Division Chief of Fire Prevention

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Employment Type
Full Time

Job Summary

Division Chief of Fire Prevention
Salary Range: $101,088 to $138,222

Make An Impact

Are you a fire service or fire protection professional with a passion for community safety and team leadership? The Olathe Fire Department is seeking a skilled and motivated leader to serve as ourDivision Chief of Fire Prevention. This position plays a critical role in supporting safe community growth, reducing risk, and advancing the department’s mission of public safety. In this role, you will lead the Fire Prevention Division and help protect the community through plan review, inspections, permitting, and strong partnerships with residents, businesses, developers, and city staff.

Why Join Us

This is a unique opportunity to help shape and define a key leadership role within a growing and forward-looking department. As Division Chief of Fire Prevention, you will help lead fire prevention efforts in one of the fastest-growing communities in the region and contribute to major development projects that will have a lasting impact on Olathe.

This position offers the opportunity to:

• Lead a division that directly influences community safety and development.
• Work closely with internal and external partners on significant construction and redevelopment projects.
• Supervise and develop staff in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Serve in a highly visible leadership role with meaningful impact on the organization and the community.
  

Major regional projects in Olathe include, but are not limited to:

• Kansas City Chiefs NFL Team Headquarters and Training Facility
• Halo Ridge, a mixed-use development that includes Michael’s WonderWorld, a hockey arena, and additional commercial properties
  

Highlights of City-provided benefits include:

• Health, Vision, Life and Dental Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS)
• Deferred 457 Retirement Plans with up to 3% employer match
• Vacation and Sick Leave
• 8 weeks of Paid Parental Leave
  

Click here for a complete listing of benefits.

What Success Looks Like

Successful candidates will bring strong technical knowledge, sound judgment, professionalism, and a commitment to teamwork in public service. In this role, you will:

• Lead the Fire Prevention Division by applying strategic and critical thinking to effectively plan and organize operations
• Promote professionalism and public trustby maintaining a positive image of the department through composure and diplomacy, while building strong working relationships with residents, business owners, contractors, developers, and city staff
• Foster teamwork and collaborationby working cooperatively with peers, partner departments, and external stakeholders to accomplish work effectively and efficiently
• Support safe community developmentby participating in development review processes and coordinating with other city departments on planning and construction projects
• Drive team effectiveness through leadership that promotes teamwork, collaboration, relationship building, coaching, and team development
• Help create and maintain a positive work environmentbuilt on clear and confident communication, accountability, respect, and shared problem-solving

If you are ready to lead with professionalism, build strong partnerships, promote teamwork, and help advance community safety in Olathe, we encourage you to apply!

When applying, please include resume, cover letter (optional), and any relevant training, education, or certification documentation.

First review of applications will begin on June 12, 2026.

For more details, review the full job details and requirements below.

The Division Chief of Fire Prevention oversees the Fire Prevention Division within the Community Risk Reduction Section of the Olathe Fire Department. This position is responsible for overseeing all fire code enforcement activities including fire plan review, fire inspections, and fire department issued permits based on locally adopted fire codes and standards. The Division Chief of Fire Prevention serves as the primary fire plans examiner and supervises fire inspection personnel. The Division Chief of Fire Prevention functions as the Assistant Fire Marshal and serves as the Acting Fire Marshal in the Fire Marshal’s absence.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads and manages the Fire Prevention Division; plans, organizes, assists and directs day-to-day fire prevention activities including plan review, inspections, and permits; formulates and interprets policies and procedures; supervises and develops fire inspection personnel, including hiring, scheduling, training, coaching, and evaluating staff, while fostering collaboration and effective communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Manages the department’s fire plan review program and activities; reviews civil, architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection system plans, specifications, and calculations to ensure compliance with locally adopted codes, standards, and regulations of the city; coordinates with other city departments to assist in conducting thorough and streamlined approvals for planning and construction projects through Development Review Committee, Planning Commission, and other meetings as necessary.
• Manages the department’s fire inspection program and activities; conducts fire and life safety inspections of new and existing buildings, hazardous activities or operations, and witnesses final acceptance testing of fire protection systems to evaluate fire code compliance; assists in enforcing the department’s permit program and activities; develops, reviews, and evaluates permit processes to ensure streamlined efforts pertaining to issuing construction and operational permits required by the adopted fire code.
• Develops considerable knowledge of adopted International Code Council (ICC) codes, standards, and other regulations to perform interpretation and develop enforcement guidelines for residents, professional organizations, and department personnel; provides technical assistance and guidance to architects, engineers, developers, contractors, building owners, city staff and fire department personnel by providing technical interpretations of building and fire codes; assists in the training of fire department personnel in topics related to fire behavior, fire protection, fire prevention, fire inspections, and fire code requirements; provides presentations and training at various events concerning updates to codes and regulations.
• Updates all city and department records management systems (RMS); ensures all property, plan review, inspection, and permit data is up to date; assists in collecting and inputting data to support pre-incident planning efforts; supports the fire and investigation program and fire investigators; duties may include conducting origin and cause investigations, fire scene reconstruction, system failure analysis, and evaluating structures or systems for fire code compliance.

Qualifications

Experience: Three years of professional work experience in the field of fire protection is required. One or more years of supervisory experience is preferred. Professional work experience in a municipal fire department is preferred.

Education: A bachelor’s degree with major coursework in fire protection engineering, fire science, fire administration, public administration or a related field is required.A master’s degree in fire protection engineering, fire science, fire administration, public administration or a related field is preferred. Additional relevant and progressively more responsible experience may be substituted for education.

Licenses & Certifications: A valid driver’s license and favorable driving record are required. A current valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license or Paramedic license from either the State of Kansas or the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) is required. Fire Inspector and Fire Plan Review Certifications from International Code Council (ICC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), Pro Board, or other approved certifying entity are required within one year of hire. Kansas State Fire Marshal Certified Fire Investigator I or II is preferred. Fire Protection Engineering License is preferred.

Language: Proficiency with verbal and written English language required. Additional proficiency with Spanish and/or American Sign Language is preferred.

Environmental or Physical Demands: The Division Chief of Fire Prevention must be physically fit to review construction documents, conduct field inspections, perform or support fire investigations, and respond to emergencies, often in hazardous or extreme environments. The role demands endurance, good vision, and hearing, along with the ability to manage stress and work under pressure. This position requires the ability to move between multiple site locations throughout the City, often multiple times in a day. Site visits often require walking, climbing or descending stairs, navigating uneven surfaces, and being aware of work going on above or around them. Work may be performed both inside and outside during all types of weather conditions. Site visits may expose the individual to common construction elements including dust, noise, trenches, and ditches; and may require PPE such as a hard hat, safety shoes or boots, air pack, or other fire-related gear. Other work involves sedentary functions such as operating a computer and standard office equipment.

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• City of Olathe

• 913971-8919

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