatus; reading and interpreting maps and diagrams; reviewing, analyzing, preparing, and maintaining a wide variety of reports, records, forms, and/or other related documents.
• Skill in customer service and effectively representing the office in a number of different settings, circumstances and situations.
• Skill in managing and overseeing office staff and functions.
• Skill effectively communicating in both oral and written form.
• Skill in preparing, analyzing, balancing, and executing department-level operational budgets.
• Skill in technical writing, specifically preparing persuasive, data-backed grant proposals and funding applications.
• Skill in identifying and isolating hazardous materials; driving emergency fire and rescue vehicles.
• Skill in conducting investigations; reading and interpreting blueprints, maps, and diagrams; reviewing and preparing complex reports.
• Skill in customer service and effectively representing Hamilton County in professional, community, and judicial settings.
• Skill in operating a personal computer utilizing specialized software packages including County financial databases, reporting networks, and standard office tools.

The equivalent of a high school diploma, and five (5) years of direct work experience in Life Safety/Fire Codes Enforcement. A valid Tennessee driver’s license with F endorsement or the equivalent from state of residence is required.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Tennessee Code Inspector Certification
• NFPA or ICC Fire Inspector 1 Certification
• Fire Officer I (FO1) Certification
• Fire Officer II (FO2) Certification – must possess at time of hire or obtain within 18 months of date of hire. Hazardous Materials Operations Level
• Tennessee Emergency Medical Certification at a minimum Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)

Additional certifications may be required dependent on assignment.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Prior to operating a County-owned vehicle, all employees are required to complete the HC Defensive Driving course and/or an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) provided at the department level.

This position is deemed essential/situational during inclement weather situations and must report to or remain at work, even when administrative closings are announced, as determined by the Department Head.

PREFERRED CERTIFICATIONS

• Tennessee Fire Instructor I (FII) Certification

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Work involves the risk of bodily harm associated with fire, hazardous materials and related work situations. This position requires the individual to be in good physical condition, be able to wear heavy fire protection equipment, be able to lift and carry heavy items and equipment, be able to climb ladders, work in confined quarters while exposed to extreme heat and flames. There is the risk of potential exposure to harmful chemicals, toxic gasses, and poisons, biological hazards and infectious diseases. Duties typical require: balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. Incumbents may be subjected to fumes, odors, dusts, gases, poor ventilation, chemicals, oils, inadequate lighting, workspace restrictions, intense noises, and infectious diseases. Works requires the incumbent to be on call 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

SAFETY SENSITIVE

This position has been identified as “safety sensitive” under the definition of TCA 50-9-103(16)(B), Drug-free Workplace Programs, Chapter Definitions. This position will be subject to drug and alcohol testing for the following: 1) post offer pre-employment 2) when there is reasonable cause 3) after an on-the-job accident or contributing to an accident 4) on a random basis 5) prior to return to duty after suspension and/or 6) as follow-up. This is additional and also subject to the Rules and Regulations of The Employee Handbook.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

All positions within Hamilton County Government are considered work in-personand require regular and punctual attendance.

All positions within Hamilton County Government may require work on Holidays or weekends. Additionally, irregular hours and shift work may be required, including possible extension of shift hours, at times with short notice.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Hamilton County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services. A copy of Hamilton County's Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEOP) & Utilization Report is available on the County’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office home page.