DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF DIRECTOR

What you will focus on:

1. Executive Leadership of Large, Multidisciplinary Teams

The Deputy Chief leads a large, unionized and highly specialized workforce of over 200 professionals, including inspectors, fire investigators, engineers and public educators. You provide clear direction, accountability, and alignment across diverse functional disciplines, ensuring consistent service delivery and operational excellence. You create a culture of a high-performance, grounded in safety, professionalism, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

2. Regulatory Enforcement & Judicial Acumen

With deep expertise within a regulatory and legislative environment, you have a thorough understanding of the full judicial lifecycle from inspection and investigation to charges, court proceedings, and resolution. You ensure actions meet evidentiary standards and withstand legal scrutiny, particularly in complex, precedent-setting cases involving injury, fatality, or public risk.

The Deputy brings a strong understanding of court processes as well as administrative rigor to avoid procedural gaps that could compromise cases or outcomes.

3. Investigations/Inspections & Case Management Excellence

Providing strategic oversight of complex fire and life safety inspections and investigations, including fatal fires, and incidents involving the Toronto Police Service, Office of the Fire Marshal and the Coroner, you ensure thorough, defensible investigations and inspections that integrate technical expertise, legal requirements, and multi-agency coordination.

As a leader, you create a culture of best practice in investigative and inspection methodology, documentation, disclosure, and case continuity through to prosecution.

4. Public Safety & Urban Risk Leadership

You will lead fire prevention strategies in a complex, high-density urban environment, addressing risks across multi-tenant housing, encampments, transit systems, major events, and evolving development models, while balancing proactive and data driven public education and fire safety enforcement to support community safety and city-building priorities.

5. Strategic Policy, Governance & Accountability

Directing the development and implementation of policies, bylaws, and programs aligned with Council priorities and directives and guidelines issued by the Ontario Fire Marshal you ensure strong governance, operational consistency, and legal defensibility. You guide your team on sound documentation, performance monitoring, and compliance with legislation and collective agreements.

6. Political Acuity, Issues Management & External Relations

Operating in a highly visible, politically sensitive environment, you provide expert advice to TFS Command, City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations and Council. You manage complex, high-profile issues and builds strong relationships with enforcement partners, regulatory bodies, and oversight agencies.

7. Operational Command, Emergency Response & Community Engagement

You will lead public education efforts that are inclusive, data driven and accessible, strengthening community awareness, safety, compliance, and trust.

Key Qualifications:

Extensive senior leadership experience in a fire prevention, regulatory enforcement, inspections, investigations, or a related enforcement environment (e.g., fire services, policing, regulatory agencies)
Demonstrated expertise in enforcement, inspections, investigations, and judicial processes, including experience providing evidence in court
Experience leading large, unionized, multidisciplinary teams in a complex, public-facing environment
Strong understanding of applicable legislation, regulatory frameworks, and enforcement practices
Proven ability to manage politically sensitive issues and advise senior decision-makers
Experience working across jurisdictions and with multiple enforcement and regulatory partners
Experience as an Incident Commander for major events is an asset
Post-secondary education in a related discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience