Emergency Management Specialist (CEMA) - Training, Exercise and EOC Readiness

Salary: $52,286 - $78,416
Position Grade: 210G
Department: City Emergency Management Agency
Job Type: Full-Time (Permanent)
Location: Downtown - St. Louis, MO

About the role

The Emergency Management Specialist — Training, Exercise & EOC Readiness builds and sustains the systematic preparedness program that ensures the City of St. Louis is trained, exercised, and ready before the next disaster occurs. This position is subject to emergency recall and extended-hour operations during activations, exercises, and special events, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Training Program
  • Designs, develops, delivers, and documents a multi-year training program for CEMA staff, city department heads, EOC-assigned personnel, and operational partners, aligned to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the National Qualification System (NQS).
  • Conducts citywide ICS/NIMS training, ensuring every department head, supervisor, and key employee understands their emergency role before the next activation.
  • Develops position-specific training, job aids, and position qualification pathways for all EOC positions, establishing a documented credentialing standard for EOC assignment.
  • Coordinates joint training delivery with St. Louis Fire Department certified instructors, SEMA, FEMA/EMI, and regional partners under existing and future memoranda of agreement.
  • Maintains complete training records sufficient to satisfy EMAP Standard 4.10, federal grant requirements, and NIMS compliance reporting.
• Exercise Program
  • Designs, plans, conducts, and evaluates a progressive, multi-year exercise program compliant with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), including seminars, tabletops, functional exercises, and full-scale exercises.
  • Develops exercise scenarios grounded in the City’s THIRA, hazard-specific annexes, and real-world incident history, in coordination with the Chief Planner.
  • Recruits and manages external evaluators and SEMA/FEMA facilitation for major exercises to ensure independent evaluation of CEMA-designed events.
  • Coordinates CEMA participation in state, regional, and federal exercises, including those sponsored by SEMA, FEMA, DHS, and UASI partners.
  • Integrates exercise play with special event preparedness for major planned events, validating incident action planning, unified command, and EOC processes under realistic conditions.
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program
  • Manages CEMA’s role in the regional Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, serving as the agency’s CERT program point of contact and representing the City of St. Louis in regional CERT coordination with St. Louis County, SEMA, and area partner jurisdictions.
  • Coordinates recruitment, scheduling, and delivery of CERT Basic Training for city residents, leveraging Fire Department instructors, regional training partners, and CEMA staff under existing and future agreements.
  • Maintains CERT volunteer rosters, training records, and credentialing documentation, ensuring volunteers are identified, qualified, and contactable for activation in accordance with program standards and applicable volunteer liability protections.
  • Integrates CERT volunteers into the City’s exercise program and planned special events in appropriate support roles, ensuring volunteers train alongside the professional responders they will augment.
  • Aligns CERT capabilities with the City’s whole-community preparedness mission, coordinating with the Public Information Officer on community outreach and with the Chief Planner on volunteer integration into the Emergency Operations Plan and its annexes.
• After-Action Review and Corrective Action Program
  • Leads the after-action review process following every exercise and real-world activation, producing formal After-Action Reports and Improvement Plans consistent with HSEEP methodology.
  • Builds and maintains a Corrective Action Program that assigns ownership, deadlines, and status tracking to every identified improvement, and reports progress to the Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner until closure.
  • Maintains the documented lessons-learned repository that satisfies EMAP Standard 4.11 and informs revision cycles for the Emergency Operations Plan and its annexes.
• EOC Readiness and Process Management
  • Manages the steady-state readiness of the Emergency Operations Center as a program: activation standard operating procedures, battle rhythm templates, position binders, checklists, displays, seating and organization charts, and information flow processes.
  • Administers the City’s crisis information management platform, including user accounts, boards, templates, and proficiency training for all EOC-assigned personnel.
  • Conducts and documents recurring EOC readiness checks, including systems, communications, and activation drills, and verifies the facility can transition from cold status to operational within established standards.
  • Maintains the EOC staffing roster and position credentialing tracker in coordination with the Deputy Commissioner, ensuring trained, qualified personnel are identified for every EOC position across multiple operational periods.
  • Identifies EOC facility, technology, and equipment requirements and refers procurement, inventory, and maintenance actions to the Logistics Manager.
• Emergency Activation Role
  • During EOC activations, serves in an assigned Incident Command System position, typically as Situation Unit Leader within the Planning Section, responsible for situational awareness, information display, and situation reporting.
  • Supports — and does not exercise — EOC command authority during activations.
  • Following demobilization, leads the after-action process for the activation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Emergency Management, Public Administration, Homeland Security, Education/Instructional design, or a closely related field; plus two years of professional experience in emergency management, public safety training, exercise design, military readiness/training, or a closely related field. OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Experience must include demonstrated responsibility for curriculum development, training delivery, or exercise planning and evaluation.
• Completion of IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, and IS-800 at time of appointment.
• Completion of ICS-300 and ICS-400 within 12 months of appointment.
• Completion of the HSEEP course (K0146/L0146 or successor) within 12 months of appointment, if not already held.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license while employed by the City of St. Louis. Must possess a valid driver's license at the time of filing application and be able to present it upon request.

Skills

• Working knowledge of national emergency management doctrine, including NIMS, ICS, the National Preparedness System, FEMA CPG 101, and HSEEP methodology.
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver instruction to audiences ranging from line employees to department directors and elected officials.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, conduct, and evaluate exercises and to translate findings into tracked, completed corrective actions.
• Working knowledge of EOC operations, crisis information management systems, and emergency communications.
• Strong writing ability, including after-action reports, improvement plans, standard operating procedures, and training curricula.
• Ability to build cooperative relationships across city departments, regional partners, and state and federal agencies.
• Working knowledge of community preparedness and emergency volunteer program management, including the FEMA CERT program model and volunteer coordination practices.
• Ability to perform calmly and effectively during emergency activations and under sustained operational tempo.

Preferences

• Experience serving in an activated EOC during a real-world incident, including experience in a Planning Section or Situation Unit role.
• Experience administering WebEOC or a comparable crisis information management platform.
• Experience developing training or exercise programs within an EMAP-accredited or accreditation-seeking program.
• Certified Emergency Manager (CEM®) or Associate Emergency Manager (AEM®) credential through IAEM, or Missouri state emergency management certification.
• FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) credential or documented completion of the Master Exercise Practitioner Program.
• Instructor certification (state fire, law enforcement, EMS, military instructor qualification, or adult education credential).
• Completion of FEMA CERT Program Manager (K0428/G428) and/or CERT Train-the-Trainer (K0427/G427) courses, or documented experience managing a CERT or comparable emergency volunteer program.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed primarily in an office and EOC environment, with regular travel to training venues, exercise sites, and partner facilities throughout the city and region.
• Subject to 24-hour emergency recall and extended operational periods during activations, exercises, and special events.
• May be exposed to field conditions during full-scale exercises and real-world incidents, including inclement weather and physically demanding environments.
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation and compliance with City of St. Louis employment requirements.