Emergency Management Specialist

The City of Lynchburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Lynchburg is seeking a highly organized and experienced Emergency Management Specialist to support the administration and coordination of the City’s comprehensive emergency management program. This professional position assists the Emergency Management Coordinator (Fire Chief) in planning, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities across City departments and partner agencies.

This role is responsible for coordinating emergency management initiatives, maintaining operational readiness of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), administering grants and planning programs, and supporting policy-level coordination during emergencies and planned events. The position requires strong leadership, interagency coordination, and program management skills and may require working nights, weekends, and holidays during emergencies or major events.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Assist the Emergency Management Coordinator in developing, implementing, and evaluating the City’s emergency management programs, including preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation initiatives.
• Coordinate Emergency Operations Center (EOC) planning, activation, staffing coordination, and operational readiness to ensure systems, procedures, and facilities remain fully functional.
• Maintain and update emergency operations plans, hazard mitigation plans, continuity of operations plans (COOP), and supporting operational procedures.
• Coordinate interdepartmental emergency planning initiatives and support departments in integrating preparedness and continuity planning into routine operations.
• Manage and administer emergency management grants, including application development, compliance tracking, reporting, and financial documentation.
• Oversee emergency management information systems (e.g., WebEOC and Crisis Track) and ensure accurate documentation, reporting, and information sharing during incidents.
• Coordinate emergency preparedness training, exercises, and After-Action Reviews to improve operational readiness and capability development.
• Serve as liaison with regional, state, federal, and private-sector partners to support coordinated planning and incident response.
• Prepare briefings, reports, and planning documents for City leadership related to emergency preparedness, operational readiness, and disaster response activities.
• Provide operational coordination support during incidents, planned events, and emergency activations, including resource coordination and situational awareness activities.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Provide supervisory oversight for assigned emergency management staff and coordinate program work priorities as delegated by the Emergency Management Coordinator.
• Represent the City on regional committees, working groups, and multi-agency planning initiatives.
• Conduct community preparedness outreach and support Whole Community resilience initiatives.
• Other duties to provide direct or indirect services to the citizens may be assigned.
• When unusual situations occur and/or the City Manager declares a State of Emergency, all City employees may be required to accept special assignments and perform as needed to ensure appropriate service delivery.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position provides programmatic and project-level supervision for assigned emergency management staff and coordinates cross-departmental emergency planning activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Coursework in Emergency Management, Public Administration, Homeland Security, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local emergency management regulations.
• The preferred candidate will possess:
  1. Some experience in emergency management, public safety, or a related field
  2. Certification in emergency management (e.g., FEMA, NIMS, or IAEM certifications)

Depending on work assignment, may be required to perform a variety of duties in support of operational requirements and direct citizen service delivery such as acting as a back-up to other staff and response to weather-related and other emergencies. May be required to work outside of normal work hours, to report to work during inclement or unusual weather or other conditions or to respond in other abnormal situations.

• Must successfully complete IS100 and IS700 National Incident Management (NIMS) training within 90 days of employment. May also be required to complete higher levels of NIMS training as determined appropriate for the position.
• Relevant background checks must be satisfactorily completed.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and apply findings to program development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate with various stakeholders.
• Familiarity with emergency management principles, financial administration, and program evaluation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and data analysis tools.
• Ability to remain calm and organized in high-pressure situations.