Lead Specialist, Ops Resilience & Crisis Mgmt

Virgin Galactic•Tustin, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

We seek a Lead Specialist, Operational Resilience & Crisis Management to ensure mission and workplace readiness through emergency response, crisis management, and resilience program execution. This role is critical for supporting real-time operations, managing the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and driving continuous improvement. You will serve as the primary executor for program delivery, emergency coordination, training, exercises, and post-incident analysis. You will lead operational resilience initiatives that safeguard flight missions and enterprise operations.

Requirements

8+ years in resilience operations, business continuity, crisis/incident management, emergency management, risk management, workforce preparedness/training (aerospace/aviation preferred).
Proven experience leading drills, delivering training, managing EOC activations/staffing, developing response procedures, conducting risk assessments, coordinating crisis response, building preparedness culture, and writing after-action reports.
Knowledge of FAA Part 450, ICS/NIMS, ISO 22301, 22361, 22336, BIAs/BCPs, business continuity and enterprise risk frameworks.
Proficient in Microsoft Office/SharePoint, resilience platforms, mass notification systems, data visualization, and risk registers.
Strong analytical, facilitation, and communication skills; calm under pressure.
Adaptable, collaborative, detail-oriented; committed to safety culture.

Nice To Haves

CEM
CBCP
ICS/NIMS
bachelor’s in related field
flight/mission support experience

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain alternate response procedures for flight emergencies, including in-flight anomalies, ground emergencies, and mission abort scenarios. Ensure alignment with FAA regulations and Virgin Galactic’s Safety Management System.
Support live flight emergency response by monitoring situations, activating protocols, and providing accurate data to the Crisis Management Team. Lead and manage emergency activations, ensuring timely decision-making and resource allocation for flight and non-flight related emergencies impacting teammates, assets and facilities.
Staff and oversee EOC positions during activations. Assign roles, establish operational rhythms, track resources, maintain logs, produce situation reports, and manage documentation and EOC processes.
Design, coordinate, and lead a variety of exercises, including tabletop simulations, drills, and full-scale scenarios. Develop and deliver training programs on emergency protocols, flight response procedures, and employee awareness. Track participation and evaluate effectiveness.
Lead after-action reviews by compiling data, facilitating debriefs, identifying root causes, and recommending improvements to plans, training, and EOC processes.
Identify emerging threats and hazards. Conduct risk assessments, update risk registers, and propose mitigation strategies. Maintain Business Impact Analyses (BIAs) and Business Continuity Plans (BCPs).
Analyze resilience metrics, including maturity scores, recovery time objectives (RTO), recovery point objectives (RPO), and risk trends. Develop dashboards and reports for leadership visibility.
Ensure adherence to FAA mishap reporting requirements and integrate emergency management activities with industry standards (ISO 22301). Research and apply best practices to continuously improve resilience programs.
Facilitate cross-training and collaboration with internal teams and external partners. Manage alert/warning systems and risk intelligence tools to maintain situational awareness.
Develop workforce preparedness programs and facility drills. Build preparedness culture through awareness campaigns, leadership briefings, recognition to embed resilience behaviors and accountability. Assess readiness through surveys, discussions, feedback to strengthen employee confidence and preparedness.