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Department of Public Safety - Fire Marshals Office
Job Class Code: MR29
Grade: 29 (Confidential)
Salary: $83,628.48 - $118,347.84/Annually *Salary Includes 16% Stipend
Location: Augusta, ME
Opening Date: November 13, 2026
Closing Date: December 1, 2026
Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.
The Maine Department of Public Safety is seeking an individual to serve as Assistant State Fire Marshal overseeing the Fire Prevention Division and Support Divisions. This position provides leadership and supervision for statewide plans review, fire and life safety inspections, and clerical and administrative services. Reporting to the State Fire Marshal, the position exercises independent judgment in daily operations, personnel matters, policy development, and stakeholder relationships.
Customer service and active engagement with Maine's fire chiefs, local code enforcement officials, state agencies, and other stakeholders are priorities for this position. The Assistant State Fire Marshal will build strong working relationships through proactive outreach, clear communication, and timely follow-through. The successful candidate will work closely with local fire service leaders to understand community needs, address concerns, and develop practical solutions while applying fire and life safety requirements fairly and consistently. The position provides highly specialized expertise regarding complex statewide issues.
The ideal candidate will have strong fire prevention and leadership experience, sound judgment, and the ability to plan beyond immediate demands and adapt to changing priorities. Successful leadership requires clear communication, fair accountability, staff development, and a commitment to providing employees with the direction and support needed to succeed.
Under the direction of the State Fire Marshal, this position oversees a budget of approximately $3 million allocated to the Fire Prevention and Support Divisions, ensuring responsible management of state resources. The position also supports the Deputy Chief and Investigations Division by coordinating administrative and clerical services, facilitating communication across divisions, and assisting with shared resource and operational needs. This is a non-standard position requiring work outside regular business hours and travel throughout the State of Maine.
Primary responsibilities include:
• Plan, coordinate, assign, and oversee the work of supervisors and personnel responsible for plans review, inspections, and clerical support.
• Oversee consistent application of adopted fire and life safety codes, including NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, with attention to means of egress and appropriate alternative methods of code compliance.
• Coordinate technical and clerical operations to support timely application processing, scheduling, correspondence, records management, and customer service.
• Develop and administer training programs, procedures, manuals, and operating standards to strengthen staff expertise and improve service delivery.
• Advise, support, and evaluate personnel; communicate expectations; address performance concerns; and encourage professional growth and teamwork.
• Work with agency leadership to identify budget, staffing, equipment, and program needs and manage assigned resources.
• Review activity reports, workloads, and expenditures to assess performance, identify delays, and improve operational efficiency.
• Advise agency leadership on policy and proposed legislation affecting assigned programs and represent the State Fire Marshal in meetings and legislative testimony as assigned.
The background of a well-qualified candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:
• Leadership: Experience supervising personnel and building a capable, accountable, and collaborative team.
• Management: Ability to manage personnel, budgets, administrative functions, and strategic priorities.
• Organization: Strong organizational and time management skills, with consistent follow-through on commitments.
• Communication: Strong written, oral, and public speaking skills and the ability to explain technical matters clearly.
• Organization and Time Management: Ability to prioritize competing demands, manage workloads, establish realistic timelines, and meet deadlines, with consistent follow-through on assignments and commitments.
Minimum qualifications:
An eight-year combination of education and/or relevant supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for fire prevention, inspections, plans review, and program management.
Relevant fire inspection or plans review certification, training, or experience is preferred. Experience in emergency services or as a code enforcement officer is also preferred, along with experience in public speaking, program development, and the legislative process.
Proficiency in the State of Maine's fire incident reporting system is also preferred.
Contact information Questions about this position should be directed to State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler at [redacted].
