EMS Director

Effingham County Board of Commissioners•Springfield, MO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The EMS Director provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and administrative oversight for Effingham County Emergency Medical Services. The Director is responsible for departmental operations, emergency preparedness, clinical-service quality, personnel administration, budgeting, regulatory compliance, fleet and equipment readiness, and coordination with County leadership and community partners. Management of the department is the position's primary duty. The Director may provide paramedic-level emergency care or operate an emergency vehicle during major incidents or other exceptional operational needs, but does not routinely serve as minimum shift staffing.

Requirements

Advanced knowledge of EMS system administration, emergency medical operations, incident command, emergency preparedness, dispatch and communications, and interagency coordination.
Working knowledge of Georgia EMS licensing and operational requirements, approved scopes of practice, clinical protocols, controlled medication accountability, patient-care documentation, and quality-improvement principles.
Knowledge of public-sector leadership, budgeting, procurement, personnel administration, records management, risk management, and policy development.
Ability to lead a complex, continuous public-safety operation; set priorities; delegate effectively; evaluate performance; resolve conflict; and make timely decisions under emergency conditions.
Ability to analyze clinical, operational, financial, and workforce data and translate findings into practical improvements and clear reports.
Ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written English when necessary for emergency communication, radio traffic, patient-care documentation, regulatory reporting, public presentations, and supervisory responsibilities.
Ability to establish cooperative working relationships with employees, patients, families, public officials, hospitals, partner agencies, vendors, and members of the public.
Ability to use or rapidly learn electronic patient-care reporting systems, GEMSIS, Biospatial, timekeeping, scheduling, office productivity, and other assigned systems.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in emergency medical services, healthcare administration, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field; and Five years of progressively responsible EMS experience, including at least three years of supervisory or management experience in an emergency medical services or comparable public-safety operation; or An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Current, active, and unrestricted Georgia Paramedic license, or other authorization that permits paramedic practice in Georgia, maintained throughout employment.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) credentials, maintained throughout employment.
Valid driver's license and ability to satisfy County requirements for operation of County vehicles.
Must obtain and maintain any additional credential legally required for assigned duties or required by approved clinical protocols.

Nice To Haves

Experience directing or providing senior management oversight for a governmental EMS system of comparable size and complexity.
Advanced education or professional development in public administration, healthcare administration, emergency management, or executive leadership.
Experience with EMS budgeting, accreditation, grants, quality improvement, fleet planning, and data analytics.

Responsibilities

Plans, directs, and evaluates all administrative and operational functions of the Emergency Medical Services Department in alignment with County goals, adopted budgets, and applicable federal and Georgia requirements.
Develops and implements short- and long-term departmental goals, performance measures, continuity plans, standard operating guidelines, and administrative procedures.
Exercises departmental authority within the scope delegated by the County Manager and in accordance with County personnel, finance, procurement, records, and risk-management requirements.
Maintains effective working relationships with County leadership, elected officials, other departments, hospitals, dispatch and public-safety agencies, regional EMS partners, educational institutions, and community organizations.
Represents the department at meetings, conferences, advisory committees, public presentations, and other official functions; coordinates public or media communications through authorized County procedures.
Leads, supervises, assigns, and evaluates administrative, clinical, and supervisory staff; establishes clear performance expectations and promotes professional, ethical, and patient-centered service.
Participates in recruitment, selection, onboarding, scheduling, coaching, performance management, corrective action, and disciplinary processes in coordination with Human Resource Services and within delegated authority.
Reviews staffing levels, schedules, time records, overtime, leave use, and workforce deployment to maintain service coverage and responsible use of public funds.
Ensures required employee licenses, credentials, continuing education, competencies, and training records are current and appropriately documented.
Oversees students and volunteers only under approved agreements, County policies, applicable wage-and-hour requirements, and Georgia EMS rules.
Ensures departmental compliance with Georgia Department of Public Health EMS requirements, applicable laws and regulations, approved clinical protocols, licensing standards, reporting obligations, and County policies.
Coordinates with the designated physician Medical Director regarding clinical protocols, scope of practice, medical oversight, quality improvement, credentialing, and patient-care standards.
Maintains authorized administrative access to GEMSIS, Biospatial, electronic patient-care reporting systems, and other operational platforms to monitor performance, evaluate documentation, identify trends, and prepare analytical reports.
Directs quality-assurance and quality-improvement activities, documentation audits, complaint investigations, corrective actions, and follow-up while protecting patient, employee, and confidential operational information.
Safeguards protected health information and other confidential records in accordance with HIPAA, Georgia law, County policy, retention requirements, and system-access controls.
Ensures continuous EMS readiness, appropriate unit deployment, mutual-aid coordination, and effective response to routine emergencies, mass-casualty incidents, disasters, severe weather, and other community threats.
Responds to major incidents and other emergencies as required to provide departmental command, interagency coordination, operational support, and executive decision-making.
When operationally necessary and legally authorized, drives an ambulance or provides Basic or Advanced Life Support within the individual's active licensure, approved protocols, and medical direction.
Maintains availability through an established on-call or emergency-notification process and responds within expectations established by the County Manager or departmental policy.
Conducts or assigns inspections of stations, work sites, ambulances, medical equipment, communications equipment, medications, and supplies to verify readiness and regulatory compliance.
Develops, presents, administers, and monitors the departmental budget; reviews expenditures, revenues, billing coordination, grants, contracts, and purchasing needs in accordance with County procedures.
Plans for the acquisition, replacement, maintenance, and safe operation of ambulances, medical equipment, technology, facilities, and other departmental assets.
Evaluates operational, clinical, staffing, response-time, financial, and service-delivery data; identifies trends and recommends evidence-based improvements.
Prepares and maintains accurate reports, correspondence, records, plans, and other documentation required by the County, regulatory agencies, auditors, and operational partners.
Receives, investigates, and responds to public and departmental complaints through fair, documented, and confidential processes.
Provides assistance to other departments and public-safety partners during emergencies or significant County operations.
Performs other related duties consistent with the purpose and level of the classification.