Fire safety officer job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Fire safety officer in details. A complete job description concludes Fire safety officer key duties/responsibilities, Fire safety officer job qualifications (knowledge, education, skills, abilities, experience…KSA model) and other ones such as daily tasks, key activities, key/core competencies, job functions/purpose…

I. List of Fire safety officer duties:

1. Develop and implement a comprehensive fire and life safety program for Portland State University.
2. Collaborate with Campus Public Security Office, Facilities and Property Management, Housing and Residence Life, Portland Fire Bureau and other key stakeholders in a professional and productive manner to implement fire and life safety programs and promote fire prevention.
3. Identify fire and life safety risks; evaluate campus programs, processes and equipment; develop policies and recommendations to reduce risk and facilitate compliance with fire and life safety codes and standards.
4. Provide leadership and decision-making regarding fire and life safety in emergency and non-routine situations.  Participate in emergency preparedness and response activities related to fire and life safety.
5. Oversee the Fire Marshal inspection program of PSU buildings.  Accompany the Fire Marshal on facility inspections.  Communicate with building occupants regarding inspection findings and follow up to ensure timely completion of corrective actions.  Submit work orders to address inspection findings that require facility maintenance and track completion.  Research code requirements as needed to resolve violations.
6. Oversee the fire and life safety systems testing program.  Supervise staff and students as necessary to ensure compliance with program requirements; provide work direction and oversight for the Fire Life/Safety Systems Electrician.  Communicate code requirements to Facilities and Property Management staff and supervisors; track completion of required inspection and testing; review the work of Facilities and Property Management staff and/or contractors installing, maintaining or testing fire and life safety systems.
7. Identify deficiencies in fire and life safety systems inspection and testing program, recommend corrective actions and communicate with EHS Manager, Director of Facilities and Property Management and other campus administration as needed to ensure appropriate maintenance of campus fire and life safety systems.
8. Provide fire and life safety code expertise for construction projects, special events, safe storage of hazardous materials, evacuation planning and drills and other issues as needed.
9. Review construction plans and attend pre-construction meetings for fire safety issues.
10. Communicate code requirement to campus departments and prescribe corrective actions to facilitate code compliance.
11. Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences.
12. Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities and cultural backgrounds.
13. Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.
14. Adheres to all of PSU’s policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

II. List of Fire safety officer qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree with primary focus in engineering, fire science or similar field; or satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience and/or professional certification.
2. NFPA 1031 Certified Fire Inspector, Certified Fire Protection Specialist, or similar certification, knowledge or experience.
3. Ability to collaborate with the University’s diverse community, regulatory agency representatives, contractors and colleagues in Environmental Health and Safety to develop and implement fire and life safety policies and programs.
4. Effective oral and written communication skills sufficient to convey essential fire and life safety requirements, document policies and provide guidance to members of the University community at all levels.
5. Proven ability to perform work safely and in a professional, collaborative manner with consideration for the needs of the campus faculty, staff and students.
6. Experience conducting inspections, reading building plans, and applying codes and standards.
7. Knowledge and understanding of fire detection, alarm and suppression systems, fire prevention practices and the classification and storage of hazardous materials.
8. Analytical and organizational skills required to prioritize tasks and manage the successful completion of projects within time and budget constraints.
9. Successful completion of a criminal background check.
10. Valid driver’s license

III. Tips to write job description

1. Too-long job description:

Looking at a too-long job description can frighten the candidates off and drive the away. A job description, no matter how important the job is, should not be included in more than 3 pages. If one focuses on too many things at a time, he shall definitely lose focus on the main items and get overwhelmed by the remaining; So, keep it concisely.

2. Too-short job description:

While too-long can be a problem, too-short is more a problem. It will ruin the meaning of the job description. A too-short one means it lacks necessary details and therefore, the candidate will not be able to understand while reading it.

3. Listing unnecessary functions or job duties:

Just classifying these into the “others” category will save you a lot of effort and space. On the other hand, the job description will become more dilute and easy to be neglected.

4. Key functions

Not listing key functions as required for the job can be a fatal mistake to a job description.

5. Grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and having spelling errors can ruin the job description, too. Never think that as you are the employer, you may have the right to make grammar or spelling errors while requires other not to. A job description with such errors is easily to be mistaken as a fake or ghost ads; as a result, the candidate will turn away from it.

6. Not specific enough:

Be specific and concise; if you don’t address the specific, then what the job description is for. It is for the candidate to understand just exactly what he needs to do or needs to have. Lacking details can confuse the candidates very well.

7. Not having the job description reviewed by others:

This is also a common mistake. One may be subject to bias, but more than one, especially with the help of those external advisor, the job description can be more perfect.

8. Using buzzwords or abbreviations:

In fact, it is not necessary at all to use such in a job description.

9. Using slang or legal words:

Just use common wording to communicate with others and don’t do anything extraordinarily.

10. Not updating the job description:

The same job may require different duties and responsibilities in different times, so, you cannot use the same job description for 2 different times.