Program Manager, Emergency Management

Contribute to the City of Hamilton, one of Canada’s largest cities - home to a diverse and strong economy, an active and inclusive community, a robust cultural and dining scene, hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails and natural beauty just minutes from the downtown core, and so much more. Join our diverse team of talented and ambitious staff who embody our values of sensational service, courageous change, steadfast integrity, collective ownership and being engaged empowered employees. Help us achieve our vision of being the best place to raise a child and age successfully. #BeTheReason

• Job ID #30822: Program Manager, Emergency Management
• Union: Non-Union  
• Job Description ID #: 6652
• Close date: Interested applicants please submit your application online at City of Hamilton by 4:00 p.m. on February 19, 2025.
• Duration: Permanent
• Internal applicants should apply with your work e-mail address. External applicants are considered only after the internal posting process has been completed. Only applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

Reporting to the Fire Chief, responsible for leading the planning, development, implementation, maintenance and administration of a comprehensive Emergency Management Program for the City of Hamilton.  This program includes the development, execution and monitoring of policies, procedures, documents, plans and working groups addressing the key areas of emergency management: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery as mandated  by the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and Ontario Regulation 380/04.

The Program Manager, Emergency Management is responsible for ensuring that the EOC Management Team and the primary and alternate Emergency Operations Centre are in a continuous state of readiness in the event of a municipal emergency through ongoing planning, training, exercise, testing, and awareness initiatives.  The Program Manager, Emergency Management provides leadership and day to day management of all program work, including overall responsibility and accountability for the Emergency Management Coordinator.

GENERAL DUTIES

Provides direction, leadership and supervision to Emergency Management Coordinator by establishing priorities, scheduling and assigning work.  Responsible for motivation, interviewing, hiring, orientation, training, scheduling, progressive discipline, coaching, performance evaluations and attendance management.

Manages activities of the Emergency Management Coordinator to ensure that all routine assignments and special projects are completed.

Ensures that the City meets the mandatory requirements of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and its Regulations (R.S.O 1990 Chapter E.9 and Ontario Regulation 380/04).

Acts in a senior support role with focus on addressing general work flow.  Leads, develops, coordinates, implements and maintains a comprehensive Emergency Management Program in consultation with the Emergency Management Program Committee.

Provides strategic direction and oversees all logistical issues of the City of Hamilton Emergency Management Program to ensure that the City is ready to respond and recover from a significant event or emergency.

Leads, develops and maintains corporate emergency response plans, procedures, and guidelines ensuring they are reflective of the City’s response capabilities and incorporate industry recognized best practices.

Provides strategic and operational planning for the City Emergency Management Program including the development of the annual work-plan including resource allocation and monitoring the action plan for achieving results including regular evaluation of targets and outcomes, taking corrective action where/when necessary and regularly reporting on progress.

Acts in the capacity of the primary Community Emergency Management Coordinator (C.E.M.C) for the City of Hamilton and provides support as a Liaison Officer and other IMS functions as required during an emergency event. 

Provides coordination of the City of Hamilton Emergency Management initiatives across the various City Departments and ensures that supporting departmental plan integrates into the City’s Emergency Plan. Provides and coordinates support to Emergency Social Service planning including contractual agreements with community partners such as Red Cross.

Establishes and maintains collaborative working relationships with staff in City Departments, community agencies and other external stakeholders to ensure a coordinated response to an emergency.

Provides support and expertise to departmental emergency planning initiatives including plan development, training, exercises and department operations centres.

Provides advice, support and emergency management expertise to projects/initiatives within other departments.

Provides support to community partner agencies in developing, enhancing and integrating their emergency management programs.

Oversees the establishment and maintenance of a state of readiness for the primary (24/7) and alternate Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) including facility security and testing and maintenance of technology infrastructure and software requirements (laptops, dedicated server, phones, display panels and sound system) to ensure a continuous state of readiness suitable for effective and timely activation.

Acts as administrator for the automated emergency notification system (RAVE) for the corporate EOC including programming, updating, data input, testing and training.

Completes and maintains a comprehensive hazard identification and risk assessment for the City.

Completes and maintains a critical infrastructure inventory for the City.

Assesses and interprets legislative changes and implements new and/or updated legislative requirements from Emergency Management Ontario. . Prepares and implements new policies/procedures and updates existing policies/procedures as required.

Provides guidance and advice to the EOC Management Team and ensures that the municipal response follows the plans and procedures.

Develops and implements a community emergency management public education/awareness program.

Oversees the assessment of training needs and ensures the development and implementation of a comprehensive training and education program for EOC responders and City staff which complies with all applicable statutes/regulatory requirements. Supplements course offerings with workshops and speakers where required. 

Develops, delivers and evaluates an annual emergency exercise program involving City staff, volunteer organizations and emergency services through tabletop and full-scale scenarios.

Develops and coordinates plans for cooperation and mutual assistance with other municipalities and agencies.

Facilitates and participates on internal and external emergency planning committees and working groups including Hamilton Water Emergency Planning Committee, Emergency Social Services Control Group, Public Health Emergency Management Team, Event Planning and Emergency Response Committee, Business Continuity Planning and Emergency Preparedness Advisory Group.

Acts as a representative of the City of Hamilton Emergency Management Program to municipal, provincial and federal government stakeholders and committees.

Ensures processes are established for compliance with legislated requirements and provincially mandated initiatives, best practices and industry standards.

Prepares reports and action plans to address issues impacting emergency preparedness, training and education requirements for the City.  Provides advice on the background, intent and municipal implications of federal and provincial legislation, regulations, and emergency plans.  Prepares reports, briefing notes, after-action reports and annual compliance reports for the Emergency Management Program Committee, Council and other stakeholders.

Manages the strategic and operational planning and the development of the annual business or workplan and monitors the plan for achieving results including regular evaluation of targets and outcomes, taking corrective action where/when necessary and regularly reporting on progress as directed.

Participates in the development and strategic management of the Operational and Capital budget for the Emergency Management Program.  Monitors budgets in accordance with established corporate policies and procedures as required.

Responds to municipal emergencies as requested or required outside of business hours.

Works in accordance with the provisions of applicable Health and Safety legislation and all City of Hamilton corporate and departmental policies and procedures related to Occupational Health and Safety.

Performs other duties as assigned which are directly related to the responsibilities of the position.

 QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated extensive progressive experience in emergency response planning normally acquired through post-secondary education in emergency management or related discipline and by successful completion of emergency management training program or courses preferably offered by the Emergency Management Ontario or Disaster Recovery Institute Canada, or other related courses or programs from other recognized agencies or educational institutions.
• Must possess the Community Emergency Management Coordinator (C.E.M.C.) designation from Emergency Management Ontario.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, Ontario Regulation 380/04 and the CSA-16—Standard, government guidelines and protocols.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Incident Management System.
• Progressively responsible experience in the development and implementation of emergency plans, procedures, training programs, workshops and emergency exercises.
• Experience in conducting presentations and training sessions to varied audiences.
• Previous supervisory experience an asset.
• Must possess strong interpersonal skills.  Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with staff, management, elected officials and the public.
• Must be able to work in and foster a collaborative work environment,
• Demonstrates ability in core competencies including customer services, communication, teamwork, initiative/ self-management and accountability, and flexibility/adaptability.
• Strong research, analytical and report writing skills to support writing of reports, plans and policies.
• Demonstrated leadership and project management skills to coordinate multi-department and multi-agency projects and initiatives.
• The ability to perform effectively in stressful situations.  Excellent time management skills.
• Demonstrated skills in examining and re-organizing operations and procedures, formulating policy, developing and implementing new strategies and procedures. 
• Demonstrated ability to organize, prioritize and schedule work assignments.
• Knowledge of budget process and budget control.
• Demonstrated experience in a computerized environment utilizing current Microsoft Office applications, word processing, spreadsheets and presentation software.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Health & Safety Act and applicable regulations as it relates to the position.
• Due to the nature of Emergency Services, the incumbent may be required to report to work outside normal business hours.
• Must possess a valid Class "G" Driver's Licence with provision of a vehicle for use on the job.

Disclaimer:

Be advised that Human Resources frequently audits resumes of internal/external applicants to ensure/validate information provided is consistent and trustworthy. Falsification of information provided at any time throughout the recruitment process may be grounds for disqualification, and for internal applicants, subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Terms:

The City is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. Consistent with our Values and Corporate Culture Pillars, the City of Hamilton is committed to providing equitable treatment to all with respect to barrier-free employment and accommodation without discrimination. The City will provide accommodation for applicants in all aspects of the hiring process, up to the point of undue hardship.  If you have an accommodation need, please contact Human Resources as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.