Wildland Fire Ops Battalion Chief — Strategic Leader

Larimer County; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 84,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Paid time off

401(a) retirement plan

Job summary

Larimer County is seeking an experienced Emergency Services Battalion Chief to lead wildland firefighting efforts and drive strategic initiatives across the Emergency Services Unit. You will cultivate relationships with partner agencies, volunteer groups, and state/federal partners while guiding field leadership and maintaining operational standards.

The role requires extensive incident management experience, supervisory expertise, and a commitment to safety.

Qualifications

• Minimum: high school diploma or GED plus required NWCG/NIMS certifications.
• Five years full-time, with at least two years in a supervisory role.
• Valid Colorado driver's license and CPR/First Aid.
• NWCG Red Card with Task Force Leader/CreW Boss/ICT4 levels.
• ICS 100/200/300 and IS 700/800 certifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead Emergency Services programs and teams, setting direction and standards.
• Respond to emergencies and take on incident command roles.
• Build relationships with partner agencies and volunteer groups.
• Manage budgets, grants, purchasing, and resource tracking.
• Oversee recruitment, training, and succession planning to ensure readiness.
• Promote safety culture through risk management and after-action reviews.
• Coordinate with Battalion Chief and Field Commanders to unify operations.
• Support strategic planning and long-term growth of the section.

Skills

Emergency leadership

Incident command

Strategic thinking

Collaborative leadership

Mentorship

Risk management

Decision making

Volunteer coordination

Education

High school diploma or GED

NWCG arduous level work capacity test

NWCG Red Card (TFLD/CRWB/ICT4)

NIMS ICS 100/200/300

NIMS IS-700/800

Tools

None

Job description

Larimer County is seeking an experienced Emergency Services Battalion Chief to lead wildland firefighting efforts and drive strategic initiatives across the Emergency Services Unit. You will cultivate relationships with partner agencies, volunteer groups, and state/federal partners while guiding field leadership and maintaining operational standards.

The role requires extensive incident management experience, supervisory expertise, and a commitment to safety.