The Planning Manager leads the Emergency Management Planning Section for the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) which consists of Planners (Levels 1 through 3), the State Meteorologist, and the GIS Coordinator.  This position also functions as the Planning Section Chief when the State Operations Center is activated for emergency operations and States of Emergency.  The Planning Manager reports directly to the GEMA/HS Deputy Director – Emergency Management.

The Planning Manager is responsible for all administrative functions of the Planning Section to include Performance Reviews, payroll/timesheet review/approval, preparation/review of Requests For Expenditure, preparation of bi-weekly Planning Notes, Emergency Management Accreditation Program compliance, preparation of Quarterly Activity Outline Reports, participation in exercise planning meetings; participation in all Agency emergency management exercises, and overall compliance with State and Federal laws, regulations, and guidelines.

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is Georgia’s lead state agency for the coordination of emergency and disaster response activities.

The Planning Manager is:

•  Primarily responsible for the whole of state coordination, synchronization, development, publication, distribution, and periodic update of the natural disaster, response plans for the Agency’s Emergency Management Directorate

•  Responsible for the quadrennial update to the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan and the Emergency Support Function Annexes, Incident Annexes, Support Annexes, and Standard Operating Guidelines.  Also responsible for the quadrennial update to both the Continuity of Operations Plan and to the Continuity of Government Plan.  Additionally responsible for the annual update to the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Plan.

•  Provide leadership, guidance, and supervisory oversight to the EM Planning Staff (Planners, Meteorologist, and GIS Coordinator) to maximize their productivity to achieve the overall goals and objectives of the Agency.

This Planning Manager oversees the review, maintenance, and development of plans for state and local governments concerning a wide variety of natural hazards.  The Planning Manager serves as a liaison between the GEMA/HS Deputy Director – Emergency Management and all County Emergency Management Agencies, state agencies, private sector partners and non-governmental organizations regarding planning for severe weather preparedness, response, and recovery activities, and will be required to work on a variety of diverse projects and initiatives related to the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan.

Specific Responsibilities include:

•  Ensuring all plans are scheduled for update on a predictable timeline to manage workload across the section allowing adequate time for professional development, exercise participation, anticipated response activation, and personal maintenance.

•  Cross trains all employees in the section in order to build professional depth regarding the various natural disasters we may experience.

•  Development of a nation-leading model for GIS sharing that can be accessed via any open internet connection.

•  Provides easily accessible, easily understandable, and easy to use GIS tools to meet the needs of statewide customers.

•  Provides predictable, valid, periodic weather updates to all Emergency Management professionals in Georgia that provides the maximum benefit to them in order to best support their constituencies.

•  Provides the timely interpretations of available, official, NOAA weather predictions to the Agency’s executive leadership and EMA Directors regarding pending weather in order to develop situational awareness and best response options.

Position Specific Qualifications:

Ability to travel overnight, statewide, and regionally, as dictated by the functions of the position and the business needs of the Agency.

The successful candidate will demonstrate competency in the following areas at an exceptional level:

•  Team Building.

•  Leadership.

•  Project Management.

•  Verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

•  Reasoning, planning, and evaluation.

•  Application of technology to tasks to improve results.

•  Customer Service.

•  May be asked to assist in identifying, developing, or drafting of policies and procedures related to the governance of assigned programs.

Technical Competencies:

•  Ability to work with a diverse range of state agency employees and external community partners.

•  Ability to review and edit documents for quality, relevance, consistency, and effectiveness in relation to other applicable plans, policies, and procedures.

•  Ability to facilitate and lead meetings with a variety of stakeholders.

•  Knowledge of research techniques and to conduct data analysis.

•  Ability to gather, organize, and disseminate information and to make recommendations.

•  Knowledge of program-related computer software.

•  Ability to draft and create reports, plans, briefings, and spreadsheets.

•  Ability to develop and conduct training to a variety of stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

•  Completion of a Master’s Degree in Emergency Management, Strategic Studies; Public Administration, Non-Profit Management, or a related field from an accredited college or university.

•  Professional level work experience in planning, emergency response and preparedness, emergency management, or a related field.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The selected candidate will be required to pass a background investigation as a condition of employment.  Items that may be examined in a background check include but are not limited to:  credit records, criminal records, education records, past employers, military records, state licensing/certification records, and driving records.

Please include in your profile or attachments a list of the computer applications you know how to use and your level of skill in each program.  Please also provide any other professional certifications and job-related information you wish us to consider in evaluating your qualifications for this position.

Minimum Qualifications – External

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university OR completion of 90 quarter hours (60 semester hours) at an accredited college or university AND Two years of related experience.

(Note: Experience in a related area may substitute for degree on a year-by-year basis).