Deputy Chief Officer - Service Delivery (West)

About this role

Country Fire Authority (CFA)

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) is one of the largest volunteer-based fire and emergency services organisations in the world. Operating state-wide across 1,208 brigades our more than 51,000 volunteers and over 1000 full-time equivalent staff support CFA's vision to work together with communities to keep Victorians safe from fire and other emergencies. Our mission is to protect lives and property.

About the Role

Representing the Chief Officer, the position of Deputy Chief Officer (DCO) Service Delivery is a critical role and comes with significant responsibility to provide vision, direction and leadership ensuring operations runs efficiently and effectively, for the delivery of fire and emergency management services for the community. This includes planning, prevention, preparation and responding to emergencies, recruitment and retaining volunteer capability and ensuring the provision of training to maintain and strengthen the capacity of our volunteers and staff.

As a member of the leadership team, the Deputy Chief Officer will actively participate in the strategic development of the organisation, provide leadership and foster collaboration across all Departments, Regions, Districts, Groups and Brigades, be available or on call with the expectation to attend to critical matters at any time, and act with the utmost professionalism, integrity and trust as guided by CFA values.

About You

As an experienced emergency management leader, you will bring extensive experience in fire response and oversee daily operations within emergency services and community-focused organisations. Your dedication to volunteerism will reflect a profound understanding of the cultural dynamics and challenges. You will also foster a contemporary approach to fire prevention, risk mitigation, human resource management, and issue resolution.

Your exceptional political acumen, communications and interpersonal skills will uniquely position you to influence a broad spectrum of stakeholders, both internal and external including the Chief Officer, CEO, CFA Executive, Fire Rescue Victoria and key government agencies. You will also apply your expertise in policy, regulatory, and legislative processes to successfully drive strategic organisational change.

Through a collaborative approach, you will be able to demonstrate achievements that include positive outcomes for both organisations and communities. Furthermore, your strong financial acumen and adept budget management make you well-suited for this operational leadership role.

Your academic background includes, but not limited to, relevant degrees or postgraduate qualifications in Emergency Management, Management or Leadership.

How To Apply

Candidates are strongly encouraged to review the ‘Candidate Briefing Pack' prior to enquires or lodging an application.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit the following documents:

• A current Resume
• A one-page Cover Letter outlining your location and suitability for the role
• All application documents must be submitted in MS Word or PDF format and emailed to: applications@peterwilliampartners.com

*Please note that applications sent to individual email addresses (including Dean Unkles), will not be acknowledged.

For Confidential Enquiries

Please contact Dean Unkles, Managing Director, Peter William Partners via email dean.unkles@peterwilliampartners.com

Queries close:                                  5:00pm AEST Thursday 23^rd April 2026

Applications close:                         5:00pm AEST Sunday 26^th April 2026

We encourage candidates to submit applications in advance of the close date. Applicants must be either an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid working visa. Incomplete applications will NOT be acknowledged.

The location of this role is subject to Chief Officer needs and requirements. Additionally, the successful candidate will be required to complete a National Police Records Check, Working with Children Check, and may be subject to pre-employment security check.

Peter William Partners have been exclusively retained by CFA to deliver this executive search. Any unsolicited applications will be redirected to Peter William Partners and managed via the campaign. If you experience any difficulty in lodging your application online, please contact info@peterwilliampartners.com