The Ideal Candidate

The selected candidate for consideration as the City of Wichita’s next Fire Chief will be an experienced fire services manager and administrator who possesses the “courage to lead” with outstand-ing interpersonal and organizational skills. This top executive will have exceptional communication skills and be able to work ef-fectively as leader of a team. The ideal candidate will be amiable, open, and honest and possess a reputation as a firm, competent, fair, and consistent manager. An unblemished record of ethical and professional conduct is essential.

Extensive experience with sound and effective labor relations will be expected. A sophisticated understanding of employment practices, including professional testing, is strongly desired. Known for being a relationship builder, the top candidate will also have a reputation for establishing and maintaining a high level of trust between management and rank and file.

Highly qualified candidates must be able to formulate long-range plans that communicate future vision, direction, and leader-ship expectations. The Wichita Fire Department’s Fire Chief will demonstrate effectiveness as being an innovator in developing a model department in areas such as labor-management, training and development, community outreach and education, and the effective use of technology.

The Fire Chief will be expected to demonstrate and promote the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. The ideal candidate will be expected to practice an open style of manage-ment and to work collaboratively with members of the Depart-ment to foster a working environment that encourages individuals to excel in their areas of responsibility. The Fire Chief will establish positive relationships with employees throughout the organization and place a high value on the professional development of staff. The Chief must have a reputation as an effective developer, moti-vator, and evaluator of subordinate personnel, with a reputation for providing training and education equitably for all personnel. The Fire Chief will be considered a progressive leader within the fire service and be recognized for being an ongoing contributor to the advancement of the profession.

Wichita Fire Department’s next Fire Chief will be well-versed in all operational and administrative aspects of comprehensive emergency service operations including fire suppression, fire prevention, hazardous materials response, emergency medical services, and associated services. The selected candidate for Fire Chief will be a person of imagination and vision that will ensure continued progress for the City of Wichita’s service areas. The new Chief must also be willing to take reasonable risks to guide the organization to new levels of achievement and share the credit for successes with others.

In summary, the Fire Chief will be a positive influence on day-to-day operations, have a “can-do” attitude, and will be comfortable with a hands-on approach to all aspects of WFD operations.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of experience and education that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education – Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in fire science, emer-gency management, public administration, or a closely related field. A Master’s degree or other advanced education or training degree (i.e., completion of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer’s Program) is a significant plus.

Experience – The successful candidate will have a minimum of nine years of increasingly responsible experience in a mid-sized to large urban department with at least four years of command experience.

Residency – City ordinance requires employees of the City of Wichita to live within the corporate limits of the City of Wichita or within 30 minutes lawful driving time of the corporate limits. Employees are allowed 60 days from their start work date to meet the requirement if they do not own or have equity in their resi-dence, of six months if they own or have equity in their residence.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for the Fire Chief is $93,669 to $180,897, depen-dent on qualifications; placement within the range will be based on the selected candidate’s experience and salary history. The City of Wichita offers an excellent benefits package. This position includes the use of a City vehicle. Moving assistance may be included in the employment offer. Further details are available through the recruiting firm of Ralph Andersen & Associates.

To Be Considered

Interested candidates should apply by submitting a comprehen-sive resume, compelling letter of interest, salary history, and professional references via email to apply@ralphandersen.com. The recruitment will close on September 25, 2017. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply immediately. Candidates should be aware that references will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established.

Ralph Andersen & Associates will determine the best overall match with the established criteria as outlined in this recruitment profile. Top tier candidates, as recommended by the Interview Panel(s), will be interviewed by the City Manager in October. A final decision will be made by the City Manager and it is anticipated that the newly selected Fire Chief will join the City of Wichita Fire Department in November 2017 or at a mutually agreeable date.

Confidential inquiries are encouraged to Mr. Robert Burg at (916) 630-4900.

The City of Wichita Fire Department is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The Opportunity

This is truly an exciting opportunity to live and work in one of the most dynamic areas in the State of Kansas. The City of Wichita is conducting a national search for an innovative and committed fire professional to serve as the next Fire Chief. Ideal candidates must be hands-on with the ability to wear many hats while dem-onstrating strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills to provide innovative and dynamic approaches in emergency and public safety services that contribute to the quality of life for Wichita residents and visitors.

The City of Wichita Overview

Located in the south-central part of Kansas, Wichita (population 385,000) is the largest city in the State and the 50th largest city in the United States. Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area. As a three-time All-American City award winner, Wichita offers its residents a quality of life that is clean, safe, and great place to work, play, and raise a family.

There is no shortage of things to do in Wichita. With more than 250 days of sunshine a year, Wichitans take advantage of all the outdoors has to offer. In addition, the City is home to outstand-ing attractions that educate and enhance quality of life - the City hosts several large museums, theatres, parks, and entertainment venues, notably Intrust Bank Arena, and is home to several profes-sional, semi-professional, non-professional, and collegiate sports teams including the Wichita Thunder ice hockey team, Wichita Force indoor football team, and Wichita Wingnuts baseball team. Several universities are located in the City including Wichita State University. Old Town is Wichita’s premiere entertainment district with nightclubs, laid back bars, distinctive restaurants, live con-certs, quaint specialty shops, and a Saturday farmer’s market.

Healthcare is excellent in Wichita and is the second-largest in-dustry, employing approximately 28,000 people in the local area.

Wichita is a progressive community known for its affordable hous-ing. Forbes Magazine named Wichita as the “number one place in the Midwest to live the good life cheaply.” American City Business Journals named Wichita second in their list of “10 most affordable places to live in the nation.”

The Fire Department

The men and women of the City of Wichita Fire Department (WFD) work to protect the City’s 385,000 residents as well as businesses and visitors over a 163.59 square mile area. With a current ISO Class 3 rating, the Fire Department provides services in the areas of fire suppression, investigation, inspection, basic life support medical response (BLS), public education, and com-munity programs. The WFD has a history of providing outstandingservices since 1886 and currently has an authorized staffing level of 453, which includes 414 full-time sworn and 39 non-swornadministrative employees. Wichita Fire has a FY 2017 operating budget of approximately $45 million with a proposed FY 2018 budget of $46 million.

With its 22 fire stations, the Department operates a fleet of 102 light and heavy apparatus including 16 fire engines, 6 Quints, 4 ladder trucks, 8 heavy apparatus in reserve, and a great deal of additional equipment to support WFD’s mission. In 2016, theWichita Fire Department responded to 44,868 calls for services; approximately 80% of those calls were for BLS.

The Position

The Fire Chief serves at-will and is appointed by and reports to theCity Manager. The Fire Chief will be joining a high-energy, creative,and professional team to assume command of a results-driven organization with a tradition of providing excellent service. The Fire Chief coordinates assignments and activities for all person-nel as well as collaboration with other city, county, regional, and state agencies. In addition to providing oversight and leadershipfor the day-to-day operational activities of a progressive organi-zation, he/she serves as a technical advisor to the City Manager and City Council on fire, disaster management, and EMS issues. The Chief is also responsible for establishing and maintaining a positive employee/labor relations climate, and for the proper and efficient use of both human and financial resources.

Specific responsibilities of the Fire Chief include:

• Manage the Department’s financial resources and commu-nicate the Department’s financial structure and position tointernal and external stakeholders;

• Work effectively with the City Manager, City Council, other agencies, and affiliated labor association toward the common good of the organization and the community with a participa-tive leadership style;

• Provide strong leadership that will inspire achievementand earn the confidence of Department personnel, the City Council, City Manager, the community, and other key external stakeholders;

• Ensure professional development of command staff and employees that will enhance their success as managers and facilitate positive employee morale and strong organizational performance;

• Effectively lead quality professional and technical staff, being mindful of their abilities, and able to listen and make informeddecisions;

• Establish collaborative working relationships and partnershipswith community and neighborhood associations, businessgroups, development organizations, and other agencies topursue a common goal of community safety;

• Articulate a vision and lead the development of strategic and master plans in support of that vision;

• Provide an appropriate flow of information to citizens, the media, and interest groups, and serve as the primary spokes-person on matters of fire safety and life safety; and

• Ensure the development and enforcement of fire codes and ordinances within the scope of the Department; interpret and apply laws, regulations, ordinances, and codes for specific ap-plicable situations.

In summary, the Fire Chief will provide dynamic leadership and vision in order to manage people and constructive change while continuing to mentor, coach, and provide staff development.

Challenges and Opportunities

The new Fire Chief will be confronted with a number of challengesand opportunities that will require leadership, diplomacy, and creative problem solving. Among these challenges are:

• Ensuring an optimization strategy for the most efficient deploy-ment and use of all WFD assets;

• Maintaining good communication and ongoing positive union/labor relations;

• Continuing training and development of staff including succes-sion planning by the internal development of future leaders;

• Continuing to expand opportunities to acquire special project funding through grants and other non-traditional financial pathways; and

• Ensuring prudent fiscal management of the Department’sbudget

City Government

The City of Wichita became one of the first municipalities in the United States to adopt the Council-Manager form of government in 1917. Under this form of government, the voters elect a Mayor and six Council members to represent each of the six City dis-tricts. The City Council and the Mayor conduct all legislative functions of the City and establish general policies that are executed by the City Manager. The City of Wichita is a full-service municipality with approximately 3,200 employees and a 2018 proposed annual budget of approximately $600 million. Visit the City’s website at www.wichita.gov to learn more about the efforts the City of Wichita is doing to make this a great city.

The Opportunity

This is truly an exciting opportunity to live and work in one of the most dynamic areas in the State of Kansas. The City of Wichita is conducting a national search for an innovative and committed fire professional to serve as the next Fire Chief. Ideal candidates must be hands-on with the ability to wear many hats while dem-onstrating strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills to provide innovative and dynamic approaches in emergencyand public safety services that contribute to the quality of life for Wichita residents and visitors.

The City of Wichita Overview

Located in the south-central part of Kansas, Wichita (population385,000) is the largest city in the State and the 50th largest city in the United States. Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area. As a three-time All-American City award winner, Wichita offers its residents a quality of life that is clean, safe, and great place to work, play, and raise a family.

There is no shortage of things to do in Wichita. With more than 250 days of sunshine a year, Wichitans take advantage of all the outdoors has to offer. In addition, the City is home to outstand-ing attractions that educate and enhance quality of life - the City hosts several large museums, theatres, parks, and entertainment venues, notably Intrust Bank Arena, and is home to several profes-sional, semi-professional, non-professional, and collegiate sports teams including the Wichita Thunder ice hockey team, Wichita Force indoor football team, and Wichita Wingnuts baseball team. Several universities are located in the City including Wichita State University. Old Town is Wichita’s premiere entertainment district with nightclubs, laid back bars, distinctive restaurants, live con-certs, quaint specialty shops, and a Saturday farmer’s market.

Healthcare is excellent in Wichita and is the second-largest in-dustry, employing approximately 28,000 people in the local area.

Wichita is a progressive community known for its affordable hous-ing. Forbes Magazine named Wichita as the “number one place in the Midwest to live the good life cheaply.” American City BusinessJournals named Wichita second in their list of “10 most affordable places to live in the nation.”

The Fire Department

The men and women of the City of Wichita Fire Department (WFD) work to protect the City’s 385,000 residents as well as businesses and visitors over a 163.59 square mile area. With a current ISO Class 3 rating, the Fire Department provides services in the areas of fire suppression, investigation, inspection, basic life support medical response (BLS), public education, and com-munity programs. The WFD has a history of providing outstanding services since 1886 and currently has an authorized staffing level of 453, which includes 414 full-time sworn and 39 non-sworn administrative employees. Wichita Fire has a FY 2017 operating budget of approximately $45 million with a proposed FY 2018 budget of $46 million.

With its 22 fire stations, the Department operates a fleet of 102 light and heavy apparatus including 16 fire engines, 6 Quints, 4 ladder trucks, 8 heavy apparatus in reserve, and a great deal of additional equipment to support WFD’s mission. In 2016, the Wichita Fire Department responded to 44,868 calls for services; approximately 80% of those calls were for BLS.

The Position

The Fire Chief serves at-will and is appointed by and reports to the City Manager. The Fire Chief will be joining a high-energy, creative, and professional team to assume command of a results-driven organization with a tradition of providing excellent service. The Fire Chief coordinates assignments and activities for all person-nel as well as collaboration with other city, county, regional, and state agencies. In addition to providing oversight and leadership for the day-to-day operational activities of a progressive organi-zation, he/she serves as a technical advisor to the City Manager and City Council on fire, disaster management, and EMS issues. The Chief is also responsible for establishing and maintaining a positive employee/labor relations climate, and for the proper and efficient use of both human and financial resources.

Specific responsibilities of the Fire Chief include:

• Manage the Department’s financial resources and commu-nicate the Department’s financial structure and position tointernal and external stakeholders;

• Work effectively with the City Manager, City Council, otheragencies, and affiliated labor association toward the commongood of the organization and the community with a participa-tive leadership style;

• Provide strong leadership that will inspire achievementand earn the confidence of Department personnel, the CityCouncil, City Manager, the community, and other key externalstakeholders;

• Ensure professional development of command staff andemployees that will enhance their success as managers andfacilitate positive employee morale and strong organizationalperformance;

• Effectively lead quality professional and technical staff, beingmindful of their abilities, and able to listen and make informeddecisions;

• Establish collaborative working relationships and partnershipswith community and neighborhood associations, businessgroups, development organizations, and other agencies topursue a common goal of community safety;

• Articulate a vision and lead the development of strategic andmaster plans in support of that vision;

• Provide an appropriate flow of information to citizens, themedia, and interest groups, and serve as the primary spokes-person on matters of fire safety and life safety; and

• Ensure the development and enforcement of fire codes andordinances within the scope of the Department; interpret andapply laws, regulations, ordinances, and codes for specific ap-plicable situations.

In summary, the Fire Chief will provide dynamic leadership and vision in order to manage people and constructive change while continuing to mentor, coach, and provide staff development.

Challenges and Opportunities

The new Fire Chief will be confronted with a number of challenges and opportunities that will require leadership, diplomacy, and creative problem solving. Among these challenges are:

• Ensuring an optimization strategy for the most efficient deploy-ment and use of all WFD assets;

• Maintaining good communication and ongoing positive union/labor relations;

• Continuing training and development of staff including succes-sion planning by the internal development of future leaders;

•

•

Continuing to expand opportunities to acquire special project funding through grants and other non-traditional financial pathways; and

Ensuring prudent fiscal management of the Department’s budget.

City Government

The City of Wichita became one of the first municipalities in the United States to adopt the Council-Manager form of government in 1917. Under this form of government, the voters elect a Mayor and six Council members to represent each of the six City dis-tricts. The City Council and the Mayor conduct all legislative functions of the City and establish general policies that are executed by the City Manager. The City of Wichita is a full-service municipality with approximately 3,200 employees and a 2018 proposed annual budget of approximately $600 million. Visit the City’s website at www.wichita.gov to learn more about the efforts the City of Wichita is doing to make this a great city.

The Ideal Candidate

The selected candidate for consideration as the City of Wichita’s next Fire Chief will be an experienced fire services manager and administrator who possesses the “courage to lead” with outstand-ing interpersonal and organizational skills. This top executive will have exceptional communication skills and be able to work ef-fectively as leader of a team. The ideal candidate will be amiable, open, and honest and possess a reputation as a firm, competent, fair, and consistent manager. An unblemished record of ethical and professional conduct is essential.

Extensive experience with sound and effective labor relations will be expected. A sophisticated understanding of employment practices, including professional testing, is strongly desired. Known for being a relationship builder, the top candidate will also have a reputation for establishing and maintaining a high level of trust between management and rank and file.

Highly qualified candidates must be able to formulate long-range plans that communicate future vision, direction, and leader-ship expectations. The Wichita Fire Department’s Fire Chief will demonstrate effectiveness as being an innovator in developing a model department in areas such as labor-management, training and development, community outreach and education, and the effective use of technology.

The Fire Chief will be expected to demonstrate and promote the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. The ideal candidate will be expected to practice an open style of manage-ment and to work collaboratively with members of the Depart-ment to foster a working environment that encourages individuals to excel in their areas of responsibility. The Fire Chief will establish positive relationships with employees throughout the organization and place a high value on the professional development of staff. The Chief must have a reputation as an effective developer, moti-vator, and evaluator of subordinate personnel, with a reputation for providing training and education equitably for all personnel. The Fire Chief will be considered a progressive leader within the fire service and be recognized for being an ongoing contributor to the advancement of the profession.

Wichita Fire Department’s next Fire Chief will be well-versed in all operational and administrative aspects of comprehensive emergency service operations including fire suppression, fire prevention, hazardous materials response, emergency medical services, and associated services. The selected candidate for Fire Chief will be a person of imagination and vision that will ensure continued progress for the City of Wichita’s service areas. The new Chief must also be willing to take reasonable risks to guide the organization to new levels of achievement and share the credit for successes with others.

In summary, the Fire Chief will be a positive influence on day-to-day operations, have a “can-do” attitude, and will be comfortable with a hands-on approach to all aspects of WFD operations.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of experience and education that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education – Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in fire science, emer-gency management, public administration, or a closely related field. A Master’s degree or other advanced education or training degree (i.e., completion of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer’s Program) is a significant plus.

Experience – The successful candidate will have a minimum of nine years of increasingly responsible experience in a mid-sized to large urban department with at least four years of command experience.

Residency – City ordinance requires employees of the City of Wichita to live within the corporate limits of the City of Wichita or within 30 minutes lawful driving time of the corporate limits. Employees are allowed 60 days from their start work date to meet the requirement if they do not own or have equity in their resi-dence, of six months if they own or have equity in their residence.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for the Fire Chief is $93,669 to $180,897, depen-dent on qualifications; placement within the range will be based on the selected candidate’s experience and salary history. The City of Wichita offers an excellent benefits package. This position includes the use of a City vehicle. Moving assistance may be included in the employment offer. Further details are available through the recruiting firm of Ralph Andersen & Associates.

To Be Considered

Interested candidates should apply by submitting a comprehen-sive resume, compelling letter of interest, salary history, and professional references via email to apply@ralphandersen.com. The recruitment will close on September 25, 2017. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply immediately. Candidates should be aware that references will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established.

Ralph Andersen & Associates will determine the best overall match with the established criteria as outlined in this recruitment profile. Top tier candidates, as recommended by the Interview Panel(s), will be interviewed by the City Manager in October. A final decision will be made by the City Manager and it is anticipated that the newly selected Fire Chief will join the City of Wichita Fire Department in November 2017 or at a mutually agreeable date.

Confidential inquiries are encouraged to Mr. Robert Burg at (916) 630-4900.

The City of Wichita Fire Department is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer