Primary Objective
Promotional Opportunity Available to Current City of Bloomington Employees
Through direct command of Fire Captains and in general command of firefighters the Battalion Chief shall be responsible for the leadership and direction of the effective and efficient provision of emergency response services. These include services to extinguish and prevent fires, effectuate rescues, render first aid, respond to and mitigate hazardous materials incidents, and to respond to other emergencies as required. The Battalion Chief shall assist the Chief of the Department, Deputy Chiefs, and Assistant Chiefs in providing leadership, planning, and administrative oversight for the full range of Department activities.
CITY VALUES & EXPECTATIONS
- Develops, supports, and models a positive and productive workplace culture based on respect, dignity, honesty, and integrity
- Allows staff to grow and succeed by providing opportunities for increased responsibility and creating a positive work culture
- Supports and advances organizational development efforts such as developing a high performing organization employee engagement, workforce development, inclusion and equity, and performance measurement efforts
- Works cooperatively with others; develops and maintains respectful and effective working relationships with diverse coworkers and community members; consistently brings a high level of self-awareness and empathy to all personal interactions
- Proactively resolves conflicts and misunderstandings in order to ensure a respectful and inclusive workplace
- Seeks to understand the legacy of structural racism, and its impact on employees and the residents we serve; identifies any implications and adverse equity impacts when developing or reviewing policies, projects, activities and interactions with stakeholders
- Embraces the City's shared values and contributes towards accomplishing the City's vision and goals by being creative, innovative, continuously learning, and communicating clearly
Examples of Duties
The Battalion Chief has responsibility, control, and command over all uniformed personnel below the rank of Battalion Chief who are members of the Department. This position has responsibility and authority over the organization, governance, and discipline of the Department as delegated by the Fire Chief. The Battalion Chief shall enforce such Fire Department rules and procedures, and issue orders as is necessary and prescribed by the Fire Chief.
Serves as a member of the Fire Department’s leadership and management teams:
- Assist the Assistant Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs, and Chief of the Department in the overall administration of the Fire Department, including developing and enforcing rules and procedures and issuing orders, and work assignments
- Assist with preparation of the annual budget; manage the response and training budgets for their assigned shift
Oversees, manages, and coordinates the daily operations, and training of assigned personnel:
- Operates with considerable independence under the general supervision of the Assistant Chief in charge of Operations
- Directs operations including the planning, scheduling and deployment of personnel to ensure the optimum safety and delivery of fire and EMS services
- Provides formal supervision and evaluation, as well as regular coaching, development, and discipline for assigned staff. Assigns work, establishes priorities and ensures proper training. Defines the level of expected performance and provides the necessary resources and support. Holds staff accountable for achieving performance goals and completing assigned duties. Ensures adherence to City and Department policies and recognizes and rewards staff for a job well done
- Ensures staff compliance with the City’s Employment Rules and policies, regulatory requirements and safety practices and procedures
- Assists the Deputy Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs as assigned, in the areas of personnel training, fire inspections, investigations, code enforcement, and station and equipment maintenance, repairs, supplies, and logistics
- Recommends, develops, and maintains department policies and training requirements ensuring equity is considered for new and existing programs and policies
- Coordinates assigned operations with other departmental functions and other agency functions to promote proper communication, cooperation, and the overall effective delivery of services
- Ensures documentation and records are maintained pursuant to Department policy, City policy, and State law
- Participates in the development of specifications for new apparatus and equipment
- Assists with establishing and implementing equity and inclusion strategies to achieve strategic city-wide objectives
- Receive, review, and approve requests or recommendations from Department personnel regarding operations, equipment, or stations. Forwards appropriate items to the Assistant Chief as appropriate and provides a response back to the Department personnel
Responds to emergency calls for service:
- Responds to emergency calls and other calls for service as the Chief of the Department may designate. Actively assume or participate in the leadership and command of all emergency situations. These include fires, lifesaving, rescues, first aid, and hazardous materials incidents consistent with Department policy. When necessary, actively engage in all emergency situations
- Assume command and control of all operations and must have the ability to exercise professional judgment to manage increasingly complex incidents involving fires, hazardous materials, and other emergencies that may involve multiple agencies and/or jurisdictions
- Battalion Chief will fill supervisory roles at an emergency but still need to maintain the skills and abilities to engage directly with the problem if necessary.
Other duties:
- Works variable hours, including nights, weekends, and 24-hour shifts to meet operational and training needs as required
- Represents the Fire Department and the City in various organizations to protect and/or further the interests of the City and Fire Department
- Stays informed of current issues that may affect the Fire Department and City, including industry trends and best practices
- Works as a member of City senior staff and maintains effective working relationships with other departments and Department and Division heads within and outside of the City
- Keeps supervisor informed of any relevant issues or concerns
- Performs other related duties as apparent or assigned
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES REQUIRED
- Physical ability to perform the essential functions of emergency response and fire suppression and to perform under the working conditions of a firefighter, as contained in the firefighter job description
- Ability to develop and maintain respectful and effective working relationships with a wide variety of City personnel as well as the general public, elected officials and other agencies
- Effective public speaking skills and the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing in person and verbally over two-way radio
- Ability to manage a variety of projects and issues and work in a variety of circumstances and situations with the City, other Local and State agencies
- Maintains a positive image of the City and Fire Department through effective problem solving and sound coordination of administrative functions
- Demonstrates initiative and develops ideas to solve problems
- Demonstrates the ability to lead a diverse group of fire personnel that provide fire service to the City
- Ability to effectively and efficiently manage and maintain response capabilities of assigned personnel
Minimum/Desirable Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Current career Fire Captain with the Bloomington Fire Department
- Thorough knowledge of Fire Service functions, policies and practices including, but not limited to, incident command, fire suppression strategy and tactics, and personnel management and leadership
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Associates degree in Fire Science, Public Safety or related field – or obtain within 36 months of hire
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration or related field
- Additional experience in fire or emergency services
- Experience in Fire Department administration
- Demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills and experience
- Training in compliance with local, state and national standards as Fire Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Technical Rescue Technician
- Proficiency in personal computer operation with word processing and spreadsheet applications
- Ability to speak a second language, in addition to English, that has a recognized presence in the community (Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, etc.)
- State of Minnesota Certification as a Paramedic
Supplemental Information
Supervision Of Others
Provides supervision and direction to career and part time firefighters as assigned. Assumes leadership and command at fire and emergency scenes as determined by Department policies and procedures.
Conditions Of Employment
- Valid driver’s license
- Blue Card Incident Command certification (must be maintained throughout employment)
- Minnesota Firefighter License (must be maintained throughout employment)
- MBFTE qualified instructor within 2 years of appointment
- Five years as a firefighter
- State of Minnesota Certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic and maintained during employment
Anticipated Hiring Range: $107,168-$113,695 Annually
2025 Full Salary Range: $107,168-$142,873 Annually
Full Time; Exempt; Non-Union; Benefits Eligible
The City of Bloomington is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve. Applicants who are black, indigenous or persons of color are encouraged to apply. We also encourage women, veterans, members of the LGBTQIA community, and individuals with disabilities to apply.
The position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change
Benefits
Benefits for regular, full-time employees of the City of Bloomington (with the exception of 24 hour firefighters and 24 hour fire fighter/paramedics) include the following:
- 10 days paid vacation per year
- 13 days paid personal leave per year
- 13 paid holidays per year
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
- Employee health and dental insurance
- Paid employee life insurance
- Paid employee disability insurance
- Employer/employee paid pension
- Deferred compensation
- Tuition assistance program
- Health club membership reimbursement
- Flexible spending account
- Employee Assistance Program
- Other optional benefits
- Great suburban location, on bus line
- Free employee parking
- (Union contracts may vary from the above list.)
01
The City of Bloomington (City) is asking you to supply information (data) as part of your application for employment with the City. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) classifies this data as private data about you. The law does not require you to provide the data and there is no legal consequence for refusing to provide the data. However, if you do not provide the requested data, the City may not have enough information to consider your application and you may not move forward in the selection process. If you do provide the data, City employees and its agents may have access to your private data if their work assignments reasonably require access. The hiring manager or supervisor, human resources employees, and members of an interview panel, which may include non-City employees, will have access to some of your private data during the application and selection process. State or federal law or a court order may allow others to have access to your data also. The City will not disclose any of your private data to any member of the general public without your permission. The MGDPA classifies the following information as public data about applicants: veteran status, relevant test scores, rank on eligible list, job history, education and training, and work availability. If you are a finalist for the position, your name is also public. A "finalist" is a person the City selects for an interview. Do you agree to supply the data the City is requesting as part of your application for employment?
02
I understand that in order for my application to receive every consideration in the selection process, I must complete the following supplemental questionnaire completely for this position.
Attaching a resume is NOT a substitute for completing an answer. If a question is answered by the statement "See Resume", the question will be treated as if there is no answer. The information I provide will be reviewed and used to determine my eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Unanswered questions, incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. If the supplemental question is not applicable to you, please indicate N/A.
I have read and understand the above instructions regarding supplemental questions.
03
Did you read and review the Working Conditions and Physical Demands checklist and the Remote Work availability? Once you click on the link
04
This is a reminder that you should check your Spam/Junk folder as emails from the City of Bloomington might end up being received in those folders and not your inbox.
Please note that the City won't send out communications until after the job posting has officially closed unless the posting clearly states otherwise. Please acknowledge that you have read and understood this informational message.
05
The anticipated hiring range for this position is $107,168-$113,695. If selected for this position, are you willing to accept compensation within this range?
06
Please indicate your highest level of education completed.
- High School or Equivalent
- Associate Degree in Fire Science, Public Safety or related field – or obtain within 36 months of hire
- Bachelor's Degree Public Safety Administration or related field
- Master's Degree or Higher Public Safety Administration or related field
- Not Applicable
07
If you indicated you have post-secondary education, please summarize coursework or list degree earned, area of study, name of institution and dates you attended. If not applicable to you, indicate N/A.
08
Are you a current career Fire Captain with the Bloomington Fire Department?
09
Do you possess thorough knowledge of Fire Service functions, policies and practices including, but not limited to, incident command, fire suppression strategy and tactics, and personnel management and leadership?
10
If you indicated you have work experience in Fire Service functions, policies and practices including, but not limited to, incident command, fire suppression strategy and tactics, and personnel management and leadership please summarize your experience including Job Title, place of employment, and relevant job duties. If not applicable, indicate N/A.
11
Please indicate experience in fire or emergency services you have in addition to your experience in the Bloomington Fire Department.
- Less than 1
- 1 year
- 2-3 years
- 4+ years
- Not Applicable
12
If you indicated you had additional years of experience in fire or emergency services, please summarize that experience including Job Title, place of employment, and relevant job duties. If not applicable, indicate N/A.
13
How many years of experience in Fire Department administration do you possess?
- Less than 1 year
- 1-2 years
- 3-4 years
- 5+ years
- Not Applicable
14
If you indicated that you possess experience in Fire Department administration, please summarize that experience including Job Title, place of employment, and relevant job duties. If not applicable, indicate N/A.
15
Do you possess leadership and teamwork skills and experience?
16
If you indicated that you possess leadership and teamwork skills, please provide 1-2 examples of these skills and include the Job Title and name of the company where you used this skills.
17
Have you received training in compliance with local, state and national standards as Fire Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Technical Rescue Technician?
18
If you stated you possess training in compliance with local, state and national standards as Fire Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Technical Rescue Technician, please summarize that training here. If this does not apply to you, please indicate N/A.
19
Do you have experience using Microsoft Office including Word and Excel?
20
Do you possess State of Minnesota Certification as a Paramedic?
21
Do you possess a Emergency Management Certificate?
22
Do you fluently speak a second language, in addition to English, that has a recognized presence in the community? Recognized prevalent languages in the City of Bloomington are Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, Chinese Mandarin, and Cambodian [Khmer]. Fluent means you can sustain a conversation, demonstrate intelligible pronunciation which doesn't interfere with understanding, and communicate at informal and some formal levels.
- Spanish - FLUENT
- Somali - FLUENT
- Vietnamese - FLUENT
- Chinese Mandarin - FLUENT
- Cambodian [Khmer] - FLUENT
- I am not FLUENT in those languages or I am FLUENT in another language
23
If you indicated you speak a language other than English that you are FLUENT in, please list the language(s) and years spoken. If not applicable, please indicate N/A.
24
This question is to determine whether you qualify for Veteran's Preference points due to being a military veteran with a disability rating of 50% or greater as a result of active duty, per Minnesota Statutes 197.455, subd. 5 and subd 6.
- Yes, I am a Veteran with a disability rating of 50% due to active military duty and qualify for Veteran's Preference points.
- No, I am not a Veteran with a disability rating of 50% due to military duty.
25
If you are a Veteran and achieve the minimum passing rating, do you wish to apply your veteran's preference bonus points? If you answer yes, you MUST complete the City of Bloomington's Veteran Preference Questionnaire (
Required Question
