Deputy Fire Chiefs - Operations & Support Services

The City of Harrisonburg (pop. approximately 56,879), located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley and one of the fastest growing cities in Virginia, is home to James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University. The Harrisonburg Fire Department is an ISO-Class II All-Hazards municipal agency providing essential emergency and non-emergency life safety services to the public who live, work and travel in Harrisonburg. Click here to view information in the recruitment brochure. Additional information about the Fire Department is available at www.harrisonburgva.gov/fire or on Facebook© and Instagram©.

The Harrisonburg Fire Department is recruiting to fill two Deputy Fire Chief positions (Operations and Support Services) due to upcoming retirements. The ideal candidates will be dynamic, forward-thinking, experienced professionals looking to provide strategic leadership and support the agency's continued commitment to public safety and organizational excellence. These are exempt, full-time positions with benefits and a preferred hiring salary range of $105,955 - $119,204 annually, with additional stipend(s) available depending upon qualifications.

Deputy Fire Chief of Operations (Earliest Anticipated Start Date is July 2026): As the Deputy Fire Chief of Operations, you'll be responsible for planning, supervising, directing, and coordinating operations of the department, including assisting with the general planning and administration of fire services. In this role, you'll oversee Fire and Rescue Operations, Specialized Operations (Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue), and Emergency Medical Services.

Deputy Fire Chief of Support Services (Earliest Anticipated Start Date is September-October 2026): As the Deputy Fire Chief of Support Services, you'll be responsible for planning, implementing, directing and supervising the support services functions of the department, including but not limited to: Human Resources, Training, Information Technology, Health and Safety, Strategic Planning and administrative functions. In this role, you'll assist with the overall management and supervision of the department and manage all apparatus and vehicle maintenance.

A detailed list of essential functions, physical requirements, and the ideal candidate's knowledge, skills, and abilities for these positions are available in the Deputy Fire Chief of Operations and Deputy Fire Chief of Support Services class specifications.Minimum Requirements for Both Positions:

• An associate’s/technical degree with coursework in fire administration, human resource management, supervision, fire science, fire prevention, community risk reduction, strategic planning, or related field and extensive (6 or more years) experience at the rank of Fire Captain or above. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.
• Valid driver's license at time of hire.
• NPQB or IFSAC Fire Officer III and Fire Instructor II certification at time of hire.
• Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services EMT (VAOEMS) certification required within 12 months of hire.
• Successful completion of the Department's Work Performance Evaluation, annually.
• Participation in the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program is preferred but not required for consideration.

The selected candidate for this position will be subject to the following screenings and must receive satisfactory results:

• DMV driving record review;
• Criminal background check;
• Social media screening;
• Personal History Statement;
• Credit check;
• NFPA 1582 physical; and
• Drug screen.

Application Requirements: In order to be considered for this position, applicants must submit the following: City of Harrisonburg online application, cover letter attachment, resume attachment, and 3 professional references' contact information (name, email, and cell phone number). All required fields on the online employment application must be completed, including your education history and work experience. Incomplete applications and applications with verification(s) of no prior education and/or work history will not be considered.

Applicants unable to attach documents via the online application should email the missing documentation to employment@harrisonburgva.gov by the deadline indicated below in order to be further considered.

Application Deadline: Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 5:00 pm EST. Candidates will not receive an application status update until after this date. Due to the amount of information requested from candidates, please allow a minimum of 10 business days from the first review date to receive a status update.
 

Salary : $105,955 - $119,205