DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF THE COMMUNITY. Now accepting applications for

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1 Now accepting applications for DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF THE COMMUNITY Southlake is uniquely situated in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth area of North Texas. This actively engaged community brags about the quality of life in this upscale city and has proof to back it up. Southlake has consistently been ranked as one of the best places to live by D Magazine and Fort Worth Magazine. The Dallas Business Journal reported on a 2012 quality of life study by On Numbers in which Southlake was listed as the top DFW city and third among 1,145 cities throughout the southern United States. In 2013, the Dallas Morning News reported Southlake as one of the Best Neighborhoods in DFW, with an overall rating of five stars. The reasons for the accolades are easily found within the City s 22 square miles: exemplary schools, acre after acre of green space and the welcoming spirit of its residents; all true Texas traditions. Southlake s quality of life is among the highest in the DFW Metroplex, with its safe neighborhoods, community programs and excellent schools. Due to its location, available land, financial stability, educated workforce, and quality-driven development regulations, Southlake will be the center of growth for years to come.

2 ORGANIZATION On April 4, 1987, Southlake voters approved a home rule charter which established a council-manager form of government. This form of government combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the strong professional experience of a City Manager. The Southlake City Council consists of seven members, including the Mayor, all elected at-large by Southlake residents. The Mayor and Council Members are elected for three-year terms (unless elected in a special election due to a resignation) and no member may serve more than two successive elected terms. The City Council hires a City Manager who has responsibility for submitting the annual budget, directing day-to-day operations, advising the City Council on matters affecting the City, and appointing and removing City staff. Strategy execution is a fundamental part of the day-to-day operations within the City of Southlake. In 2005, the City Council worked closely with staff to develop a Strategic Management System (SMS) based on the Balanced Scorecard framework. The SMS aligns decision-making and resource allocation with City Council and citizen priorities. It includes components such as vision, mission, values, perspectives, focus areas, corporate objectives, strategy maps, implementation plans, and performance measures. In addition, each department has its own Strategy Map built around the department s core services and develops a departmental business plan each year. Departments also have performance scorecards that provide a way to assess the quality of the work being performed. Attention is given to what needs to be done, but performance is also about how things are done. To guide this, the Sothlake Way and the City s core values define the expectations. The City s values are Integrity, Innovation, Accountability, Commitment to Excellence, and Teamwork. The City has approximately 400 employees and a total budget of about $93 million with a tax rate of.462 per $100 of valuation. The City has a structurally balanced budget and holds AAA bond ratings from Standard and Poor s and Fitch IBCA. We are world class professionals serving a world class community. OUR MISSION The City of Southlake provides municipal services that support the highest quality of life for our residents, businesses, and visitors. We do this by being an exemplary model of balancing efficiency, fiscal responsibility, transparency, and sustainability. OUR VISION Southlake is a vibrant, attractive, safe, healthy and fiscally sound community that epitomizes both economic and environmental sustainability. We offer quality neighborhoods and a high standard of living, with abundant opportunities for learning, shopping, working, recreation and enjoyment of open spaces.

3 THE FIRE DEPARTMENT Led by Fire Chief Michael Starr, the Fire Department strives to be a best-in-class organization responsible for the preservation of life and property. The Department has been an accredited agency with the Commission on Fire Accreditation since The department is made up of four divisions that work together to accomplish the both the City s and the Department s mission. These divisions include: Fire Operations Fire Prevention EMS & Training Emergency Management Consisting of 72 full-time positions and one parttime position, the department has a FY 2017 budget of approximately $8.2 million. Southlake Fire houses three stations, strategically located within the City. Three Battalion Chiefs provide daily operational leadership over Fire Operations and report directly to the Deputy Chief. In 2016, Southlake Fire responded to 3,203 calls for service with 54% of those related to EMS. Response times were under 5.5 minutes 90% of the time. The department battled 38 structure fires in seven different jurisdictions. The services provided by Southlake Fire are outlined in the department s overall strategy and include: Providing professional and proficient emergency response; Ensuring community safety through adherence to life safety codes; Ensuring City response readiness to natural and man-made disasters; Developing and providing high quality, targeted community education; Promoting departmental initiatives through accurate and timely communications; Ensuring a professional department by adhering to accreditation standards; Providing leadership and professional development initiatives; and Building a positive, productive and engaged workforce that supports the City s mission and strategic goals. The Fire Department is dedicated to the preservation of life and property. Our commitment is to provide the highest level of emergency response, life safety and community support services to improve the quality of life for our customers.

4 ABOUT THE POSITION The Deputy Fire Chief is appointed by and reports directly to the Fire Chief. This position is an integral part of the Fire Department and is a member of the City s Executive Team. The purpose of this position is to direct, manage, lead and coordinate the activities and operations of the Operations Division of the Southlake Fire Department. This is accomplished by providing professional fire service expertise for the City; providing supervision to assigned Battalion Chiefs and other assigned staff; developing and implementing the Fire Department s strategic plan to include the business plan, workplan goals, policies and procedures; monitoring and managing scorecard metrics associated with Fire Operations; coordinating assigned activities with other divisions, departments and outside agencies; and providing highly responsible and complex executive support to the Fire Chief. Please refer to the job posting for more specific details. THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The ideal candidate will be a sophisticated, dynamic, self-confident, motivated, approachable, and proactive leader with a passion for fire service and people management. The candidate should have an executive presence and proven track record for making things happen with illustrated tangible wins for his or her organization. The ideal candidate should possess the following core competencies: Strategic Performance: ability to meet performance expectations by setting goals, tracking progress, and measuring success using the strategic management system components of the departmental business plan, work plan, and scorecard. Accountability: assume management responsibility for all activities and operations of the Fire Operations division of the Southlake Fire Department. People Management: ability to manage and encourage staff using the principles of employee engagement, coach them to develop their capabilities, and optimize their performance. Building Collaborative Relationships: ability to develop, maintain and strengthen relationships with others, both inside and outside the organization. Communication: ability to deliver verbal and written communications and presentations that are clear, persuasive, well thought out, and tailored to the audience. Delegation: ability to allocate decision-making authority and/or task responsibility to maximize the organization s and individuals effectiveness by delegating assignments to the appropriate individuals based on their skills, roles and interests. Customer Orientation: ability to demonstrate concern for satisfying the needs of both internal and external customers by being approachable, available, responsive, and helpful. Innovation: ability to look beyond the traditional to find new, modern and creative solutions. Fostering Teamwork: ability and desire to work cooperatively within a team environment and ability to motivate team members to work together. Flexibility: ability to adapt to changing situations and open to different and new ways of doing things. Personal Credibility: ability to convey a command of the relevant facts and information and be perceived as responsible, reliable and trustworthy. Situational Awareness: ability to accurately anticipate the implications of events or decisions for various stakeholders in the organization and community and plan strategy accordingly.

5 EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE A Bachelor s degree in Fire Sciences, Public Administration or a related field is preferred. Paramedic certification from the Texas Department of Health is preferred. Possession of a Texas Commission Advanced Fire Protection Certificate is required or must be obtained within six (6) months of hire. A minimum of eight (8) years of increasingly responsible fire protection experience is required; four (4) of those years must include supervisory experience. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS The starting salary for the new Deputy Fire Chief will be market competitive depending upon the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate. The City offers a comprehensive benefits package for employees including medical, dental, life and disability coverage, paid vacation, sick and holiday leave, and participation with the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). For more detailed information regarding benefits, please visit APPLICATION PROCESS Qualified and interested individuals should submit a completed employment application, cover letter, and resume online at The deadline to apply is June 22, 2017 at 10:00 pm. If you have any questions about the City of Southlake, the department, or the position, please contact Talent Acquisition Partner Chris Chaillot at or hr@cityofsouthlake.com. The City of Southlake is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at all levels of its workplace. Female, minority and disabled candidates are encouraged to apply. Applicants selected as finalists for this position will be subject to a comprehensive background check. The Texas Public Information Act may require disclosure of applicant information at any stage of the process.