Somerset County - E.M.A. Director

Start Date: June 11, 2024 | End Date: December 30, 2024
County: Somerset County
Job Type: Other

COUNTY OF SOMERSET

Job Description

Job Title: EMA Director

Department: Emergency Management                   

Reports To: County Administrator, MEMA (for select operational issues, SERC (LEPC issues)

Total Hours: Full Time - 40 hours

Salary:  $44-46 per hour

FLSA Status: Exempt

Date Approved/Reviewed: May 22, 2024

POSITION SUMMARY:

The EMA Director is responsible for primary County-level coordination of all-hazards emergency management in Somerset County. This includes prevention of, preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating against natural, man-made or technological threats or emergences. The EMA Director acts as the County’s representative on all EMA matters and coordinates activities of the County EMA with other federal, state, county and local agencies having EMA responsibilities. The EMA program is a part of the Federal and State EMA networks. The EMA Director serves as Somerset County LEPC Coordinator and may hold elected office in that committee.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Maintains effective liaison on EMA activities with a wide variety of federal, state, local, private-sector and non-governmental agencies, entities, and organizations.
2. Sets strategic Emergency Management vision for the County; sets and implements goals for the Department.
3. Prepares and presents departmental budget in accordance with the County Charter.
4. Attends periodic County Commissioner’s meeting to update them on the events within the EMA Department.
5. Develops and implements County-level training and exercise strategies across all levels of government and with private-sector and NGO’s, as well as, maintain and train for the County’s Hazard Communications Plan.
6. Informs emergency responders, elected and appointed officials and general population in matters pertaining to emergency management.
7. Coordinates and supports multi-jurisdictional responses to disasters, emergencies or incidents; when designated by agency administrator, directs and coordinates efforts across multiple jurisdictions or counties.
8. Coordinate emergency planning efforts along with multi-jurisdictional/multi-agency grant development, submission and execution; primary federal preparedness grant writer.
9. Serves as Emergency Operations Center Manager for Somerset County EOC; develops procedures and working guidelines; serves as Public Information Officer as needed; liaises with critical infrastructure service providers.
10. Provides support for NIMS/ICS, HAZMAT Awareness and Operations Level and other courses supporting county, regional and state responder agencies.
11. Develops and administers capital acquisition projects to support County resource needs.
12. Assists local schools, hospital, long-term care facilities and other critical infrastructure/key resource locations with security, crisis or emergency planning, training and exercises.
13. Recruits, organizes, trains, equips and supports volunteer response teams to meet federal and state standards/mission capabilities.
14. Works in cooperation with federal, state, and other county emergency managers in delivery of programs to partner agencies in own and adjacent jurisdictions.
15. Maintains primary National Incident Management System compliance account for county and constituent jurisdictions; conducts periodic audits of local-level sub-accounts.
16. Uses general office equipment, specialized response vehicles, various communication radios, computers, specialized computer software, specialized presentation equipment, modem, fax machine, and NAWAS unit Community Emergency Notification System.
17. Performs the usual duties of a department manager, including interviewing, hiring, scheduling, training, supervising and evaluating assigned County employees, resolving employee issues, and ensuring compliance with the Personnel Policy Handbook.
18. Performs all other duties as assigned or required.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Be committed to the mission of the County.
2. Work as a member of the EMA team in the performance of duties.
3. Be flexible with working hours dependent on requirements outside the normal office hours.
4. Work in harmonious relationships with all county staff and community.
5. Perform duties in a conscientious, cooperative manner.
6. Be neat and maintain a professional appearance.
7. Possess a valid Maine Driver’s license.
8. Understand and work within Somerset County Government Policies and Procedures.
9. Accept shared responsibility with staff members to successfully complete assigned projects.
10. Maintain confidentiality. Exercise sound judgment and discretion when dealing with sensitive or other statutorily protected information encountered during course of work.
11. Timely dissemination of information in an emergency/disaster, as well as recording information on damages incurred by an emergency/disaster.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by the Incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and stand (at times for prolonged periods) and talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb, crouch, crawl, bend, stoop, push/pull/drag objects, and use hands repetitively to operate a standard computer keyboard. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

When responding to an emergency in the field, work may be strenuous and dangerous.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those the incumbent encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Departmental location as assigned.

Most work is performed under general office conditions, with a quiet noise level.  Work involves some time spent in the field attending various meetings, training courses, and in developing and participating in training exercises.

Response and operational support fieldwork in emergency situations may be hazardous, or under austere conditions and may expose the employee to a wide variety of known or potentially hazardous conditions, atmospheres or substances, from floods to hazardous materials and chemicals. Must have no unmanageable fear of transportation on watercraft or in aircraft (fixed or rotary wing).

The EMA Director is on-call 24/7 when not on vacation, and is responsible for assisting 27 Towns and 6 Plantations with EMA activities, planning, training and exercising. This position is considered "essential" and the employee may be required to stay late or be called in during emergency situations.  The EMA Director may also be called upon to assist or replace a county-level EMA director in at another County in the event of their inundation, absence or incapacitation. The EMA Director may also be involved with Emergency Operation Center (EOC) matters in times of emergencies which do not involve Somerset County.  This is through a variety of state wide, interstate and International agreements, and state statute.

QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED FOR POSITION:

Experience and Skill Requirements:  The following experience and skills are considered essential:

• Four to five years of prior related experience in Emergency Management at the Local/County/State level; progressively responsible experience in public administration, public safety, or other closely-related fields.
• Must exercise good judgment in evaluation of situations and making decisions and be able to communicate with people at all levels.
• Initiative, imagination and considerable knowledge of the methods of organization, planning, management and supervision are essential.
• Must have the ability to work with a high degree of independence.
• Must be familiar with the structure, functions, and interrelationships of federal, state, county and local governments, as well as their backgrounds and objectives.
• Must possess the ability to deal effectively with state, county and local government officials.
• Employee must be able to maintain strict confidentiality of any and all material and information requiring such protection.
• Functional office experience and effective use of common office productivity applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.  
• Knowledge and experience with WebEOC, CAMEO/ALOHA, Arc-GIS and other specialized software desired.
• Experience as licensed FCC Amateur Radio operator at Technician rating or higher is desirable.
• Possess working knowledge of County Government.
• Experience with EMPG, HSGP, OSG, and Hazard Mitigation grants.

Education Requirements:  The following education requirements are considered essential.

• High School diploma or equivalent. Further education in related fields is preferable but not required.
• Significant formal training in planning, administration and training is desired.
• Completion of National Incident Management System (NIMS) coursework provided by the federal government as required by current state standards.
• Certified Emergency Manager (Basic, Maine or IAEM) is desired.
• Must be eligible for security clearance.
• AVOC or EVOC training documentation required or must be completed within six months of hire.
• Must hold a valid Class C or higher Maine Motor Vehicle Operators License with no major infractions. 

** All requirements and skills are considered to be essential, unless otherwise indicated. **

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

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                        Employee Signature                                                                            Date