Emergency Preparedness Manager (Emergency Management Specialist III)

Fairfax County • Fairfax (Ej27), VA

12h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Fairfax County Department of Family Services (DFS) is seeking an Emergency Preparedness Manager to lead its emergency preparedness and response program. This role is crucial for ensuring the agency's mission of strengthening community well-being continues during crises, particularly those affecting basic safety and stability. The manager will oversee DFS's readiness for emergencies, focusing on Emergency Support Function (ESF) 6: Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services. This includes ensuring staff are trained and prepared to support family assistance centers and emergency shelters. The position reports to the Facilities Operations Manager and supervises an Emergency Management Specialist II.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in business administration, public safety, emergency management or related fields.
• Four years of professional work experience in emergency management or public safety.
• Valid driver's license.
• Certificates of Incident Command System (ICS) trainings 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, 800, and 2200 required within 12 months of appointment.
• Ability to input, access, and retrieve information from a computer.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to stand, stoop, bend, stretch, walk, climb, sit, kneel, crouch, reach, crawl, lift and handle materials with manual dexterity.
• Ability to travel to various locations throughout Fairfax County to provide coverage, attend meetings and trainings.
• Ability to use automated technology.
• Must be able to exchange accurate information orally and in writing.
• Must be able to operate motor vehicles.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in emergency management or related field.
• Advanced emergency management certifications (e.g., CEM, Virginia Professional Emergency Manager, FEMA Professional Development Series, or EMI coursework beyond required ICS).
• At least 5 years of full-time experience in emergency management with specific involvement in planning, training, and exercise design, preferably within a human services or social services context.
• At least 5 years of full-time experience in emergency management, disaster preparedness, or closely related work in a government or large organizational setting.
• At least 2 years of supervisory experience overseeing professional staff, contractors, or volunteers, including performance management and coaching.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams or workgroups in emergency management or human services settings.
• At least 3 years of full-time experience developing, implementing, and maintaining emergency operations plans, preferably including mass care, shelter operations, family assistance centers, and/or disaster feeding.
• Experience working with or providing support to vulnerable populations (e.g., children, older adults, individuals with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness).
• Bilingual in English and another language.

Responsibilities

• Builds and manages the preparedness program by developing, maintaining, and implementing DFS emergency plans, procedures, and playbooks aligned with federal, state, county, and departmental priorities.
• Coordinates readiness activities, including shelter planning and other ESF-6 responsibilities.
• Sets program goals, monitors progress, and represents DFS on relevant emergency management committees and workgroups.
• Leads trainings and exercises by designing and delivering emergency preparedness, response, and recovery trainings for DFS staff, with a strong focus on ESF-6 roles.
• Plans and coordinates tabletop, functional, and full-scale exercises, ensuring all activities follow NIMS/ICS and county standards and integrate adult learning principles.
• Evaluates and improves readiness by analyzing data and feedback from trainings, exercises, and real incidents.
• Develops after-action reports and improvement plans.
• Tracks key performance indicators and recommends updates to plans, training, and procedures.
• Leads during emergencies by supporting professional staff, contractors, and volunteers working on preparedness activities.
• Serves as a subject matter expert for DFS leadership and staff during incidents.
• Helps coordinate shelter operations and other mass care functions in line with county objectives.
• Participates in drills and activations and recommends changes based on lessons learned.
• Serves on the DFS Emergency On-Call Phone Team in two-week rotations, responding 24/7 to emergency issues involving mass care, emergency assistance, housing, and human services.
• Maintains a valid driver's license and remains within 90 minutes' travel distance to Fairfax County while on call.

Benefits

• Telework up to 60% of the weekly working schedule (maximum of 3 days a week remote work and at least 2 days a week in the office).
• Salary offer will not exceed the mid-point of the salary range $110,679.92 (Annual rate).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level