Fire marshal job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Fire marshal in details. A complete job description concludes Fire marshal key duties/responsibilities, Fire marshal 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 marshal duties:

1. Reviews project construction plans and specifications for compliance with applicable codes; assures all construction documents bear the approval stamp required prior to Regents funding and, as appropriate, has the authority to delay and/or stop construction (up to and including the refusal of fire safety clearance).
2. Performs construction inspections and acceptance testing of fire protection systems, fire rated assemblies and egress systems.
3. Grants fire clearance to construction/renovation projects once appropriate requirements have been met.
4. Organizes and works efficiently to maintain the targeted rechargeable hours within the fiscal year.
5. Develops procedures using a combination of original and standard professional approaches/techniques to solve substantive, complex problems with multiple variables.
6. Applies appropriate scientific and professional standards to recommend campus/university policies and programs and, as needed, create new methodologies.
7. Monitors compliance and prevents hazards, and may serve as campus liaison with regulatory agencies.
8. Writes and updates manuals and procedures.
9. Drafts reports and other documentation, including use of relevant scientific data.
10. As a technical resource on fire protection and code compliance, evaluates and recommends control measures and corrective actions to protect the campus community. Provides expertise and knowledge to other EH&S staff or other departments in designing and implementing a variety of campus compliance programs.
11. Maintains knowledge/expertise with existing and proposed changes of all regulations in all subject areas.
12. At the request of campus management (EH&S Director, VC Administration, UCPD Chief, or designated alternate):
13. Staff Development: Works on committees and assignments along with formal and informal coaching and mentoring and regular training, including conference attendance.
14. Must be available in a campus disaster or campus hazardous material release/threatened release, to serve in the appropriate emergency response role based upon expertise and, where applicable, designated departmental role.

II. List of Fire marshal qualifications

1. Advanced knowledge/understanding of broad range of fire and life safety and familiarity with all EH&S fields. Demonstrated expert knowledge of: California Code of Regulations, Title 19, and Title 24, Parts 1-9; National Fire Codes (published by the National Fire Protection Association).
2. Advanced or expert knowledge and skill in applying and interpreting applicable local, state, and federal regulations and related standards, guidelines and, as appropriate, recommend campus policy.
3. Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills, including advanced political acumen and skill to effectively communicate with diverse constituencies in a highly political environment.
4. Advanced skill to effectively represent the campus to state and federal authorities, and community groups.
5. Advanced analytical and organizational skills to organize, prioritize and manage the successful completion of projects within budget and time constraints.
6. Skill in mentoring or overseeing the work of other EH&S technical and professional staff.
7. Skill to appropriate use technology and relevant scientific equipment as required.
8. Possess and maintain a valid California driver's license.
9. Must be able to perform required functions before 8am, after 5pm on workdays, or on weekends, as directed by the supervisor or as needed by the client.
10. Bachelor degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering Technology, Architecture, or related engineering field and seven (7) years of recent full-time experience in performing combination of fire prevention inspections, plan review, and construction inspections in a California local or state entity responsible for fire and life safety code and regulation enforcement, and/or equivalent experience/training. Professional certification preferred.
11. A minimum of four (4) years cumulative recent experience in plan review. (Credit will be given towards work experience as a building inspector and plans examiner in a building department.)
12. Successful completion of the State Fire Marshal's Fire Prevention 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A and 3B courses or equivalent.
13. Successful completion of the State Fire Marshal's Fire Prevention 2B course (within 6 months of hire) and the Statutes and Regulations (within 12 months of hire).
14. Meet requirements established by the State Fire Marshal to be a DCFM.

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.