JOB PROFILE
Ministry of Forests, Lands
and Natural Resource Operations
Job Tile: Fire Centre Manager
Current Classification: Business Leadership (ML 6)
Position Number(s): 01308, 00662, 01138, 00916, 01591, 01731
JOB OVERVIEW
Accountable to Ministry, public, licensee, client and other stakeholder interests for the delivery, at the
regional level, of the Wildfire Management Branch Program.
A new business emphasis is directed to wildfire management planning, not only suppression. This
emphasis is directed to “planning” to mitigate potential interface and wildfires, using fire to support
ecosystem restoration and using modeling/decision support tools for managing risk to the province’s
resource values. To meet this objective there is a renewed emphasis on interaction with numerous
local government authorities, First Nations communities and other stakeholder interests. Leads and
manages the business and operational cycles (planning, preparedness, prevention, detection,
emergency response, fuel management, fire management, compliance and enforcement, aviation,
budget management and cost recoveries) for the regional Fire Centre office and its Fire Zone bases.
Oversees all regional Fire Centre human resources and applies risk management practices to the
deployment of all fire fighting operations and capital resources. Exercises delegated statutory
decision making authority to make determinations and apply appropriate administrative remedies.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
1. Participates on the Branch’s Leadership Team to set strategic goals, priorities and negotiates the
allocation of fiscal, human and material resources.
2. Manages the allocation of financial, capital, fiscal and human resources in the Fire Centre to
achieve government, Ministry and program objectives.
3. Leads, manages, and supervises and Fire Centre staff including assignment of work, development
and evaluation of e-performance plans, succession planning, coaching and mentoring, approval of
leave, response to grievances and initiation of discipline processes.
4. Develops quality management compliance criteria, and establishes and monitors their application
within a consistent and comprehensive framework of professional standards for private and public
sector professional work.
5. Leads the development of an annual integrated business and budget plan and requisite
performance measures that links into the Ministry’s service plan and the Division’s work plan.
6. Leads and coordinates public consultation to develop and maintain cooperative working
relationships conducive to the achievement of Ministry goals with municipal, city, First Nations,
regional/rural districts, citizen’s groups and other regional stakeholders.
7. Leads/supports the negotiation and implementation of joint initiatives and inter-agency
agreements with regional communities, First Nations, local governments, townships, governments
(Alberta and adjoining US state or federal agencies e.g., US Forest Service), forest operators and
other stakeholder interests.
8. Leads the development and implementation of fire prevention and detection plans/strategies for
the fire centre geographic area including the authorization of open fire and area use restrictions.
9. Establishes operational policy and centre structure for emergency response to wildfire, interface
fires, as well as support services to other natural and human-caused disasters that incorporates
values at risk such as public safety, economic development, employment and associated land
1
JOB PROFILE
management values and oversees the development of response (or non-response) strategies,
deployment of resources and monitoring of activities.
10. Oversees inspections for compliance to Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation, Worker’s
Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation; investigates alleged
contraventions of legislation and works closely with policing authorities on arson cases.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
 University degree or technical diploma in a field related to forestry, resource management/public
administration or equivalent knowledge
 Demonstrated senior management experience in wildfire management or an equivalent natural
resources management program
 Experience in a senior leadership capacity including wildfire management and/or a related natural
resources management field
 Experience dealing with complex emergent stakeholder interests and issues management
 Experience leading and coaching diverse teams
 Experience in strategic business planning, procurement and financial management
METRICS
There are six Fire Centres (Coast, Cariboo, Southeast, Kamloops Prince George, Northeast) located
in the province in three Administrative Areas. The active fire season is generally from March to
October; the allocation of fire suppression resources is incident-dependent. Resources may be
deployed to other jurisdictions throughout the year. The regular FTE allocation to the Program is
approximately 580 and, of this number, approximately 370 auxiliaries representing from 300 - 350
employees are normally allocated to the Fire Centres during the fire season. Deployment is variable
dependent upon the fire situation in the province and auxiliary employee numbers can exceed 1000
during a volatile fire season.
Metric
Spending Authority
 Operating
 Salary
 Direct Fire
Human Resources
 Regular FTE
 Auxiliary FTE
 Employee Count
Capital Resources Value
Values
Average/Fire Centre
$1.7M/year
$7.3M/year
$2M/day
$53M/year
50
170
1 2
350
$3-4M
ORGANIZATION CHART3
See attachment
1
Significant and challenging employee relations issues arise during the escalation of auxiliary human resources
deployment during the fire season. This is unique in the BC Public Service as is the shift in organization structure.
2
Includes any number of statutory employees as defined under the WFA.
3
The Fire Centre Manager operates in two separate and very different organization structures. During the Fire Season
the structure shifts to a paramilitary “command/control” framework due to the immediacy of decision making and
accountability that flows to the Fire Centre Manager. During non-Fire Season the organization shifts to the traditional
ministry organization and program reporting structure.
2