The opportunity

Lead at the forefront of Queensland’s public sector fire and emergency management, where strategic decisions directly influence community safety, preparedness and resilience.

Kingston Human Capital is proud to partner with the Queensland Fire Department (QFD) in the search for exceptional executives to lead the planning and delivery of services within Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ).

QFD comprises Rural Fire Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue, State Operations, and Strategy and Corporate Services. Together, these divisions support Queensland’s fire and emergency management capability. This role sits within Rural Fire Service and contributes to the broader priorities of the Queensland Government and the Queensland public sector.

The immediate opportunity – Deputy Chief Officer, Strategic Capability

The immediate opportunity is the Deputy Chief Officer, Strategic Capability, a significant executive leadership role within Rural Fire Service Queensland. The position provides an opportunity to strengthen strategic capability, support future service planning and contribute to the organisation’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from fire and emergency events.

The Deputy Chief Officer, Strategic Capability role is based at Albion HQ. The recruitment process will also include other RFSQ regions, which are based in regional centres across Queensland.

The role will suit an executive who brings credible rural fire experience together with strategic leadership, sound judgement and a strong commitment to public sector outcomes. Working within the broader Queensland Fire Department, the Deputy Chief Officer, Strategic Capability will contribute to the continued development of a capable, resilient and effective rural fire service.

Reporting to the Chief Officer, Rural Fire Service Queensland, the Deputy Chief Officer will lead the operational and financial delivery of their region, overseeing people, resources, systems and processes to achieve effective and efficient rural fire services. As a member of the QFD Senior Leadership Team, the role also contributes to the strategic direction of the broader department and the delivery of Queensland Government priorities.

This is a significant executive opportunity to lead rural fire service delivery while influencing broader emergency management outcomes across Queensland. The role will strengthen operational capability, workforce and volunteer capacity, service improvement and community resilience, while providing strategic leadership in a complex and high-consequence environment.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Lead strategic resource planning and regional service delivery, ensuring the effective use of human, financial and capital resources to meet government and corporate objectives.
• Command and lead major fire and disaster management responses, including undertaking Regional Fire Controller or State Fire Controller responsibilities and effectively responding to statewide or critical emergencies.
• Contribute to RFSQ strategic direction and future service planning, providing operational insight, forecasting and strategic advice and recommendations to the Chief Officer.
• Provide proactive and detailed advice to QFD Senior Executives and the Minister on complex fire and emergency management issues.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships across government, emergency services, local government, industry, community and volunteer organisations to strengthen Queensland’s disaster management system.
• Lead workforce capability and organisational change, including the recruitment, retention, training and engagement of RFSQ’s large and diverse volunteer workforce.
• Drive performance, accountability, governance, risk management and continuous improvement, ensuring operations align with legislation, government policy, corporate direction and contemporary best practice.

The essential requirements for this role are:

• Mandatory rural fire experience in at least one of the following areas: rural firefighting, rural fire incident control or rural fire prevention.
• Extensive executive leadership experience within a complex fire, emergency services or related operational environment.
• Strong strategic capability, including the ability to translate organisational priorities into effective fire service outcomes.
• Sound judgement and decision-making capability in complex, high-pressure and changing emergency management environments.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships across government, emergency services, industry, community, unions and volunteer organisations.
• Proven capability to lead workforce development, organisational change, performance and accountability in an environment of competing priorities.

Mandatory operational requirements

Applicants must have relevant experience in at least one of the following areas:

• Rural firefighting experience; or
• Rural fire incident control expertise; or
• Rural fire prevention expertise

Applicants who do not meet at least one of these requirements will not meet the mandatory operational requirements for the role.

Important note on candidate pool and future opportunities

This recruitment process will establish a candidate pool for future Deputy Chief Officer opportunities within Rural Fire Service Queensland, including opportunities based in regional centres across Queensland, that may arise over the next 12 months. The pool will enable QFD to identify and consider candidates whose skills, experience and capabilities align with the requirements of future opportunities.

Candidates in the pool may be contacted directly should a suitable opportunity arise. Placement in the candidate pool does not guarantee an appointment to a future role. Any future appointment will be subject to organisational requirements and the applicable recruitment process.

Broader leadership opportunities

Future Deputy Chief Officer opportunities within Rural Fire Service Queensland may span strategic, operational and service delivery functions, including regional leadership, operational readiness, incident management, bushfire preparedness, workforce and volunteer capability, and service improvement. These opportunities will suit senior leaders who bring credible rural fire experience, strategic judgement and the ability to lead people, resources and organisational change in complex environments.

The candidate pool will support QFD in identifying leadership capability to meet the evolving needs of Rural Fire Service Queensland and the communities it serves.