Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator

Full-time, 12-month exempt position eligible for benefits and VRS retirement.

About the Role

The Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator (AEMC) supports the development, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive, jurisdiction-wide emergency management program under the direction of the Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC). This position assists with emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery activities, helping ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements while strengthening community resilience. The AEMC is the primary backup to the EMC, assuming Emergency Operations Center (EOC) leadership, situational awareness, and executive decision-support responsibilities in the EMC's absence or as part of a formal on-call rotation. This position also provides executive-level support to the EMC and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), including briefing preparation, correspondence, and scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing, implementing, and continuously improving the jurisdiction's emergency management program, supporting coordination across internal departments, public safety partners, and regional stakeholders.
• Assist in the development, maintenance, and exercise of the County’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) including the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), and hazard-specific annexes.
• Support departments and partner agencies in developing, updating, and operationalizing emergency management plans and procedures, and assist in executing adopted plans in alignment with NIMS, ICS, and applicable federal and state standards.
• Support threat, hazard, and risk assessment activities that inform preparedness priorities, mitigation strategies, and resilience planning.
• Assist in designing, coordinating, and evaluating preparedness training and exercise programs for elected officials, staff, and partner agencies, incorporating after-action reporting and improvement planning.
• Serve as the primary backup to the Emergency Management Coordinator, assuming a senior leadership role within the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and providing executive decision support in the EMC's absence or during on-call activations.
• Support disaster recovery and mitigation activities, including damage assessments, recovery planning, and administration of state and federal disaster assistance processes.
• Serve as a liaison with local, regional, state, federal, nonprofit, and private-sector partners, representing the Office of Emergency Management on committees, working groups, and collaborative initiatives as assigned.
• Assist in coordinating with the Department of Finance and Budget on emergency management grant development and administration, helping ensure compliance with funding requirements, reporting standards, and audit expectations.
• Provide executive-level administrative support to the EMC, including briefing preparation, correspondence, scheduling, and follow-up on action items.
• Support organizational and community preparedness and resilience through outreach, partnership development, and public education initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Public Administration, Public Safety, or a related field and three (3) or more years of progressively responsible experience in emergency management, public safety planning, military service, or a related field; additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis.
• Valid Virginia driver's license in compliance with County Policy.
• Completion of FEMA ICS (IS-100, IS-200, IS-300, IS-700, and IS-800) required.
• Commence attendance with the National Emergency Management Basic Academy within the first twelve months of employment.
• Obtain Virginia Professional Emergency Manager (VaPEM) certification within the first twenty-four months of employment.
• Obtain and maintain VCIN/NCIC certification, as required for access to secure law enforcement facilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) or more years of experience in emergency management.
• Professional certifications such as Associate Emergency Manager (AEM), Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), or comparable credentials.
• Experience working in a local or regional government environment.
• Experience supporting multi-agency exercises.
• Experience with Veoci or related virtual EOC software.

Skills

• Knowledge of principles and practices of emergency management, disaster response, and recovery.
• Knowledge of FEMA guidance, NIMS, ICS, and emergency planning standards.
• Knowledge of local government operations and intergovernmental coordination.
• Knowledge of grant administration and compliance requirements.
• Strong program support and organizational skills.
• Ability to support cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to analyze complex situations and make sound recommendations under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build collaborative relationships.
• Proficiency with emergency management software, data analysis, and reporting tools.
• Ability to assume Emergency Operations Center (EOC) leadership and executive-support responsibilities on short notice, including during the Emergency Management Coordinator's absence.

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a combination of standard office, Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and field environments.
• Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while working at a computer, participating in meetings, or staffing the EOC.
• Operate standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and audio-visual technology.
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with staff, elected officials, partner agencies, and members of the public.
• Analyze complex information, assess situations, and exercise sound judgment, often under time-sensitive or high-pressure conditions.
• Maintain situational awareness and sustain concentration during extended work hours, including evenings, weekends, and overnight shifts as required.
• Travel to various sites within the jurisdiction and region, including field locations that may involve uneven terrain, debris, or exposure to varying weather conditions.
• Lift and carry materials or equipment weighing up to approximately 25 pounds.
• Work in environments that may involve exposure to noise, crowds, stressful situations, or emergency response activities.
• Availability outside of normal business hours and the ability to respond to emergency activations as needed, including serving in an on-call rotation and acting on behalf of the Emergency Management Coordinator when required.

Benefits

• 12 paid holidays.
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• Health insurance options with employer contribution.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• VRS retirement.
• Continuing education and training opportunities.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $93,543.65 - $103,390.35 annually. Starting offer is based on applicable education beyond minimum requirements and internal equity.

Schedule

This is a full-time, 12-month exempt position eligible for a hybrid remote work schedule in compliance with the County’s Remote Work Policy. All County staff must maintain residence within the Commonwealth of Virginia.