Deputy Fire Chief

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury offers a return to small town charm while being one of the country’s fastest growing communities.  We are a vibrant, thriving community that possess a sense of pride and where community spirit prevails. Our Town is committed to being a complete and healthy community where there are opportunities for everyone to contribute and to benefit.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction for the Fire Training and Suppression Divisions, ensuring compliance with applicable legislation, municipal by-laws, departmental policies, and operational standards. This role supports the delivery of efficient and effective emergency response, fire prevention, and public education services, while fostering positive labour-management relations and providing leadership and mentorship to fire service personnel.

As a corporate leader, the Deputy Fire Chief is responsible for aligning strategic planning, operational priorities, and stakeholder interests with the delivery of fire protection services. The role ensures the Town’s mission, vision, values, and Council and corporate objectives are reflected in departmental programs, services, and decision-making. The Deputy Fire Chief also supports policy compliance, continuous improvement initiatives, and organizational excellence, while evaluating emergency operations and assuming incident command responsibilities when required.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for assigned fire service functions in partnership with the Fire Chief, ensuring service excellence, legislative compliance, and alignment with municipal priorities.
• Lead departmental planning, including short- and long-term operational, service, staffing, and capital planning to meet current and future community needs.
• Develop, administer, and monitor operating and capital budgets, performance measures, and key performance indicators.
• Support the Town’s emergency management program and assist with legislated emergency management requirements, including acting as an Community Emergency Management Coordinator
• Oversee policy development, service standards, procedures, and modernization initiatives, including data analytics, technology integration, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with applicable legislation, regulations, standards, bylaws, and best practices, including fire service, emergency management, and occupational health and safety requirements.
• Provide senior leadership to fire department personnel through coaching, performance management, recruitment, training, succession planning, and professional development.
• Support effective labour relations through consistent application of collective agreement provisions and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Represent the department at municipal, community, inter-agency, and public meetings, including presentations to Council, committees, and external partners.
• Serve as a departmental spokesperson for high-profile incidents, emergencies, and media-related matters, as appropriate.
• Provide senior operational leadership during emergency incidents, including incident command, resource deployment, strategic decision-making, and coordination with external agencies.
• Act as Fire Chief and represent the fire service in the Fire Chief’s absence.
• Participate in the regular on-call rotation.

Key Competencies and Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Public Administration, Business Administration, Fire Services, Emergency Management, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ontario Fire College certification required; CEMC certification considered an asset.
• NFPA 1021, 1041 and 1072 required; NFPA 1001, 1031, 1033, 1035 and 1521 considered an asset.
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive fire service experience, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience in the day-to-day operation of a composite or career fire service, including oversight of both career and volunteer firefighters.
• Strong knowledge of applicable legislation, regulations, standards, and guidelines, including the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, Fire Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, Building Code Act, municipal by-laws, Section 21 Guidance Notes, and relevant NFPA, CSA, ULC, and CGSB standards.
• Thorough understanding of firefighting operations, incident command, emergency response, emergency management, public education, fire prevention, risk management, and public safety practices.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Incident Management System (IMS) principles and experience applying IMS in emergency response environments; ESM/IMS 100 and 200 required; IMS 250, 300 and EM 300 considered an asset.
• Strong leadership, strategic thinking, change management, and decision-making skills, with the ability to lead in complex, high-pressure, and politically sensitive environments.
• Demonstrated experience in labour relations, including collective agreement interpretation, grievance management, and fostering positive union-management relationships.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with Council, senior leadership, staff, media, partner agencies, and the community.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and working effectively with diverse employees, stakeholders, and members of the public.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, CAD and RMS Software and other workplace technology.
• Ability to attend evening and weekend meetings or events, respond to emergencies as required, and complete ongoing training and certification requirements.
• Valid Ontario Class “G” Driver’s License and ability to provide a satisfactory Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check upon hire.

The position offers a salary range of $135,916 to $165,206 (2026 rates) based on a 35 hour workweek plus a competitive benefit package and an option for flexible work arrangements.