Salary : $157,353.42 - $228,898.74 Annually
Location : San Marcos, CA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 2026 - 60
Department: Fire
Opening Date: 09/04/2026
Closing Date: 10/5/2026 4:30 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
Under administrative direction, the Fire Division Chief directs, manages, supervises, and coordinates the activities and operations of an assigned division within the Fire Department. Responsibilities may include operations, training, facilities and equipment maintenance, fire prevention, disaster preparedness, public education, and related programs and services. The Fire Division Chief responds to emergency incidents; coordinates assigned activities with other divisions, departments, and outside agencies; and provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Fire Chief.

Recruitment and Examination Process:

• Completed applications, required certifications, and supporting documents must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on October 5, 2026.
• Qualified candidates who are invited to continue in the process will participate in the examination phase on October 14, 2026. The examination process will include:
  • Fire Management Panel Interview
  • Directors Panel Interview
• Candidates who successfully complete the examination phase will be invited to a Chief's Interview. The date and time will be provided to selected candidates.

In addition to a completed application, applicants must submit a resume, copies of all required licenses and certifications, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire as an attached PDF.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
Please click the link below to review the full job description.

Class Specifications | FIRE DIVISION CHIEF | Class Spec Details

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

Education/Training
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in fire science, fire administration, public administration, or a related field is highly desirable at the time of appointment.
Experience
Eight years of increasingly responsible experience with an agency providing a full range of urban fire protection services, including two years of management and administrative responsibility at the Battalion Chief level.

Highly desirable experience: Three years of command and leadership experience as a Division, Assistant or Deputy Chief, with a combination of field operations and administrative responsibilities.

License or Certificate

• Possession of a valid Class C driver's license with a Firefighter Endorsement
• Satisfactory driving record
• Possession of a valid CPR Certificate
• Possession of a Hazardous Materials First Responder Incident Command certificate
• Possession of Strike Team Leader certificate
• Possession of Firefighter I, Firefighter II, and Fire Officer certifications issued by the State of California
• A Chief Officer certificate issued by the State of California is recommended.

Special Requirements
Any person hired as a Fire Division Chief after July 1, 1992, must remain a nonsmoker throughout employment with the San Marcos Fire Department. The Fire Division Chief must have no federal or state felony convictions and must reside within the department's residency boundary.
Holidays - The City observes fourteen (14) paid holidays that include eleven (11) specifically designated days and three (3) floating holidays.
Vacation Leave - A new employee will accrue eighty (80) hours of vacation per calendar year for the first five years of service (one hundred, twenty (120) hours for years five through ten, and one hundred, sixty (160) hours after ten years). Vacation accrual begins immediately; however, a new employee is not eligible to take vacation leave until the completion of six (6) months of service with the City.

Sick Leave - A new employee will earn ninety-six (96) hours of sick leave each year.

Bereavement Leave - Employees are eligible to use up to 40 hours of bereavement leave per fiscal year.

Executive Leave - As a "Management Exempt" At Will employee, you will receive eighty (80) hours of Executive Leave per fiscal year. This leave cannot roll over, has no cash value, and any leave not used by June 30th of each year will be lost.

Group Health Insurance Program - A new employee will become a member of one of the City's group health plans, which are provided by the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS). The City currently pays 90% of premium of the plan elected.

Voluntary Dental/Vision Insurance Programs - The City offers two voluntary dental insurance programs, an HMO program and a PPO Program, as well as a voluntary vision insurance program.
Section 125 Flexible Spending Account - All employees are eligible to participate in the City's Section 125 Flexible Spending Account plan administered by Benefit Coordinators Corporation (BCC). This is an IRS-approved plan which enables you to have withheld from your paycheck an amount to cover eligible dependent care, and certain eligible medical expenses without being subject to federal income or social security tax on the income used to pay for these benefits.
Retirement: Benefits are provided by the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS). The City currently contracts with CalPERS for the 3% at 55 benefit formula, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for CLASSIC members and 2.7% at 57, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for PEPRA (new) members. Employees will contribute 9% or 12.25% towards CalPERS, depending whether a classic or new member.
Retiree Health Savings (RHS) - All employees participate in a Retiree Health Savings plan through the ICMA Retirement Corporation.
Additional Benefits - The City offers additional benefits such as short and long-term disability, group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and workers' compensation insurance.
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SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Tell us about your experience and knowledge in the following areas of fire administrative functions (one (1) paragraph per each item-response below).
a. Fire operations
b. Administration
c. Training, including training groups and/or consortiums
d. Personnel, including working with Human Resources
e. Labor/management relations processes
f. Grant writing and administration
g. City Manager and City Council form of government

2. Describe your experience managing professional staff and working with project managers on capital improvement projects and major programs implementation.

3. Please describe your experience with external agency cooperative agreements and managing, supporting and partnering with staff at other agencies. What made the relationships successful?

4. Please describe your experience, role(s), and qualifications with large or complex emergency incident management activities.

• I have submitted answers to the above Supplemental Questionnaire as a PDF attachment to my application.

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The following licenses and certificates are required for the position of Fire Division Chief. Please include copies of these licenses and certificates for consideration of this position and indicate below which licenses and certificates you currently possess in valid, good standing

• Possession of a valid Class C driver's license with a Firefighter Endorsement
• Satisfactory driving record
• Possession of CPR Certificate
• Possession of Hazardous Materials First Responder Incident Command Certificate
• Possession of Strike Team Leader Certificate
• Possession of Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Fire Officer certifications issued by the State of California
• Chief Officer certificate issued by the State of California recommended.
• Resume

Required Question