Director, Emergency Management

Salary range: $65,779 – $83,210, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

About the role

The Director of Emergency Management leads Case Western Reserve University’s response to matters of safety, preparedness, and organizational resilience. This includes assisting the university in adjusting to ongoing transformations. The director will develop and manage operational activities and initiatives of organizational resiliency, designing and implementing business processes for enhanced operational resiliency, and will serve as a principal responder and subject-matter expert for disaster and emergency response—including preliminary and ongoing assessments of campus readiness and evaluation of response, emerging needs, best practices, and opportunities for improvement. The director is responsible for development, planning, direction, and administration of the university's organizational resilience, emergency management, and business continuity.

Responsibilities

• Lead a strategic, comprehensive, and high-level approach to preparedness, response, and recovery to disasters on campus, including the development, implementation, and delivery of a comprehensive business continuity and resiliency program strategy and framework that enables and supports the university's overall organizational strategy and objectives.
• Utilize knowledge, experience, and research to incorporate the latest trends in emergency management and business continuity, bringing awareness to the university's needed areas of improvement and strengths.
• Benchmark the university's progress in readiness and resiliency while monitoring emerging technological trends.
• Communicate and advise the Office of General Counsel, as well as other divisions within the university, regarding needs, opportunities, and recommended response.
• Responsible for the university's emergency management programs: building emergency action plans in accordance with Federal, State, and Local laws; Emergency Operations Center activation; manage Critical Incident Management Team development and group rosters; development, implementation, and regular review of the university's emergency operations plan; assist in managing emergency notification system with AVP, Internal Communications University Marketing and Communication.
• Supervise staff associated with emergency management, which may include program officer(s) and interns or a combination thereof.
• Advise senior staff on development, review, and implementation of policy, procedures, and best practices related to emergency management and critical incident response.
• Oversee/maintain records of training/certification of university personnel in areas related to emergency management.
• Provide educational presentations to the university's faculty, staff, students, and administration on emergency preparedness and distribute information on campus regarding emergency preparedness and response procedures.
• Directly supervise the university's business continuity planning program. Ensure all required units on campus have developed a business continuity plan and that it is updated annually, or when significant changes warrant updates.
• Advise senior staff on recommendations related to the university's emergency communication technologies. Develop and maintain protocols related to execution of the Emergency Communication System. Ensure compliance with all state, federal, and local regulations and training standards associated with the communications center.
• Maintain the university's emergency operations plan. Design and implement a comprehensive exercise program that tests applicable plans and procedures including departmental and university-wide tabletop, functional, and full-scale exercises as well as smaller-scale drills and exercises.
• Ensure ongoing collaboration with local emergency response agencies to ensure that the university's emergency response plan is effectively coordinated with these external agencies.
• Represent Case Western Reserve University within the community and professional organizations related to emergency management and business continuity.
• Liaise and assist with parallel programs: University Health and Counseling Service, Environmental Health and Safety Services, and Case Western Reserve University EMS program to ensure policy compatibility and operational support.
• Serve as program director for the university's volunteer Campus Emergency Response Team (CERT), to include training, purchasing of supplies, and operational drills.
• Ensure university compliance with applicable standards and accreditations. Lead or support accreditation efforts ensuring compliance with Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) standards, coordinate across departments to gather required evidence, facilitate site visit preparation, and maintain ongoing readiness for reaccreditation.
• Serve as the university's designated Campus Safety Survey Administrator. Prepare, publish, and distribute the Annual Security Report in compliance with Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act) and the Department of Education rules and regulations.
• Direct and coordinate the university's Clery Act compliance program. Gather all necessary data from external and internal police departments and organizations for the annual security report. Develop and implement Clery Act policies and programs in cooperation with other university departments.
• Manage and update the university's daily crime log. Serve as records custodian for all Clery Act compliance documentation. Stay aware of pending and final changes to the Clery Act and other related laws such as the Violence Against Women (VAWA) and Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act.
• Create, implement, and maintain preparedness programs, including the campus-wide CPR training program, the campus-wide AED program, and National Weather Service StormReady.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Emergency Management or related field and 5 years of incident management experience, emergency management, and public safety experience, OR Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management or related field and 7 years of incident management experience, emergency management, and public safety experience required.
• Must possess training certificates in ICS, NIMS, and the FEMA series or related certificates.
• Possess a valid Ohio Operator's license with no significant violations.
• Pass a thorough background investigation including criminal history and psychological screening.
• Must be able to receive LEADS certification upon hire.

Skills

• Knowledge of Federal, State, County, and local government statutes and guidelines related to emergency preparedness.
• Experience with the Emergency Management Accreditation Program is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated strong understanding of Emergency Management Accreditation Program standards and the accreditation process, including program self-assessment, documentation management, stakeholder coordination, and continuous improvement planning.
• Familiarity with emergency management best practices, policy development, corrective action planning, and performance measurement in alignment with Emergency Management Accreditation Program requirements preferred.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain LEADS certification upon hire.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Strong presentation skills.
• Experience with developing a business continuity plan. Good understanding of business continuity concepts.
• Experience with all-hazards planning.
• Excellent business writing skills.
• Ability to interface and coordinate work efficiently and effectively with numerous academic and administrative departments of the university.
• Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face-to-face.
• Strong administrative, analytical, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Effective in developing tasks and managing resources to achieve target dates.
• Must be a leader and productive team player. Ability to meet consistent attendance.
• Strong personal computer skills—Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• ICS/NIMS training preferred or to complete within the first year.
• Experience with the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program.
• Ability to demonstrate successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
• Willingness to learn and work with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and technologies.

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare
• Retirement plans
• Tuition assistance
• Paid time off
• Winter recess

Schedule

General office environment. The employee will operate a university vehicle while on the job. May be required to work extended hours based on situational and staffing needs.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervise 2 direct professional staff reports, student employees, and interns. Also has direct responsibility for the execution of emergency response training exercises.