Job Postings

The City of Evanston seeks an innovative, collaborative, and visionary leader to serve as its next Fire Chief. This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly respected fire department in one of the Midwest's most distinctive communities.

Reporting to the City Manager, the Fire Chief will be a steady and principled leader who fosters a culture of professionalism, accountability, and trust. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to navigate complex organizational issues, address challenges thoughtfully and consistently, and maintain focus on the department's mission during periods of change. The Fire Chief will join a talented executive team committed to delivering exceptional service.

More than an operational leader, the Fire Chief serves as a trusted advisor, strategic thinker, and community partner, helping shape the organization's future while upholding the highest standards in emergency response, community risk reduction, employee development, and public trust.

Key Priorities & Responsibilities

• Promote a culture of professionalism, accountability, and operational excellence through visible and effective leadership
• Support workforce development, recruitment, retention, and succession planning efforts across all ranks
• Enhance community risk reduction, prevention, and public education initiatives
• Leverage technology, data, and performance measures to support informed decision-making
• Plan for future service demands, capital needs, and emerging public safety challenges
• Oversee active and planned capital projects across the department's facilities and fleet, including new apparatus, station improvements, and a planned joint public safety facility
• Maintain and build on recent technology modernization investments (CAD, records management, incident command, training, and scheduling platforms)

Qualifications & Requirements

Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Fire Science, Public Administration, Emergency Management, or a closely related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. A master's degree is strongly preferred.

Leadership Experience: Minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in a career fire and emergency medical services organization, including at least five years of command-level leadership experience at the rank of Battalion Chief, Division Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Fire Chief, or an equivalent executive leadership position.

Certifications & Credentials

Illinois OSFM Advanced Fire Officer certification (or equivalent credential), or the ability to obtain certification within twelve (12) months of appointment. Highly desirable credentials include:

• Illinois Chief Fire Officer
• Executive Fire Officer (EFO)
• Comparable executive-level fire service certifications

EMS and NIMS Requirements

Because the Evanston Fire Department operates as an integrated fire and emergency medical services organization, candidates must possess current paramedic certification or be eligible to obtain Illinois paramedic licensure within six months of appointment. Completion of NIMS/ICS 300 and ICS 400 training, or the ability to obtain within six months of appointment, is also required.

Additional Requirements

• Valid driver's license and a safe driving record
• Ability to obtain Illinois licensure upon appointment

The Ideal Candidate Will Demonstrate

• Proven executive and organizational leadership experience
• The ability to inspire, develop, and empower employees
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Experience working effectively in a collaborative labor-management environment
• Strategic thinking and sound judgment
• Demonstrated integrity and professional courage
• The ability to balance operational demands with long-term organizational planning
• A genuine appreciation for community engagement and customer service

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success leading through organizational change, addressing sensitive organizational and employee relations issues, and building credibility with employees, labor representatives, elected officials, and community stakeholders.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range - $170,669 to $256,004 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• Benefits - The City of Evanston offers an attractive compensation and benefits package.

For further more detailed information on this opportunity click on the listed link to view employment packet on the City of Evanston website:

https://www.cityofevanston.org/departments/city_managers_office/human_resources/index.php

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To apply for this position, please apply online at www.cityofevanston.org. The position will remain open until filled; however, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply by the first review date of August 3, 2026 for optimal consideration.

Chosen candidates will be required to provide proof of licenses, certifications, and education required for this position. Candidates will also be subject to qualifying pre-employment processes, including medical examination, drug/alcohol screening, employment verification, and criminal background check.

The City of Evanston is an equal opportunity employer and ensures against discrimination in employment on the basis of a person's race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income, housing status, or gender identity. The City of Evanston is also committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Any person needing mobility or communications access assistance should contact Human Resources at 847-448-8204 (voice) or 847-866-5095 (TTY).

Contact Information
Ken Scruggs
kscruggs@cityofevanston.org

The Hartland Police and Fire commision have completed the first round of Interviews for the Fire Chief position and are seeking additional candidates.

Contact Information
David John Jambretz
davej@villageofhartland.com 

Lombard, IL (population 43,492), Dynamic, progressive community located 20 miles west of Chicago's Loop in the heart of DuPage County, Lombard encompasses 10.5 square miles and is a residential community with a thriving commercial base. The Village is bounded on the west by I-355 and on the south by I-88. The Village seeks highly skilled fire service and EMS leaders prepared to meet the demands of the community.

The Fire Department employs 64 full-time sworn personnel including the Chief, three Battalion Chiefs, 12 Lieutenants, and 48 full-time Firefighters. The selected candidate will administer, manage, direct, and supervise all fire department operations and programs with a $17.4 million budget, which consists of two fire stations and a total staff of 75 employees. In 2025, the Fire Department responded to 8,220 incidents, of which 117 were fire related and 6,224 were EMS related. The Department has an ISO rating of 2.

This position will respond to emergency situations and may direct fire and rescue operations at scenes. Other responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, coordinating emergency preparedness activities for large-scale emergency response; investigating the causes of fires and submitting reports as required; interpreting and administering the firefighter collective bargaining agreement and personnel manual; enforcing Village fire protection codes; and acting as a liaison between the Village and its citizens. In addition, the Fire Chief represents the Village in meetings with representatives of governmental agencies, professional and business organizations, and the public. Regular attendance at evening meetings and Village events is expected. The Fire Chief reports to the Village Manager and is part of the Village's executive management team.

Qualified candidates should have:

• A bachelor's degree in Fire Science, Fire Administration, Fire Protection/Safety, Fire Engineering, or a related field. A master's degree is preferred.
• Seven to nine years of progressively responsible experience in firefighting, fire rescue, fire prevention, and education, with three to five years of supervisory experience.
• Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job may be substituted for a bachelor's degree. CFO or EFO is highly desired.
• Demonstrated experience and ability in all principles and practices of fire department operations and administration theory and techniques.
• Experience as an innovative, collaborative Fire/EMS leader with demonstrated staff management, interpersonal, and customer service skills.
• The ability to develop strong relationships with surrounding Fire/EMS agencies for the most comprehensive and balanced approach to high-level services for the residents of the Village.
• Well-developed writing and public speaking skills and the utmost integrity.
• A clear and dynamic vision for providing excellent, proactive emergency services.
• A willingness to embrace a high-performance organization.

Residency is not required; however, a candidate must reside within thirty (30) miles of the corporate boundary of the Village within twelve (12) months of the start date.

Salary: $139,600 - $195,438 annually, with an anticipated starting salary of approximately $167,000 (DOQ).

Benefits: The Village of Lombard offers an attractive benefits package.

The position is open until filled, with a first review of applicants on August 10, 2026. Candidates should apply at www.GovHRjobs.com with a resume, cover letter, and contact information for five work-related references to the attention of Lee Szymborski and Marc Hornstein, Senior Consultants, MGT.

Telephone: 847-380-3240 (Lee Szymborski, ext. 103; Marc Hornstein, ext. 178).

The Village of Lombard is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Contact Information
MGT
resume@mgt.us

Position Profile: Fire Chief - City of Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Brief: The City is tasking its Police & Fire Commission (PFC) with finding a highly qualified candidate to fill the vacancy in the position of Fire Chief. The current Chief will be retiring in mid-December 2026, giving the new appointee the opportunity to work with the outgoing Chief during a transition period. Salary range is $110,000 - $120,000. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for August 28, 2026.

The Community: The City of Rice Lake is a community with a population of just over 9,000 and functions as a service center for many thousands more. Located one hour north of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (population 72,500), and less than two hours south of the Twin Ports of Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota (combined population 115,000), the community provides a diversified range of medical, retail, manufacturing, and educational services typically found in communities of much larger populations.

The City: The City has a Mayor/Council form of government that appoints a City Administrator to oversee the day-to-day operations of streets, parks, the airport, police, fire, community development, solid waste, and other municipal services. Water, sewer, and electric utilities are governed by a nearly autonomous Utilities Commission whose members are elected by the Council.

The Department: The Fire Department is an all-hazards organization providing fire suppression, prevention, code enforcement, and fire investigation services, along with mutual aid ambulance services, interfacility transfers, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue. It is a combination department staffed by 14 full-time firefighters (15 including the Fire Chief), one Administrative Assistant, and up to 24 paid-on-call firefighters. The Department follows the guidance of NFPA 1720.

In addition to serving the City, the Department provides the same services to the Town of Rice Lake and the Town of Oak Grove. The total fire protection area encompasses approximately 75 square miles and serves a population of about 13,000.

The Department's annual operating budget is approximately $2.5 million. Capital needs are addressed through a separate multi-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP).

City leadership is committed to supporting public safety and has prioritized construction of a new public safety building, allocating resources in the upcoming budget to accomplish this goal.

Questions: Questions regarding this position profile or the position description may be directed to SJ Johnson, City Administrator, at 715-234-3454 or sjohnson@ricelakegov.org.

Contact Information
SJ Johnson
sjohnson@ricelakegov.org