Emergency Management Director

Deadline to apply:  Friday, July 15, 2022

SUMMARY

The Port of New Orleans Emergency Management Director will lead the planning for, response to, recovery from, and mitigation against disasters, both natural and manmade. Utilizing an all-hazards approach, the director will work with agency leadership to coordinate emergency management functions related to Port of New Orleans’ interests, including Port facilities and administration, the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, and the Harbor Police Department. The director will lead the Emergency Management Department and will supervise its staff. This position reports to the Chief of Staff and works closely with the Chief of Harbor Police. The director will be a member of the Port’s essential personnel and will be required to remain in New Orleans during a hurricane or other disaster.

DUTIES

Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

Response and Mitigation Planning

• Create, update, and regularly maintain National Incident Management System (NIMS)-compliant plans for comprehensive emergency operations as well as specific response plans to hurricanes, hazardous materials incidents, and other natural or manmade disasters.
• Work collaboratively with operations personnel at Port NOLA and the New Orleans Public Belt to develop emergency plans.
• Liaise with emergency management agencies at the local, state, and federal level to ensure preparedness and coordinate emergency response and recovery as necessary.
• Provide assistance and support to Harbor Police’s Facility Security Officer in the administration of the Port’s Facility Security Plan and other security-related functions. Serve as the agency’s Assistant Facility Security Officer.
• Develop, organize, and conduct emergency exercises and training opportunities for Port NOLA and New Orleans Public Belt leadership and staff.
• Create, update, and regularly maintain the Port’s hazard mitigation plan, outlining strategies and projects to reduce risk from future disasters.

Emergency Operations

• Manage the Port’s Emergency Operations Center during an emergency incident, coordinating interdepartmental operations staff, prioritizing response activities, and coordinating resource needs.
• Support executive decision-making during an incident.
• Facilitate and lead regular briefings for executive leadership and essential personnel before, during, and after an incident.
• Participate or delegate participation in inter-agency briefings.
• Work with the Communications Department to disseminate pertinent information to the public related to the emergency.
• Administer the emergency notification system for personnel.
• Liaise with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to secure resources to support response.
• Work with executive leadership to resume operations of Port and Belt business as soon as safely possible after an incident.
• Coordinate post-disaster damage assessments with the Facilities Department, Harbor Police Department, and Risk Management; provide data and technology support for damage assessment process.
• Provide as-needed assistance in the post-disaster recovery process, liaising with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
• Conduct after-action reviews after each major incident to capture lessons learned and to adjust plans for future events.

Grants

• Work with departments, including the Harbor Police Department, to identify hazard mitigation projects that may be eligible for grant funding.
• Identify funding opportunities, including through the Port Security Grant program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, to enhance the agency’s response capabilities and/or to reduce risk from future disasters.
• Collaborate with the Government Affairs Office and the Accounting Department to apply for and manage grants related to the emergency management function.

Project Management

• Implement emergency management-related projects that do not fit within the scope of another department, such as the installation and management of weather stations on Port property or the buildout and furnishing of the emergency operations center.
• Oversee data and technology platforms related to the emergency management function, including Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and the emergency notification system.

Administrative

• Supervise Emergency Management Department personnel, including the Emergency Manager, and conduct annual performance reviews.
• Manage the departmental budget.
• Working alongside the Procurement Department, manage emergency management-related contract services.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

The candidate will be an experienced emergency management professional with leadership skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a highly dynamic environment.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Progressive professional experience in an emergency management-related field, including but not limited to law enforcement, critical infrastructure security, emergency medical services, firefighting, emergency communications, or other related industry.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Proven ability to execute complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Supervisory experience.
• Advanced software knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, emergency notification systems, and GIS.

Interested candidates should email cover letter and resume to Garri L. Brown, garri_brown@portnola.com

The Port of New Orleans Port Commissions is an Equal Opportunity Employer.