VP, Chief of Emergency Management

Providence•Renton, WA

About The Position

Serves as the enterprise-wide executive accountable for all emergency management and crisis management functions across Providence Health & Services. Sets vision, strategy, and governance for the System’s end-to-end emergency preparedness, response, and recovery capability. Partners at the executive level to ensure organizational resilience is embedded in enterprise risk, operations, and capital strategy. This executive will bring a distinguished record leading large-scale emergency and crisis operations and will serve as the System’s senior authority on threat preparedness, regulatory compliance, and cross-functional incident command. Accountable for establishing and operationalizing the System-wide “Manage the Work / Manage the Crisis” operating model, ensuring clear leadership transitions between steady-state operations and crisis response. Integrates Business Continuity, Clinical Continuity, and Technical Response capabilities into a unified enterprise framework aligned with cybersecurity, operations, and service continuity strategies. Leads a multi-year transformation of the Emergency Management and resilience program, including enterprise-wide standardization, technology enablement (e.g., ServiceNow), and capability maturity across all regions and ministries. Scope includes enterprise-wide Emergency Management, Business & Clinical Continuity, and Technical Response capabilities across all regions, ministries, and care delivery settings. This individual will bring extensive experience in emergency and disaster operations to the strategic oversight and daily function at the system level for Providence Shared Service.

Requirements

10 years of progressive leadership in emergency management, crisis management, or clinical operations, with demonstrated experience leading large-scale enterprise transformation or operating model redesign initiatives, including a minimum of 5 years in a senior director or VP-level role with enterprise-wide accountability.
10 years of healthcare or health system executive leadership experience, with demonstrable responsibility for patient safety and operational continuity during large-scale events (preferred)
Executive-level experience in a large, complex healthcare system or multi-site regulated industry strongly preferred
Track record operating across multiple states, regulatory jurisdictions, and diverse geographies at enterprise scale is strongly advantageous
Proven ability to design and implement enterprise operating models, including defining governance, decision rights, and accountability in complex, matrixed organizations
Demonstrated executive leadership at the VP level or above, with a track record of leading complex, matrixed organizations through high-stakes emergencies and sustained organizational change
Executive-level change leadership capability; skilled at driving enterprise-wide transformation across diverse geographies, cultures, and organizational structures
Deep expertise in enterprise risk management, business continuity, and performance improvement frameworks applied at health system scale
Effective analytical abilities in order to develop and analyze options, recommend solutions and solve complex problems and issues
Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale, multi-year transformation programs involving cross-functional stakeholders, external partners, and technology enablement
Highly effective at leading without direct authority; recognized for driving alignment and commitment across C-suite peers, regional executives, and external partners
Demonstrated ability to protect patient safety, caregiver welfare, and operational continuity under crisis conditions at enterprise scale
Executive-level risk acuity; ability to translate complex threat environments into Board-ready risk narratives and actionable mitigation strategies
Exceptional strategic planning and portfolio management skills with the ability to orchestrate complex, multi-year preparedness investments across a large, distributed health system
Recognized as a senior leader who develops other leaders, builds high-performing teams, and sustains organizational capability during prolonged crisis events
Decisive executive judgment under pressure; able to make consequential, time-sensitive decisions with incomplete information and clear accountability
Executive presence and credibility with diverse stakeholders including governing boards, federal agencies (FEMA, HHS, CDC), state emergency management offices, healthcare coalitions, and community leadership; skilled at communicating risk and resilience posture to non-technical audiences
Exceptional executive communication skills; experienced presenting to Boards of Directors, C-suite leadership, and government officials in both written and verbal formats under both routine and crisis conditions
Proficiency with enterprise emergency management platforms (WebEOC, Fusion, or equivalent), crisis communication systems, and executive decision-support tools; familiarity with cyber-physical incident coordination

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree (preferred)
Demonstrable responsibility for patient safety and operational continuity during large-scale events (preferred)
Executive-level experience in a large, complex healthcare system or multi-site regulated industry strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Enterprise executive with a proven record of leading large, geographically distributed organizations through complex emergencies; accountable for System-wide resilience outcomes.
Establishes and governs the enterprise operating model for resilience, including “Manage the Work” and “Manage the Crisis” constructs, ensuring clearly defined accountability, decision rights, and escalation pathways across all functions.
Sets the strategic vision for emergency management and crisis management, integrating all-hazards preparedness, NIMS/ICS frameworks, regulatory and accreditation requirements, and an evolving threat landscape including cyber, natural disaster, and mass casualty events.
Aligns Business Continuity, Clinical Continuity, and Technical Response (including cyber and IT service recovery) into a unified capability, ensuring coordinated execution across operational and technical domains.
Builds and sustains an enterprise-class emergency management leadership bench; recruits, develops, and retains senior EM leaders and drives a talent pipeline aligned to succession risk.
Owns and continuously matures the System-wide Emergency Operations Plan, crisis management framework, governance structure, and enterprise business continuity/resiliency programs, ensuring integration across all service lines and geographies.
Accountable for enterprise Emergency Management technology strategy, including optimization and scaling of ServiceNow (or equivalent platforms), ensuring accurate data models, workflow standardization, and executive visibility into readiness and response.
Directs the Enterprise Hazard Vulnerability Assessment program, translating risk intelligence into capital investment, resource allocation, and executive decision-making at the System and regional levels.
Drives enterprise-wide accountability for emergency preparedness by establishing executive-level governance structures, cross-functional operating agreements, and performance expectations across all System functions including Operations, HR, Communications, Finance, Supply Chain, and Cybersecurity.
Establishes and oversees the System-wide quality, audit, and compliance framework for emergency management, ensuring sustained alignment with CMS, TJC, NFPA, EMAP, and applicable state and federal regulatory requirements.
Designs and sponsors the enterprise exercise, training, and readiness evaluation program; ensures senior leadership and frontline teams across all regions sustain operational competency under both planned and real-world activations, including enterprise-, regional-, and hospital-level tabletop exercises aligned to priority risk scenarios and system-wide readiness objectives.
Holds full P&L accountability for the emergency management function; develops multi-year capital and operating budgets, drives resource stewardship, and provides executive-level financial transparency to leadership and governance bodies, aligning investment strategy with enterprise risk priorities, system resiliency objectives, and long-term operational sustainability.
Institutionalizes a continuous improvement and after-action review discipline that feeds System-level strategic adjustments, investment prioritization, and enterprise risk reporting.
Serves as the senior executive liaison to federal, state, and local government agencies, healthcare coalitions, and regional partners; builds strategic relationships that enhance System capabilities and advance community resilience.
Champions a System-wide culture of preparedness, psychological safety during crisis events, and unwavering commitment to patient safety, caregiver protection, and continuity of mission-critical care delivery.