Director, Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response

Job Title

About The Work Unit:

The Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response (OEPR) develops, coordinates and leads the statewide public health emergency response system. The Office ensures the relevant planning, training, education and exercises occur, in alignment with deliverables in federal emergency response grants, and to assure effective responses to, and recovery from, disease outbreaks and pandemics, environmental spills and disasters, coordination of patient evacuation and movement during disasters and facility closures, disruptions to internal operations due to technology or facility failures, and other types of events and emergencies. The Office also manages grant programs for local public health agencies and other system partners.

The Office regularly evaluates the system and internal processes for effectiveness, incorporating improvements. The Office assures the Department can fulfill National Emergency Support Function #8 (public health, medical services, mortuary services, and behavioral health) during state emergency declarations, and supports Emergency Response Function #10 (hazardous materials), using the National Incident Management System as a framework. The Office facilitates the implementation of response plans and protocols internal to CDPHE, coordinating with public health and environmental divisions, and the Department's senior executive team. The Office ensures that emergency responses are effective through planning, training and exercises, and establishing clear communication channels, standard operating procedures, ensuring an effective logistics function, and developing redundant systems.

What You Will Be Doing:

This position serves as the leader of CDPHE's emergency preparedness and response function for the Department.

The position ensures a successful operational system for public health emergency preparedness and response, both internal to the agency and across the state's public health system, providing vision and leadership. The position facilitates the priorities of Department leadership and works in collaboration with local public health agencies, the Governor's Office and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, inside the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The position oversees the Office, including federal grant programs, a budget of $15 million and approximately 32 FTE. The position is a skilled manager, successfully hiring for technical expertise and experience, ensuring staff performance, and developing a functional organizational and operational structure.

The position facilitates and provides oversight for the development and execution of emergency preparedness and response plans, systems, programs, and functions; ensuring that grant deliverables are met and that CDPHE can successfully coordinate and respond to any public health or environmental emergency. The position may serve in key incident management roles, such as incident commander, or supervise the incident commander during public health events, ensuring a successful response. The position exercises good judgement in keeping department leadership in the loop at the onset of events and emergencies, and assures the Department's approval processes are followed. The position also seeks leadership direction and input on major organizational or system changes to ensure alignment. The position is a key consultant to the Department's Executive Director, the Department of Public Safety, and the Governor's Office and may brief and advise the Governor during large and complex public health emergencies.