JACKSON COUNTY, GEORGIA
CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION
EMERGENCY PLANNING & PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM COORDINATOR
PURPOSE OF CLASSIFICATION
The purpose of this classification is to coordinate, administer, and continuously improve Jackson County's emergency planning, preparedness, continuity, mitigation, training, exercise, public warning, and emergency notification programs. The Emergency Planning & Preparedness Program Coordinator is responsible for managing countywide preparedness initiatives through collaboration with County departments, municipalities, public safety agencies, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, volunteer organizations, private-sector partners, and regional stakeholders.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.
Serves as the department's lead program manager for emergency planning and preparedness, to include:
- Coordinating, developing, maintaining, and implementing county plans including the Jackson County Local Emergency Operations Plan (LEOP), Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), Debris Management Plan, and Hazard Mitigation Plan;
- Coordinating annual reviews and revisions of emergency plans, annexes, appendices, and supporting procedures;
- Developing planning guidance for County departments and offices;
- Coordinating emergency planning activities with municipalities, constitutional officers, and partner agencies;
- Ensuring emergency plans remain compliant with GEMA/HS, FEMA, NIMS, ICS, and applicable state and federal guidance;
- Coordinating implementation of planning improvements identified through exercises and incidents;
- Coordinating countywide preparedness initiatives;
- Developing annual preparedness work plans and implementation schedules;
- Tracking preparedness performance measures and capability improvements;
- Coordinating planning meetings and preparedness committees;
- Identifying capability gaps and recommending corrective actions;
- Assisting with strategic preparedness initiatives assigned by the EMA Director;
- Coordinating disaster recovery planning initiatives;
- Coordinating recovery planning with internal and external stakeholders; and,
- Supporting post-disaster recovery operations and documentation.
Coordinates grants and special project initiatives and processes, including:
- Researching emergency management grant opportunities;
- Assisting with grant application development;
- Coordinating grant implementation;
- Monitoring milestones and reporting requirements;
- Maintaining related documentation; and,
- Assisting with grant closeout activities.
Coordinates and oversees various training functions and exercises, including:
- Assisting with development and execution of training and exercises that comply with established standard, State-mandated requirements, etc.;
- Coordinating After-Action Reports and Improvement Plans;
- Tracking corrective actions resulting from exercises and incidents; and,
- Coordinating emergency preparedness workshops and seminars.
Coordinates the recruitment, onboarding, training, credentialing, and retention of Emergency Management volunteers, including:
- Maintaining volunteer records, qualifications, certifications, contact information, and deployment rosters;
- Coordinating volunteer participation in emergency response, disaster recovery, planned events, exercises, and community outreach activities;
- Developing volunteer policies, procedures, and standard operating guidelines;
- Coordinating Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), shelter support, disaster volunteer, and other preparedness volunteer initiatives as assigned;
- Collaborating with volunteer organizations active in disasters (VOAD), the American Red Cross, faith-based organizations, community organizations, and other partners to strengthen county preparedness capabilities; and,
- Coordinating volunteer recognition, continuing education, and preparedness engagement activities.
Serves as the department's program coordinator for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), including:
- Maintaining IPAWS permissions, user accounts, templates, and operational procedures;
- Coordinating IPAWS training and proficiency requirements;
- Developing and maintaining public warning policies and activation guidelines;
- Coordinating monthly testing and annual maintenance of the County's outdoor warning siren system;
- Maintaining warning siren inventory, documentation, testing records, and site information;
- Coordinating siren maintenance and repair activities with contractors and the Radio Systems Coordinator;
- Assisting with planning for future warning siren expansion and modernization projects;
- Coordinating emergency notification planning using IPAWS, outdoor warning sirens, text notification platforms, and other public alerting systems; and,
- Developing public education materials regarding warning systems and emergency alerts.
Serves in an Emergency Operations Center leadership role, including:
- Supporting planning section operations during activations;
- Coordinating situation reports, documentation, and recovery planning activities; and,
- Assisting with resource coordination during emergency operations.
Prepares reports, recommendations, and presentations for the EMA Director.
Represents Jackson County EMA at planning meetings, preparedness committees, and regional working groups.
Coordinates assigned consultant projects.
ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS
Performs other related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of emergency management principles, planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.
Knowledge of NIMS, ICS, FEMA, GEMA/HS, HSEEP, and applicable state and federal regulations.
Knowledge of COOP, hazard mitigation, grants, resource management, public warning systems, and volunteer programs.
Skill in developing emergency plans, policies, and procedures.
Skill in project management, technical writing, grant administration, and program coordination.
Skill in conducting training, exercises, and after-action improvement planning.
Skill in researching, analyzing, and preparing reports and presentations.
Skill in coordinating with government agencies, stakeholders, and community partners.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively and analyze problems and develop practical solutions.
Ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing, and build effective working relationships with internal and external partners.
Ability to work independently and perform effectively during emergency operations.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management, Public Administration, Homeland Security, Planning, Public Safety, or a related field; and a minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in emergency management, emergency planning, disaster preparedness or related field; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the position. Must possess, maintain, and/or obtain required certifications as deemed necessary by the EMA Director. Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license with appropriate endorsement. Must obtain and maintain a Georgia Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) certification within 24 months of employment.
PERFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Experience developing county-wide preparedness and/or response plans.
Experience coordinating HSEEP-compliant exercises.
Experience administering IPAWS or emergency notification systems.
Experience working in local government emergency management.
Experience managing multidisciplinary projects and stakeholder collaboration.
Experience coordinating volunteers or community preparedness programs.
PERFORMANCE APTITUDES
Data Utilization: Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.
Human Interaction: Requires the ability to exchange information, coordinate activities, facilitate discussions, provide technical guidance, and influence the actions of others to accomplish program objectives. Requires the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, elected officials, government agencies, community organizations, contractors, volunteers, and the general public.
Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to start, stop, operate and monitor the functioning of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; prepare reports, plans, presentations, and correspondence; conduct meetings and training; and explain technical emergency management concepts to a variety of audiences.
Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.
Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.
Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.
ADA COMPLIANCE
Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert very moderate physical effort in light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (12-20 pounds). Emergency response tasks may require the regular and sustained performance of moderately physically demanding work, typically involving some combination of climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and that generally involves lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (20-50 pounds).
Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, depth, texture, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.
Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions. Emergency response tasks may require exposure to such environmental conditions as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, toxic agents, violence, disease, or pathogenic substances.
Jackson County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
