The City of Leawood seeks a principled, approachable, and visionary leader who combines operational expertise with a strong commitment to people, service, and organizational excellence. The ideal candidate will be an experienced executive who understands the evolving role of modern fire and emergency services, and can effectively balance strategic leadership, organizational development, and operational excellence while fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and continuous improvement.
The Ideal Candidate Will:
Lead with Character
Lead with integrity, humility, and professionalism.
Build trust with transparency, communication, and accountability.
Champion the City's values and contribute to a “One Leawood” culture.
Develop People
Foster a positive, supportive and high-performing workplace culture.
Develop future leaders and invest in employee growth.
Support succession planning and employee engagement initiatives.
Build Partnerships
Collaborate effectively across departments and with regional partners.
Build strong relationships with residents, businesses, elected officials, and community stakeholders.
Communicate effectively and build consensus among diverse groups.
Lead Strategically
Balance operational excellence with long-term strategic planning.
Embrace innovation while maintaining a commitment to exceptional service.
Use data, technology, and continuous improvement principles to enhance service delivery.
The successful candidate will be a collaborative and relationship-focused leader who embraces a One Leawood philosophy. They will work effectively across departments, build strong partnerships with residents, businesses, regional agencies, and elected officials, and foster a culture of trust, transparency, accountability, and exceptional service.The next Fire Chief will possess the strategic perspective necessary to guide the department into the future while honoring its strong foundation and traditions. They will be committed to developing employees, supporting succession planning, leveraging innovation and technology, and identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery, operational effectiveness, and community risk reduction efforts.
Success in the First Year
The next Fire Chief will be expected to:
Build strong relationships with department personnel, City leadership, and community stakeholders.
Assess organizational strengths and opportunities while maintaining the department's high standards of service.
Balance station and staffing needs and public expectations with existing resources.
Advance succession planning and leadership development efforts.
Support strategic planning initiatives and future service delivery needs.
Continue fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and employee engagement.
Qualifications & Experience
Required: Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in Fire Science, Fire Administration, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field, along with at least ten years of progressively responsible experience in a career fire service organization, including a minimum of five years in a supervisory or command-level leadership role. Candidates must hold the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation through the Commission on Professional Credentialing and possess a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.Preferred: A master's degree in Fire Administration, Public Administration, Business Administration, Emergency Management, or a related field is preferred. Highly desirable qualifications include possession of the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation through the Commission on Professional Credentialing, completion of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program, designation as a Kansas Certified Emergency Manager, and demonstrated executive-level experience leading organizational change, strategic initiatives, succession planning, accreditation efforts, and community risk reduction initiatives.
About the Department
The Leawood Fire Department is a highly respected, internationally accredited organization dedicated to delivering exceptional emergency response, community risk reduction, and public safety services. The department maintains Accreditation through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and holds an ISO Class 1 Public Protection Classification, reflecting its commitment to operational excellence, continuous improvement, and service to the community.Operating from three fire stations, the department provides comprehensive fire suppression, emergency medical services, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, emergency preparedness, and community risk reduction programs. Through strong automatic and mutual aid partnerships across Johnson County and the Kansas City metropolitan area, the department ensures coordinated, high-quality service during both routine and large-scale incidents.Beyond emergency response, the department is deeply committed to community engagement through public education, CPR and AED training, child passenger safety programs, fire prevention initiatives, and other outreach efforts that enhance safety and quality of life throughout the community.
Why Leawood?
The Fire Chief serves as a key member of the City's leadership team and provides strategic direction for all aspects of fire and emergency services. Reporting directly to the City Administrator, the Fire Chief leads department operations, personnel development, emergency preparedness, community risk reduction, and long-range planning efforts.The Fire Department, along with the rest of the City of Leawood, recently received extremely high remarks on the resident satisfaction survey conducted by ETC Institute. Fire Services received high ratings for fire response to emergencies (94% satisfied or very satisfied), fire response to medical calls (92% satisfied or very satisfied), ambulance transport services (84% satisfied or very satisfied), and efforts to manage emergencies and natural disasters (84% satisfied or very satisfied). The next Fire Chief will have the opportunity to build upon a strong tradition of excellence while helping shape the future of public safety in one of the Kansas City region's premier communities. MAKE AN IMPACTAt the City of Leawood, we are committed to One Leawood - where Service, Teamwork, Innovation, Culture of Support, and Transparency guide everything we do. Every interaction you have helps build trust, accessibility, and fairness within our community. If you’re looking for a role where your work matters and your contributions are valued, we encourage you to apply and become part of a team committed to excellence in public service. Take the next step in your career as the new Fire Chief with the City of Leawood and see what your future holds! Submit your application, cover letter, and resume for consideration TODAY!Application Review Begins June 29, 2026 Click below for more information about the City of Leawood, Kansas and the Leawood Fire Department
