Fire Marshal

Position

Elevate your career in fire service leadership by directing a forward-thinking Fire Prevention Division dedicated to community protection, code excellence, and proactive risk reduction. Serving as a key leader and trusted advisor to the Fire Chief, the Fire Marshal shapes the city’s safety strategy, oversees division personnel, and ensures growth across our commercial and residential landscapes happens safely and sustainably.

This high-visibility role merges high-level administrative command with dynamic field engagement. You will lead structural plan reviews, collaborate with developers and city departments, direct fire and life safety inspections, and head up origin-and-cause fire investigations. Beyond administrative and regulatory leadership, you will serve on the command team—stepping in as Acting Fire Chief when required, managing duty-officer responsibilities, and deploying as an Incident Commander on emergency scenes.

If you are a visionary fire official ready to champion safety, mentor a skilled team, and build lasting relationships throughout the community, we welcome your leadership. ## Major Areas of Accountability - Conducts structural plan reviews for compliance with fire codes, building codes, and local requirements, including evaluation of occupancy classifications, construction types, hazard classifications, fire protection and alarm systems, and automatic sprinkler plans.  - Participates in pre-construction meetings and advises contractors, developers, and other parties on code compliance, acceptable methods and materials, and local requirements; coordinates plan reviews and inspections with the Building Official.  - Coordinates and oversees scheduled, risk-based, and complaint-driven fire and life safety inspections of applicable occupancies. Ensures inspection activities are completed consistently, deficiencies are documented, and appropriate corrective actions are pursued.  - Responds to complaints involving fire and life safety hazards and coordinates actions, compliance schedules, and resolution strategies with property owners, contractors, and other responsible parties.  - Administers licensing inspections, special event permitting, mobile food vendor permitting, and the Knox Box program.  - Responds to emergency incidents in accordance with departmental response procedures. Provides technical expertise, incident command support, and fire investigation assistance as appropriate. May serve as Incident Commander, Division/Group Supervisor, Safety Officer, or Duty Officer as assigned.  - Leads fire cause and origin investigations, working collaboratively with the Police Department on arson cases; preserves fire scene evidence, maintains chain-of-custody documentation, and completes all required investigation reports.  - Works with insurance companies during fire investigations and provides copies of reports as appropriate; testifies in court regarding fire prevention enforcement and arson matters.  - Coordinates and oversees fire prevention, public education, and community risk reduction programs. Identifies community risks, supports development of targeted prevention initiatives, and evaluates program effectiveness.  - Maintains hazardous materials inventories in compliance with SARA Title III requirements and supports Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation as needed.  - Operates emergency apparatus in accordance with department driving requirements and remains current on continuing education requirements, code changes, and evolving materials and construction methods.  - Supervises assigned fire prevention personnel, including work assignments, scheduling, training, performance expectations, and employee evaluations in accordance with city policies and departmental procedures.  - Coordinates the administration of the Fire Prevention Division, including inspection priorities, program goals, workload management, records management, and compliance tracking.  - Develops budget recommendations for fire prevention activities, equipment, training, and program needs. Monitors assigned expenditures and assists the Fire Chief with budget administration.  - Develops and recommends policies, procedures, and operational guidelines related to fire prevention, inspections, investigations, and code enforcement.  - Coordinates with other city departments to promote consistent application of codes and effective service delivery.  - Prepares reports, correspondence, code interpretations, enforcement orders, and other documentation related to fire prevention activities. Maintains accurate records and supports required reporting.  - Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned. 

Relationships and Contacts

• Maintains effective communication regarding Fire Prevention Division activities, priorities, and significant issues.
• Collaborates with department leadership to support organizational goals, operational readiness, and consistent application of departmental policies and procedures.
• Must be able to develop effective communication channels within the Fire Department to ensure a clear understanding and interpretation of departmental policies, practices and standards.
• Works cooperatively and collaboratively with other city departments, regulatory agencies, contractors, developers, and community stakeholders.

• Establishes and maintains effective relationships with the public while balancing customer service, regulatory responsibilities, and public safety. 

  Schedules and Other Conditions The position generally works a standard administrative eight-hour workday, with flexibility required to attend meetings, conduct inspections, support community education programs, respond to emergency incidents, and perform fire investigations outside normal business hours. The position may be required to participate in duty-officer assignments, emergency response activities, and other department operational responsibilities as assigned.

  Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of applicable Minnesota State Fire Code provisions, adopted local ordinances, and relevant NFPA standards. 

• Knowledge of building construction, fire protection systems, fire alarm systems, and construction plan review.
• Ability to establish productive working relationships with employees, city departments, businesses, contractors, and the public. 
• Ability to interpret and consistently apply fire and life safety codes, regulations, and departmental policies.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, including technical reports, enforcement documentation, and public presentations. 
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, resolve conflicts, and make defensible decisions in regulatory and emergency situations.

• Proficiency with electronic inspection and permitting systems, records management software, electronic plan review, and standard office applications.

  Physical Demands

This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of over 100 pounds of force; work frequently involves walking, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel, climbing or balancing and lifting and occasionally requires standing, sitting, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, tasting or smelling, pushing or pulling and repetitive motions; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work regularly requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, frequently requires working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment and occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather), working in high, precarious places, exposure to extreme cold (non-weather), exposure to extreme heat (non-weather), exposure to the risk of electrical shock, working with explosives, exposure to vibration and wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus; work is generally in a loud noise location (e.g. grounds maintenance, heavy traffic). ## Qualifications - Associate’s degree in Fire Science, Public Administration, or related field. - Minimum 5 years of progressive fire service experience, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or officer capacity.  - Must have the following certifications (current and active): - IFSAC or ProBoard Accredited Firefighter II certification, or equivalent as determined by the Fire Department. - IFSAC or ProBoard Accredited Hazardous Material Operations Certification (independent certification, not associated with the Firefighter I or II certification), or equivalent as determined by the Fire Department.  - IFSAC or ProBoard Accredited Fire Officer I, or equivalent as determined by the Fire Department - IFSAC or ProBoard Accredited Fire Instructor I, or equivalent as determined by the Fire Department.  - FEMA NIMS ICS -100, 200, 700 and 800.  - Current Emergency Medical Technician Basic or Advanced (National Registry of EMTs). - Fire Inspector (Fire Inspector I) certification through the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board or equivalent, meeting NFPA 1030 Standards.  - Fire Investigation certification through Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board or equivalent.  - State of Minnesota Licensed Firefighter upon employment. - Blue Card Certification or ability to obtain within one year of hire.  - Fire Inspector Plans Examiner (Fire Inspector II) certification through the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board or equivalent, or ability to obtain within one year of hire, meeting NFPA 1030 standards. - Considerable experience in reviewing plans for fire protection systems in accordance with all local, state, federal codes and NFPA Standards.  - Firefighting and emergency response experience. - Valid driver’s license.  - Physical ability to perform above, at, or below grade inspections. 

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, Public Administration, or related field.
• Possess the following certifications, or able to obtain within 1 year:
• IFSAC or ProBoard Accredited Fire Officer II, or equivalent as determined by the Fire Department.
• FEMA NIMS ICS 300 and 400 certified