MENLO PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

DeputyFire Chief

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

Famous for everything from its natural beauty and diversity to the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Area encompasses three major cities and metropolitan areas (San Francisco, San Jose, and

Oakland) as well as smaller urban and rural communities in Northern California. Home to the Silicon Valley, the area is also known for its entrepreneurial spirit plus an incomparable array of cultural, recreational, and educational offerings.

Spanning from the wine country to Silicon Valley, the Bay Area has a population of over 7 million people in nine counties and 101 cities. The Bay Area is served by several airports and a vast network of roads, highways, railroads, and commuter rail. The larger combined statistical area of the region, which includes fourteen counties, is the second-largest in California (after the Greater Los Angeles area), the fifth-largest in the United States, and the 41st-largest urban area in the world with 9.67 million people as of April 2016.

SAN MATEO COUNTY

Bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Francisco Bay to the east, San Mateo County spans 455 square miles and is home to a population of 769,545 (based on Census QuickFacts 2018

estimate) and some of the most diverse geography in the nation. The landscape includes redwood forests, rolling hills, farmland, tidal marshes, creeks, and beaches. San Mateo County is the 14th-most populous among California’s 58 counties.

The County Fire Agencies use a robust automatic aid agreement that includes:

• A common dispatch Center

• A greater alarm plan that uses a “moves and cover” concept

• A common EMS Paramedic First Response Unit (FRU) agreement

• Boundary drops and closest emergency unit concept

• Station and emergency unit sequential numbering system

• A joint entry level Fire Academy

• Zone training opportunities and coordination meetings

THE MENLO PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

The Menlo Park Fire Protection District (MPFPD) is headquartered in Menlo Park, almost centrally located between the three metro cities of San Francisco, San José, and Oakland. The District’s

coverage area encompasses 30 square miles in the southernmost part of San Mateo County, including the communities of Atherton, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, select unincorporated county areas and extends into the Bay. The District’s seven stations serve an estimated population of 90,000, in an area of significant traffic congestion and rapid expansion due to tech company building expansion with companies such as Facebook.

The District provides first response for residential, commercial, industrial, life sciences technology and investment sector. It has stations strategically located to provide the most efficient and effective response times possible. MPFPD also maintains automatic aid and mutual aid agreements with the neighboring departments of Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Woodside. It responds to approximately 9,000 emergencies each year, 63% of which are medical incidents, and is supported by a FY2019-20 operation budget of $62 million.

This special District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors elected at-large to staggered, four-year terms and is charged with providing strategic leadership, policy and direction, and fiscal oversight. The Board meets on the third Tuesday of every month. The structure of the MPFPD is organized across seven divisions: Administration; Human Resources and Risk Management; Fire Prevention; IT; Operations; Support Services; and Training.

The Fire District’s 146 full-time employees (106 shift employees) work to protect the area’s residents, businesses, and visitors through a variety of services and programs, most notably Fire Prevention, Fire Suppression, Investigation, Inspection, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Public Education. In addition, community programs offered include Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and Cadet and Explorer Programs. MPFPD also serves as home to California Task Force 3, a specially trained and equipped 194-person Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Team consisting of 17 participating agencies and 37 civilians. The US&R Task Force is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and provides $1 million in annual support. Also, the District provides contract emergency services to the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory operated by Stanford University for United States Department of Energy Office of Science.

DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF

Serving as the second in command reporting directly to the Fire Chief, the Deputy Chief will provide the management of day-to-day operations of the District and serve as the Fire Chief in his/her

absence. Responsibilities include maintaining oversight of the Operations, Accreditation, Training, Support Services Divisions, and six suppression Battalion Chiefs operating over three shifts with seven stations. Additionally, the Deputy Chief will partner on labor relations issues and attend joint labor-management meetings as well as potentially serve on the negotiating team during labor negotiations.

Further, the Deputy Chief will serve as a professional resource and prepare reports for the governing board as well as attend all District Board meetings. He/she will participate in the creation and implementation of short and long-term strategic goals for the organization and advise elected officials on critical policy matters in partnership with the Fire Chief.

The individual serving in this leadership role will be expected to be engaged in high-level problem solving while simultaneously empowering others to explore thoughtful and creative solutions. He/she will have direct line authority over the Battalion Chiefs and be expected to collaboratively establish individual and team goals for managers as well as conduct formal annual reviews and evaluations.

The Deputy Chief is expected to represent the District in a variety of settings at the local, regional, state, and national levels. To that end, it will be imperative for this individual to be abreast of current industry trends and best practices.

Additionally, the District takes pride in developing and implementing innovative programs (including expanding the use of technology in the fire service). The Deputy will have an interest and passion for process improvement and implementing innovation in both fire suppression and administration.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will be an active manager and mentor who sets clear expectations and holds people and his/herself accountable to those objectives. He/she must also have a track

record of building and maintaining strong cohesive teams. A reputation

for being consistent, fair, and generous with constructive feedback will be carefully assessed. The individual selected must be a professional with uncompromising integrity and exceptional character. He/she will be considered a role model in the profession and a valued mentor to both sworn and non-sworn professionals. The new Deputy Chief will be expected to take an active role in developing the next generation of firefighters, managers and leaders. He/she will take a personal interest in the careers of others and serve as an inspiring resource to those wishing to advance their careers and contributions to their respective professions.

The ideal candidate will bring demonstrated success with leading change. The District is currently engaged in a reorganization and is adding three additional Battalion Chiefs and eliminating three Division Chiefs (through attrition). A successful candidate will be an inclusive leader who welcomes the ideas and input of others and seeks solutions from others, including those serving on the front line. He/she will be an empowering leader who fosters innovation and ownership in the future of the District in alignment with the profession and the evolving needs of the communities served. Experience with leading or participating in strategic planning efforts is strongly preferred.

A forward-thinking professional, he/she will anticipate opportunities and challenges with confidence and optimism. Previous experience working with elected and/or appointed officials is highly valued and sophisticated political acumen will be expected.

The ideal candidate will exhibit confidence in all aspects of fire administration. He/she will possess a solid foundation in labor relations, including familiarity with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act as well as an in-depth understanding of the California Firefighter Bill of Rights. Experience interpreting and adhering to formally adopted labor agreements and applicable personnel law is necessary to succeed in this leadership role. Additionally, the successful candidate will have experience developing and managing program and operational budgets and engage in sound financial management practices. He/she will have experience speaking about the organization’s financial position. Exposure to long-term financial forecasting will also be considered favorably.

In addition to being a highly effective verbal communicator, the ideal candidate will exhibit outstanding writing abilities. He/she will be adept at developing and editing reports suitable for a variety of audiences. A history of producing materials in a manner that demonstrates the

Residency Stipend – If the candidate lives or relocates to the District, a residency stipend up to $1000/mo. is available. The benefit is tiered based on distance from the District office

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

The closing date for this recruitment is midnight, Sunday, January 5, 2020. To be considered for this opportunity, upload cover letter, resume and a list of six professional references using the “Apply

Now” feature at www.tbcrecruiting.com.

Bradley Wardle • 650.450.3299Teri Black • 424.296.3111

TERI BLACK & COMPANY, LLC www.tbcrecruiting.com

Following the closing date, resumes will be screened in relation to the criteria articulated in this brochure. Applicants with the most relevant qualifications will immediately be granted preliminary interviews by the consultants. Candidates deemed to be the best qualified will be invited to interview at District Headquarters in early February. The District anticipates making an appointment shortly thereafter, following the completion of additional selection activities, extensive background and reference checks, plus compensation negotiations. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process and, at that time, will be done so in close coordination with the candidate impacted.

ability to tailor and present information appropriate for non-experts and effectively educate and facilitate sound decision making will be expected. Hence, this individual will have the proven ability to think and act strategically.

The ideal candidate will have a history of building effective relationships and maintaining appropriate alliances in the best interest of the organization and communities served. He/she will be proactive in his/her approach to interacting with municipalities, other stakeholders, and neighboring fire departments.

A well-rounded background in the fire service that includes experience in both the operational and administrative aspects of the profession is highly desirable. Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be considered qualifying. As an example, a minimum of five years of supervisory experience equivalent to the rank of Assistant, Deputy, Division or Battalion Chief supplemented by training in employee/ labor relations and sound industry business practices would be considered as sufficiently qualifying. A Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and certification as a Chief Officer or EFO (Executive Fire Officer) are strongly desired. A Master’s degree and/or completion of formal leadership development training is also preferred.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Salary is established in the mid $250,000 range and is supplemented by an attractive benefits package. Benefits provided to management confidential employees include but are not limited to:

Retirement – CalPERS Classic Members retirement formula of 3% at 50; CalPERS New Members retirement formula of 2.7% at 57

Health Insurance – $2,000 monthly contribution to Cafeteria Plan for family coverage (tiered for lower enrollment levels); self-insured dental plan with monthly District contribution of $122

Leave – Up to 9 weeks of annual leave

Holidays – 12 paid holidays per year

Life Insurance – Employer paid life insurance of $100,000

Vehicle – District-owned take home vehicle provided (if living within the county or adjoining county)