Hazardous Materials Program Manager

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) collaborates with governmental and non-governmental partners to mitigate, plan, and prepare for emergencies; educate the public about preparedness; coordinate response and recovery efforts for emergencies and complex events; and develop tools and resources to support the City of Philadelphia's overall preparedness. All OEM personnel must be City residents within six months of hire and are required to serve periodically in an on-call capacity on field response teams. OEM staff also periodically work during non-business hours for extended periods of time, as needed in a field environment, and during activations of Philadelphia’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

The HazMat Program Manager is a full-time position within the Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office of Emergency Management (MDO-OEM). This position is responsible for improving the City of Philadelphia’s preparedness for hazardous materials-related events through coordination across industry, government, and the public. The HazMat Program Manager leads the City’s Tier II compliance program, facilitates the Philadelphia Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), coordinates hazardous materials planning and response activities, and serves as a subject-matter expert with OEM and external stakeholders.

Candidates should possess a strong desire to work in a team-oriented, fast-paced, flexible, and professional public service environment, and a willingness to serve the public in the sixth-largest city in the nation. The ideal candidate is self-motivated, solutions-oriented, easily adapts, has diverse project management experience, anticipates needs, and brings a robust set of soft skills including integrity, diplomacy, communication, and persuasion.

Requirements

• Completion of a Bachelor’s degree in emergency management, environmental science, public administration, or a related field. Relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in emergency management, hazardous materials regulation, environmental compliance, or a closely related field preferred.
• Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania within six months of hire.
• Successful completion of FEMA Independent Study courses (IS 100, 200, 700, and 800) within the first month of appointment.
• Candidates will have access to secure public safety information. All selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation as a condition of placement in this position.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with EPCRA, Tier II reporting, or LEPC administration.
• Familiarity with hazardous materials incident response operations.
• FEMA Professional Development Series or ICS certifications (IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, IS-800).
• Experience with grants management in a public-sector setting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee annual collection and review of Tier II chemical storage reports and Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) submitted by regulated facilities.
• Manage and maintain the Philadelphia Tier II Reporting Database, including report certification, plan cataloguing, and facility correspondence.
• Prepare and issue invoices; collect, deposit, and track facility fees; and follow up with delinquent or non-compliant facilities.
• Develop and implement a structure for processing downstream hazardous materials notifications and related records management.
• Supervise part-time Tier II Support Staff and interns supporting program operations
• Facilitate quarterly LEPC meetings in partnership with the committee co-chair, including agenda development, logistics, recordkeeping, and follow-up.
• Identify and coordinate ongoing training and presentation opportunities to support continuous member learning.
• Plan and organize an annual LEPC preparedness seminar engaging industry, government, and community stakeholders.
• Maintain and periodically update LEPC bylaws, policies, and standard operating procedures.
• Manage the LEPC information line and coordinate responses to public inquiries.
• Conduct annual updates to the City’s Hazardous Materials Response Plan, coordinating with the Philadelphia Fire Department HazMat Unit, PA DEP, EPA, USCG, and other partners.
• Maintain EPCRA §303 crosswalk documentation and ensure LEPC planning requirements are formally acknowledged and recorded.
• Facilitate joint hazardous materials planning activities, to include trainings and exercises, with regional, state, and federal agencies.
• Coordinate with PFD HMAU and other partners on the review and validation of facility-specific off-site emergency response plans.
• Develop and maintain other related plans, resources, and tools to support a robust hazardous materials planning portfolio.
• Provide technical assistance to regulated facilities, including individual support and group training opportunities.
• Support facility engagement with available technical assistance resources.
• Identify facilities with compliance needs and connect them to appropriate support services.
• Develop and disseminate in partnership with OEM’s community engagement program under the Community Right-to-Know framework, integrating chemical hazard-specific content into existing OEM outreach activities.
• Receive, catalogue, and track hazardous materials release notifications and NRC reports.
• Monitor hazardous materials incidents to identify best practices and areas for operational improvement.
• Conduct after-action reviews for significant events as directed by OEM leadership.
• Implement and maintain internal release follow-up tracking systems to support trend analysis and planning.
• Identify, apply for, and manage grants related to hazardous materials preparedness and LEPC activities.
• Track program deliverables, maintain required documentation, and prepare reports for grant compliance.
• Participate in Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activations, drills, and exercises.
• Represent OEM on inter-agency committees and working groups related to hazardous materials preparedness.
• All other duties as assigned.
• Other projects as assigned

Benefits

• Unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program.
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness program eligibility
• Tuition discounts and scholarships (10% to 40%)

What This Job Offers

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