Director of Emergency Management & Mission Continuity

Initial review date: September 2, 2026. Applications received by 11:59 pm on this date will be routed to the hiring team for consideration; later applications will still be forwarded if requested.

About UC Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz is a public university combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. Known for innovation and experimentation, the campus is renowned for its beauty.

Department Overview

Risk and Safety Services (RSS) leads and coordinates multidisciplinary services to sustain a safe and healthy campus by managing risk, preventing injury and loss, and coordinating access, emergency response, and recovery. RSS manages a combined budget of over $22 million with over 150 employees across these units:

• AVC Risk & Safety Services Administrative Office
• Environmental Health and Safety & Campus Fire Services
• Risk Services and Occupational Health
• Transportation and Parking Services
• Office of Emergency Management (OEM)

More information: https://oem.ucsc.edu/

About the Role

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Risk & Safety Services, the Director of Emergency Management & Mission Continuity develops, implements, and monitors programs and policies supporting emergency preparedness, business continuity, and emergency response for the University.

Responsibilities

• Planning & Compliance (30%)
  • Develops, assesses, revises, and maintains the campus Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and other campus-level plans, policies, and procedures integrating FEMA and Cal OES standards.
  • Provides guidance, training, and assistance to departments in developing their emergency plans to interface with the campus EOP; ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Monitors and ensures compliance with National Incident Management Systems (NIMS), Standardized Emergency Management Systems (SEMS), and Incident Command System (ICS) provisions.
  • Conducts ongoing evaluation of campus preparedness using an all-hazards approach, completing hazard vulnerability assessments.
  • Develops and maintains documents and checklists for emergency or disaster conditions; researches and analyzes emergency preparedness procedures.
  • Provides technical consultation on emergency management and preparedness; coordinates departmental emergency response planning and resource mobilization.
  • Develops and implements computer-based systems for tracking emergency conditions, ensuring compliance with FEMA and CalOES requirements.
  • Leads development of a comprehensive campus business continuity program and supervises the Business Continuity Planner (1.0 FTE).
• Operations & Response (15%)
  • Visits field sites and crisis areas with little or no notice to assess and mitigate emergency situations and assist with recovery.
  • Serves as the primary on-call Emergency Management Duty Officer as defined in the campus Emergency Operations Plan; designates alternate Duty Officer when unavailable.
  • Maintains campus Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in a state of readiness.
  • Provides leadership for operations and crisis communication, including deployment of campus emergency notification systems (CruzAlert) and emergency management software (WebEOC).
  • Coordinates preparation of detailed reports and applications for state and federal reimbursement and financial assistance for declared disasters.
  • Provides technical expertise and responds to emergencies on campus, including after-hours and on-call time; manages emergency response according to ICS structure.
• Training & Exercises (20%)
  • Develops, implements, and facilitates integration of ICS into all campus emergency planning activities; trains top-level management and EOC staff in ICS and campus EOP.
  • Evaluates communication needs and develops training for primary and alternate communication systems; exercises and improves communication infrastructure.
  • Designs, plans, and conducts emergency management exercises (tabletop, functional, and full-scale drills) and coordinates campus participation in regional and state-level exercises.
  • Provides instruction and evaluates effectiveness of exercises; prepares instructional materials for emergency preparedness and response personnel.
• Administration & Partnerships (20%)
  • Serves as campus expert on emergency management, including preparedness, response, and recovery.
  • Cultivates and maintains partnerships with city, county, and statewide agencies responsible for emergency planning and response; coordinates campus plans into broader regional frameworks.
  • Evaluates and identifies response resources; develops agreements with external entities to facilitate acquisition of relief materials.
  • Coordinates emergency management with all campus programs and committees; maintains liaison with campus safety committees.
  • Organizes and coordinates meetings of the Campus Emergency Planning Committee and Critical Incident Response Team.
  • Provides advisory support to the Chancellors’ Emergency Management Policy Group (EMPG).
• Demonstration Operations Team (DOT) Coordination and Support (10%)
  • Provides direct support to the DOT Manager (Associate Vice Chancellor, Risk and Safety Services).
  • Coordinates planning activities for DOT meetings, training, event planning, and event management; ensures alignment with UCOP Civil Disobedience Initiative.
  • Coordinates and documents all training required for DOT; serves as office of record for DOT documentation.
  • Monitors social media and campus calendar for upcoming/unannounced events.
• Other Duties (5%)
  • Participates on key planning committees for integration of emergency management functions.
  • Researches and secures grant funding for emergency management programs (mitigation, recovery, training, and equipment).
  • Coordinates campus automated external defibrillator program.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Substantive, relevant, and recent professional-level experience in emergency management and planning in the context of a large organization.
• Advanced knowledge of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), and Incident Command System (ICS).
• Experience in development and writing of standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.

Pay

Budgeted salary: $123,000 - $165,000 annually, commensurate with skills, qualifications, and experience.

Schedule

• Full-time, fixed appointment.
• 100% time (40 hours per week).
• Monday–Friday, day shift.
• Work location: UC Santa Cruz Main Campus.
• Career appointment; non-represented.

Benefits

Full benefits level eligibility.