Job Description
Job Description
The Town of Cochrane is seeking a strategic Fire Chief to lead Cochrane Fire Services into its next phase of organizational maturity and service excellence.
Reporting to the Director, Community Safety, the Fire Chief provides senior executive leadership across fire operations, emergency management, labour relations, governance, and organizational culture. This role is well suited to a seasoned municipal fire service leader who brings credibility, sound judgment, and a collaborative leadership approach within a unionized IAFF environment.
This is an opportunity to build on established foundations, strengthen leadership capacity, and support a modern, accountable, and sustainable fire service in a growing municipality.
Why This Role
Cochrane Fire Services is positioned for continued growth and long-term sustainability. The Fire Chief will play a key role in :
- Strengthening organizational alignment, trust, and engagement
- Supporting consistent, accountable leadership across all officer levels
- Reinforcing a positive, professional, and psychologically safe workplace culture
- Providing stable leadership through growth, operational complexity, and change
- Supporting strategic planning and service evolution aligned with community needs
The Town is seeking a leader who values clarity, transparency, and professionalism, and who understands the importance of strong relationships, sound governance, and operational credibility.
Why Cochrane
Located in the Bow Valley corridor at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Cochrane offers an exceptional quality of life alongside meaningful municipal leadership work. The Town is a growing, progressive organization that values accountability, collaboration, innovation, and respect.
Cochrane supports leaders who operate with integrity, realism, and a strong service orientation to the community.
Key Responsibilities
Provide overall leadership and accountability for Fire Services operations, people leadership, governance, and service deliveryStrengthen organizational culture through clear expectations, consistency, and leadership developmentProvide senior leadership within an IAFF unionized environment, including labour relations, grievances, discipline, and collective agreement interpretationCommunicate clearly and transparently with staff, Council, union leadership, partners, and the communityDevelop, support, and hold Lieutenants and Captains accountable, reinforcing the supervisory structureProvide leadership in emergency response and emergency managementDevelop and manage strategic plans, Fire Master Plan objectives, budgets, and risk management strategiesBuild and maintain effective working relationships with Council, the Executive Leadership Team, union leadership, partner agencies, and stakeholdersEnsure compliance with legislation, NFPA standards, and municipal policiesRepresent Fire Services at Council meetings, committees, public forums, and community eventsThe Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate will be a senior municipal fire service leader who :
Brings operational credibility and executive-level leadership capabilityLeads with professionalism, consistency, and sound judgmentCommunicates clearly, honestly, and respectfullyUnderstands the complexity of IAFF labour environmentsValues leadership development, succession planning, and accountabilityDemonstrates political awareness while remaining non-political and governance-focusedSupports organizational stability while enabling continuous improvementQualifications
Education and Experience
Minimum 10 years of municipal firefighting experience with progressively senior leadership responsibilitiesExtensive experience working within an IAFF unionized fire serviceExperience supporting organizational culture, leadership development, or change initiativesExperience working within municipal governance environmentsPost-secondary education in Fire Service Leadership, Public Administration, Business Administration, Emergency Management, or a related disciplineCertifications
Valid Alberta Class 5 Drivers LicenseIncident Command System (ICS) 300 (ICS 400 preferred)Current Standard First Aid, CPR, and AEDNFPA-compliant firefighter, officer, and incident command certifications appropriate to a senior leadership roleAbility to obtain and maintain required security clearancesBlue Card Command Certification (preferred)Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range : $158,861 – $169,713 (35-hour work week)Comprehensive employer-paid extended health and dental benefitsHealth Care Spending Account and wellness benefitEmployee & Family Assistance ProgramLocal Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP)Vacation entitlement that increases with service and professional development support
