Emergency Management Advisor

The Role

Develops and implements emergency management plans and protocols, including emergency social services and business continuity, as part of emergency management programs for Waterloo Region. Coordinates and conducts risk assessments, liaises with stakeholders and ensures the regional government and its emergency operations facilities are in continuous state of readiness. Coordinates emergency readiness with area municipalities. Acts as a designated Community Emergency Management Coordinator in the event/prevention of an emergency.
 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Develops, coordinates, and administers emergency management and business continuity emergency plans and protocols for Waterloo Region, including “all hazard” and “hazard-specific” community emergency plans, and coordinates same with area municipalities, emergency services, and volunteer organizations. Updates and maintains plans and procedures for management approval, and ensures compliance with legislation. Provides input into Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management’s annual compliance submission.  
• Ensures regional government and its emergency operations facilities are in a continuous state of readiness in the event of a municipal emergency through ongoing planning, training, exercise, testing, and awareness initiatives.
• Acts as project team lead for emergency management projects/studies. Coordinates activities of multi-discipline groups/stakeholders (e.g., consultants, area municipalities, corporate staff, emergency services).
• Coordinates and conducts hazard analyses and risk assessments with internal/external stakeholders (e.g., corporate staff, area municipalities, emergency services), to determine mitigation and preparedness priorities for key public safety and public services in Waterloo Region. 
• Plans and coordinates resource requirements as part of a coordinated emergency response (e.g., personnel, procedures, materials, facilities). Provides ongoing program evaluation to management. 
• Implements business continuity planning initiatives for the Region (e.g., implements and facilitates building emergency response planning and crisis management). 
• Acts as a designated Community Emergency Management Coordinator in the event/in prevention of an emergency. Facilitates emergency response; assesses current and potential issues, and provides guidance and acts as a resource to regional emergency control group and other senior leaders regarding emergency issues.
• Provides program/policy/by-law recommendations to management. Assists with reports to Council and CAO.
• Liaises with municipal, provincial, and non-governmental stakeholders. Participates with Office of the Fire Marshall and Emergency Management to establish guidelines, best practices, and a provincial framework for community emergency management programs.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Assesses corporate training needs. Develops training courses, workshops, and seminars for staff and elected officials jointly with emergency services and community organizations. Facilitates training at other organizations.
• Organizes and conducts emergency management exercises with Regional staff. Involves area municipal staff, emergency services, volunteer groups, and other agencies as required to ensure effective implementation of emergency plans. Coordinates debriefs with participants and creates action reports for emergency exercises and real events.
• Prepares and distributes public education/information on emergency preparedness. Conducts public education programs for same.
• Maintains emergency event management software, and related databases. Acts as a system administrator for the training registration system, and maintains the Waterloo Region emergency management website.
• Provides support to internal/external committees (e.g., prepares agendas, sets up meetings, distributes minutes, reports recommendations and activities).  
• Provides input into program budget. Maintains an inventory of supplies and resources for emergency operations centres, with signing authority.  Provides advice and guidance for applying government disaster relief funding.  
• Coordinates and maintains the Emergency Social Services Program, and provides advice and guidance as an Emergency Social Services Coordinator. Negotiates, prepares, and maintains memoranda of understanding with partners who have roles in providing emergency social services.
• Maintains information on municipal facilities that can be used as reception centres during emergencies, including current surveys. 
• Attends workshops, meetings, and conferences to keep knowledge current
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of emergency management legislation and principles, municipal government, management legislation, related provincial Ministries, and emergency services (Police, Fire, Paramedic), normally acquired through post secondary education in emergency management or a related discipline, plus progressively responsible experience applying principles and techniques related to emergency management, business continuity, and emergency social services.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, related by-laws, and legislation (e.g., emergency management and civil protection).
• Demonstrated experience in developing, preparing and implementing effective emergency response plans, procedures and documentation.  Demonstrated experience applying the concepts, principles and strategies related to the incident management system.  Previous experience in developing and conducting emergency response exercises.  
• Analytical, research, organizational, and continuous improvement skills to develop plans; coordinate and prioritize resources and activities; survey and analyze potential hazards and recommend modifications; facilitate an emergency response; research, gather, and organize information; design and run exercises; and exercise judgment and discretion in dealing with confidential and potentially controversial information.
• Human relations, leadership, negotiation, and political acuity skills to build plans to support, protect, and work within an integrated two-tier emergency management system, and collaborate to ensure continuity of roles, protocols, and structures; motivate key stakeholders in achieving program objectives; ensure cooperation and effective development and implementation of emergency plans; prepare and conduct presentations and training to emergency service organizations, volunteer groups, Councilors, senior staff, and area municipal staff; communicate with varied audiences; and participate as an effective team member. 

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to read and interpret correspondence, emergency plans, policies and procedures, training manuals, technical documents, contracts, and reports. Ability to write emergency plans and technical reports, letters, budget justifications, work plans, policies and procedures, training manuals, and exercises.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office, and emergency response and training registration systems.
• Ability to participate in an official standby/on-call rotation to respond to legislated or time sensitive demands beyond regularly scheduled work hours.
• Ability to travel within and outside Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.