Assistant Chief - Fire & EMS

Salary: $140,204.00 - $152,326.00 AnnuallyLocation : different locations in Hanover County, VAJob Type: Full-timeJob Number: 202600022Department: Fire/EMSOpening Date: 01/23/2026Closing Date: Continuous DescriptionHanover Fire EMS is committed to empowering leaders who desire to make a difference. We invest in our people, develop future talent, and ensure our department remains well-trained, well-equipped, and ready to serve our community. Our culture is rooted in professionalism, integrity, and collaboration, where every team member contributes to our shared mission of excellence in service.The Assistant Chief is an essential member of the department's leadership team, responsible for promoting a high-performance culture that is aligned with the Department's mission, vision, and values. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership skills, a commitment to professional development, and the ability to encourage, mentor, and support personnel.The application review process will begin on February 17, 2026. General Description: The Assistant Chief is a senior executive leader responsible for planning, directing, and supporting critical Fire-EMS functions across operations, administration and training, and community engagement and risk reduction. This position provides strategic leadership, command oversight, and organizational guidance within a combination career and volunteer system. While Assistant Chiefs may be assigned functional focus areas, all incumbents are expected to demonstrate competency across all major Fire-EMS disciplines and collaborate department-wide. Organization: The Assistant Chief provides direct leadership to Battalion Chiefs and other assigned staff, performing related human resource functions, and serve as an essential advisor to the Deputy Chief and Fire Chief. The Assistant Chief is expected to embody the Department's values, foster a healthy and high-performing culture, and lead efforts that support a well-trained, well-equipped, and future-ready workforce. Essential Functions:• Provides senior leadership by modeling and reinforcing the Department's mission, vision, and values; fosters a professional, accountable, and team-oriented culture; and supports employee engagement, wellness, and organizational resilience. • Provides command-level response and oversight during emergency incidents; ensures safe, effective, and compliant incident management; and may assume command of the department in the absence of the Fire Chief and Deputy Chief. • Participates in department-wide strategic planning, operational forecasting, and readiness initiatives to ensure the organization is prepared to anticipate and respond to evolving community risks and service demands. • Leads and supports officer development, mentoring, coaching, and succession planning; evaluates performance; addresses accountability matters; and develops future leaders across all ranks. • Assists with the development, implementation, and maintenance of policies, standard operating guidelines, and administrative procedures; ensures compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and accreditation standards.• Collaborates with training and administrative staff to ensure effective, modern, and operationally relevant training programs; support certification maintenance; and promotes continuous improvement through evaluation and after-action review processes.• Assists with budget development, fiscal management, and resource allocation; oversees assigned projects; and ensures responsible stewardship of personnel, equipment, and facilities. • Supports community risk reduction initiatives, fire prevention programs, public education, and stakeholder engagement efforts; strengthens partnerships with community organizations and regional agencies. • Promotes collaboration with volunteer members, mutual aid partners, and external agencies; supports volunteer engagement and integration within the combination system. • Prepares reports, briefings, and presentations; represents the department professionally in meeting and public forums; and communicates effectively with staff, volunteers, county leadership, and the community. • Performs related work as assigned. Working Conditions:A. Hazards• May be exposed to all hazards associated with firefighting, EMS, and hazardous materials incidentsB. Environment• Office• Field--exposure to adverse weather, dust, smoke, noise, and fumesC. Physical Effort• Must be able to perform physically demanding tasks in all weather situations and conditionsD. ExemptKnowledge, Skills and Abilities: Demonstrate leadership in managing complex Fire-EMS operations and personnel. Advanced knowledge of fire suppression, EMS delivery, incident management, and community risk reduction. Strong executive leadership, decision-making, and organizational management skills. Ability to command complex incidents and lead during high-risk, high-stress situations. Demonstrate ability to develop personnel, manage performance, and build effective teams. Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills. Education, Experience and Training: A bachelor's degree in fire science, emergency management, or related field required, with a master's degree preferred. Candidates must possess a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in Fire-EMS or related public safety services, including at least four (4) years progressive supervisory experience in a career or combination department. Candidates must also hold Emergency Medical Technician-Basic certification through the National Registry or be able to obtain reciprocity through the Virginia Office of EMS; certification at an advanced level or as a National Registered Paramedic is preferred. Must be certified or achieve reciprocity through the VA Dept. of Fire Programs as Fire Officer II. Any equivalent combination of education, experience and/or training sufficient to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities is acceptable.Special Conditions:• Must obtain valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License within 30 days of employment to be eligible to operate a county vehicle. • Subject to a comprehensive background investigation, including polygraph, criminal history, and fingerprinting. • Must successfully complete a pre-employment physical examination and drug screening and comply with ongoing testing as required. • Essential personnel designation - will be required to work beyond normal hours during emergencies, special assignments, and meetings. • Must maintain all required Fire-EMS and emergency medical certification(s) in accordance with state and department standards as a condition of employment • You must wear a department-issued uniform and maintain professional appearance standards. • Twelve-month probationary period• This position is subject to the department's on-call proceduresSUMMARY OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITSHanover County is proud to provide our employees with the following comprehensive benefits package. Hanover provides a benefit package that provides for you in times of need, they offer an ongoing level of financial security, peace-of-mind, and healthy work-life balance. This is part of our goal to make Hanover County an attractive place to work. To see exactly what you will find with our offerings, click the link below:This is an overview and does not provide all provisions, limitations, and exclusions. If there is a contradiction between this and the official plan documents, the plan documents will prevail. The Pamunkey Regional Jail and Library share some of the County benefits, please visit their website for more details.01 How many years of experience do you have in the Fire-EMS field 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years Greater than 21 years 02 Do you have experience serving as a career chief officer in a combination Fire-EMS systems? Yes No 03 If yes, how many years of experience do you have? 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years Greater than 21 years 04 Do you have experience working as a career chief officer in an ALS transport agency? Yes No 05 If yes, how many years of experience do you have? 0-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years Greater than 21 years 06 Are you a certified advanced life support provider in Virgina? Yes No 07 Do you have a Chief Officer Designation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence? Yes No 08 Please list any additional professional certifications, designations, or awards you currently hold or have received. Required Question

Created: 2026-04-02