Emergency Management Specialist (Planning)

Overview New Hanover County is seeking an Emergency Management Specialist to join a dedicated, high‑performing team committed to strengthening community preparedness and enhancing the County’s ability to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the impacts of natural and human‑caused disasters. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping build a safer, more resilient community. Responsibilities Assist in and facilitate the development, review, and modification of the County’s emergency plans and its annexes. Serve as primary project manager for internal and external training, development, and support of County exercises, and liaison to bring critical courses to NHC EOC. Serve as primary project manager for the County’s annual hurricane exercise, staff EOC training plans, training calendar, and associated job aids. Act as NHC EM liaison for external partner exercise planning and training support. Support development, updating, and tracking of NHC Emergency Management training presentations. Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with preparedness and response partners internally and externally to the County and with outside emergency management agencies. Serve as a critical team member under the Planning Section during County EOC activation. Attend and represent the department on various committees, work groups, and teams; cooperate with multi‑jurisdictional and stakeholder coordination efforts to determine appropriate courses of emergency action and ensure compliance with emergency management mandates. Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree in Emergency Management or related field and two (2) years of emergency management field and administrative work experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience sufficient to perform the essential duties. General knowledge and application of the Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS), including successful completion of IS 100.c, IS 200.c, IS 700.b and IS 800.d. Demonstrated knowledge of current emergency management planning methodology and theory, including hazard mitigation and recovery programming. Knowledge and understanding of the concepts of the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) in exercise planning. Project management experience with the ability to manage multiple projects effectively and to plan, manage, and direct multi‑disciplinary, multi‑agency projects in collaboration with agencies not under direct supervision. Proven interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; effective presentation and organizational skills. Ability to analyze, develop and implement policies, procedures, plans and legislative actions, and to plan and set objectives to achieve results. Proficiency in Microsoft Office products. Availability to work days, nights, weekends, and non‑routine work hours with little or no notice during emergency incidents, planned events, and other disaster situations; must be able to take rotating on‑call duties when not in disaster support mode. Ability to be in an after‑hours on‑call status rotation to filter emergency management calls and potential response to incidents. Preferred Qualifications Completion of the FEMA Emergency Management Basic Academy; holder of the Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) or Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) credential from the International Association of Emergency Managers preferred. Successful completion of ICS 300 and ICS 400 preferred. 3–5 years of experience designing training programs and/or building and conducting exercise programs. Special Requirements Must successfully pass a fingerprint‑based criminal history background check. Position requires on‑call duties, responsibilities, and may involve travel. Training and Certification Opportunities O‑305, Type 3 All‑Hazards Incident Management Team and the L962: All Hazards Position Specific Planning Section Chief (or comparable) courses when available. FEMA HSEEP course. Basic CPR certification. Hazardous Material Awareness level coursework. North Carolina Emergency Management Association Certification commensurate to experience. Driver’s License and Certifications Valid North Carolina Driver’s License required by first date of employment with a good driving record. May require Class A and B driver’s license within one year of hire. Must obtain within one year of hire: Adult, Child, and Infant CPR certification; Basic First Aid certification; completion of approved Hazardous Materials Awareness course, FEMA IS 236 Introduction to Deliberate Planning course, and Forklift certification. Hours 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Must be available to work during emergency situations. Salary Information The hiring range for this position is $56,351 –$76,074. Salary will be determined based on qualifications. Benefits Employer‑paid 401(k) contributions. Retirement plan through the NC Retirement system. Flex time and telework availability, depending on your position. Paid sick and personal leave plus 13 paid holidays per year. Paid parental leave. Paid community services leave. Education leave to obtain a degree within your line of work. Medical, dental, and vision insurance plus many other insurance options. On‑site, employer‑paid health and wellness center. Professional development trainings and leadership initiatives. Opportunities to make a difference in your community. #J-18808-Ljbffr