LifeFlight Emergency Communications Manager

Job Summary

The Manager of Emergency, Flight & Transportation Communications leads the operations of Vanderbilt’s Emergency Communications Center, Transport Coordination Center or FlightCom Communications Center. This role ensures the delivery of safe, efficient, and compliant communication services supporting air medical transport, ground medical transport or emergency response coordination and regional healthcare partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain quality assurance standards and ensure compliance with regulatory and institutional requirements.
• Define and achieve financial targets; monitor budgets, expenditures, and prepare financial reports.
• Promote a safe, enriching work environment and support staff development through training and performance feedback.
• Lead departmental planning, performance improvement, and cross-functional coordination.
• Recruit, train, and evaluate staff; ensure qualifications and competencies align with job responsibilities.
• Ensure service standards are met or exceeded; use customer satisfaction data to improve systems and outcomes.
• Coordinate emergency notifications and support disaster response and mass casualty incident communications.
• Facilitate real-time communications between EMS agencies, hospitals, and emergency services.
• Manage high-volume emergency communication systems, including multi-line phones and radio networks.
• Monitor and triage the VUMC and MCJCHV helipads.
• Monitor aircraft movements, weather conditions, and flight routes to support safe operations.
• Maintain working knowledge of FAA Part 135 regulations and ensure adherence to aviation policies.
• Facilitate real-time communications between flight crews, hospitals, and other essential personnel.
• Ensure accurate documentation of flight transport activities and communications in dispatch systems.
• Provide clinical and operational leadership to flight communication specialists, ensuring alignment with protocols.
• Cook up with other flight programs when aircraft are unavailable and manage incoming/outgoing air transport requests.
• Oversee coordination of ground medical transport logistics across multiple facilities, ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance.
• Facilitate communications between ground transport teams and healthcare providers.
• Supervise and guide transportation communication staff, ensuring effective operations and adherence to standards.

Technical Capabilities

• Leadership (Novice): Demonstrates adaptable leadership styles, communicates goals clearly, and models initiative.
• Operations Planning (Novice): Anticipates resource needs, organizes tasks, and manages multiple priorities effectively.
• Emergency Management (Novice to Intermediate): Applies structured methodologies and practical expertise in emergency response coordination.
• Decision Making (Novice): Makes timely, effective decisions in high-pressure environments with broad consideration of alternatives.
• Change Management (Novice): Supports organizational adaptation through structured problem-solving and solution testing.
• Listening (Intermediate): Engages actively in communication, ensuring clarity and understanding across diverse stakeholders.
• Compliance (Novice): Applies regulatory knowledge and escalates issues appropriately.
• Quality Management (Novice): Continuously evaluates and improves operational processes and service delivery.
• Financial Acumen (Fundamental Awareness): Supports budget planning, monitors expenditures, and prepares financial documentation.

Core Accountabilities

• Organizational Impact: Directs activities to achieve operational plans with some near term effect on results of the department/area.
• Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Identifies issues, gathers facts to resolve technical and operational problems.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Applies in-depth knowledge and skills of a professional/technical area and basic management knowledge to manage the work of the team.
• Team Interaction: Leads a complex department with a focus on implementation. Typically executes on a short to medium term strategies.

Position Qualifications

• Relevant Work Experience: Experience Level : 3 years
• Education: Bachelor's