Emergency Management Coordinator

About the role

The Emergency Management Coordinator is a professional position within Bedford County’s Office of Administration and serves as a member of the County’s senior leadership team. This position is responsible for coordinating the County’s emergency management program and advising the County Administrator on potential and active emergency situations.

Responsibilities

• Serves as Bedford County’s primary liaison to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in accordance with VA 44-146.19 & 21.
• Supports the integration of County and surrounding public safety agencies, including Bedford County Fire & Rescue, Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, Bedford Police Department, and Virginia State Police, into the whole of government and community preparation, response, and recovery of emergencies and disasters.
• Maintains partnership with local Town Administration and staff to support Emergency Management functions as defined in VA code.
• Maintains liaison with other state and federal agencies who have public safety jurisdiction or that support coordinated emergency responses such as the Department of Wildlife Resources, National Weather Service, VA National Guard, FBI, and US Marshalls.
• Maintains relationships, liaisons, and exchanges with County Departments and above-mentioned organizational categories to facilitate plan development, coordinate response efforts, personnel and equipment.
• Supports the County’s strategic priorities, objectives, and long-term goals through effective representation of risk and capability assessments and information.
• Responsible for oversight of the Emergency Operations Plan in accordance with VA 44-146.19. Maintains all resource materials and stays informed of federal, state, and local regulations affecting emergency plans and ensures compliance.
• Maintains a training and exercise program for all stakeholders involved in the Emergency Operations Plan inclusive of existing and emerging threats to the County conducted through tabletop, drill, functional and full-scale exercises, on a regular basis and conducts after action reviews for improvement planning.
• Maintains local asset list of equipment, personnel, and systems for local, regional, and statewide mutual aid planning and execution, including capability assessments.
• Prepare Emergency Management's operating budget; monitors expenditures against approved budget; reviews purchase requisitions, invoices, and recommends payment of purchases; oversees inventory of emergency management's supplies and equipment.
• Coincide with public safety departments to search for and apply for state and federal grants and apply for federal funding for emergency management related needs. Administers and reports on the progress of such grants to County staff and community stakeholders.
• Plans and directs disaster response, crisis management activities and disaster preparedness training (compatible with local, state, and federal plans) for County staff and community partners.
• Maintain a process to assess damage and impacts to the community following disaster including coordination with local and state officials to request and receive assistance related to disaster response and recovery.
• Coordinates disaster applications after disaster declaration to allow affected businesses and persons to apply for appropriate state or federal aid as specified in the disaster declaration.
• Works with Public Safety Departments to coordinate any required evacuations by establishing the extent of the area to be evacuated; provides methods of warning and notification, performs home checks before re-habitation, ensures required transportation is available; and provides plans for securing the evacuated areas.
• Coordinates housing shelters and/or long-term congregate facilities needed for emergencies; inspects shelters to ensure needed supplies are available; trains and supervises shelter staff.
• Accomplishes all tasks as appropriately assigned or requested by management. Performs special projects as assigned.
• Consistently demonstrates ability to respond to changing situations in a flexible manner in order to meet current needs and reprioritizes work as necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management, Public Safety, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible experience in emergency management, public safety planning, or a related field, including experience coordinating or managing programs.
• The ideal candidate will possess exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with elected officials, government agencies, citizens, media representatives, business leaders, and other stakeholders.
• The position requires the ability to influence and implement County policies, procedures, and standards across departments without direct supervisory authority.
• Candidates must possess strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to think strategically and proactively to address current and future emergency preparedness needs.
• The ability to interpret and apply county, state, and federal laws, policies, procedures, and emergency management programs is required.
• The successful candidate must also be able to represent the County at meetings, public events, and with community organizations, including occasional work outside of normal business hours.

Skills

• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Strategic and proactive approach to addressing emergency preparedness needs.
• Ability to influence and implement County policies, procedures, and standards across departments without direct supervisory authority.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with elected officials, government agencies, citizens, media representatives, business leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to interpret and apply county, state, and federal laws, policies, procedures, and emergency management programs.

Benefits

Commensurate with experience.

Pay

TBD

Schedule

TBD