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The Director, Emergency Management provides strategic and operational leadership for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a comprehensive emergency management and business continuity program for all College locations and operations. The Director ensures preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts align with best practices and regulatory requirements. This position oversees incidents, both large and small, that pose an immediate threat to the health, safety, or well-being of people on campus or significantly disrupts the normal operations of the college. This includes, but is not limited to, natural disasters, fires, public health crises, major utility failures, and other critical incidents that require a coordinated institutional response to protect lives and property.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Act as the primary coordinator during emergencies as a member of the Crisis Management Core Team. Examples include orchestrating responses to facilities emergencies (e.g., fire, flooding, gas leaks), providing monitoring and recommendations for weather-related campus delays and closures, and managing crises such as large-scale student unrest where life and safety are factors.
The Director will develop and implement an institutional emergency management strategy aligned with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS), and will ensure coordination with the Office of the President, the Police Department and General Counsel, Risk Management, Marketing & Communications, and College leadership. They will lead post-incident reviews to identify lessons learned and implement continuous improvements to emergency protocols and practices.
Conduct and maintain a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to identify key dependencies, vulnerabilities, and critical operations across all College departments. Design and oversee a robust emergency preparedness program, including regular updates to the College’s all-hazard plan, evacuation plans, fire escape plans, and disaster recovery plans.
Develop and lead emergency preparedness training programs for faculty, staff, and students tailored to diverse audiences and roles. Conduct tabletop exercises, fire drills, and risk assessments to prepare for high-risk scenarios. Create and maintain a culture of preparedness through outreach programs and visible leadership on campus.
Primary owner of emergency notification systems (e.g., RAVE, Alertus) to ensure timely and accurate communication, including conducting regular testing and updates to ensure functionality. This role will oversee the adoption and usage of emergency response tools such as GETS/WPS for communication during emergencies. Evaluate and enhance the College’s use of technology solutions like LiveSafe, providing recommendations for optimization or discontinuation based on effectiveness. Establish an institutional planning tool to host the BIA and all essential emergency plans and documentation.
Coordinate with the Risk Manager to produce incident reports for insurance claims and post-incident reviews.
Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to ensure effective crisis communication strategies during and after incidents.
Act as a team member of Facilities Management to address health and safety issues, such as unclean air, structural hazards, or environmental risks identified during routine maintenance. Oversee the management and replenishment of emergency stockpiles and supplies to ensure readiness for critical incidents.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Develop and maintain strong partnerships with external agencies and organizations, including local, state, and federal emergency management bodies, to coordinate planning, response efforts, and compliance. Serve as the college’s primary liaison for mutual aid agreements, such as the National Intercollegiate Mutual Aid Agreement (NIMAA), ensuring collaboration and support during regional or national emergencies.
Manage the global travel assistance program, serving as the primary contact for university travelers during emergencies and coordinating communications to ensure timely support and response for incidents.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform the job.

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in emergency management, public safety, environmental health and safety, public administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience. Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum of 10 years of relevant emergency preparedness experience in an institutional setting, with a strong preference for experience in higher education.
Certified Emergency Manager Designation (CEM) preferred, along with experience in managing global emergencies and implementation of advanced ICS and NIMS concepts.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES – This may be representative but not all-inclusive of the knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.

Ability to develop programs and train for understanding in group and individual settings.
Ability to ensure understanding and adjust training methods to adapt to different audiences.
Demonstrated ability to lead individuals and groups in high-stress situations.
Strong leadership, interpersonal, and consensus-building skills, coupled with operational problem-solving and decision-making experience.
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively at all organizational levels and with external consultants and regulatory agencies.
Presentation preparation and delivery skills, ability to present in group settings.
Initiative, independence, and the ability to follow tasks to completion under pressure.
Strong organizational and time management skills to meet deadlines.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES – Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Requires the ability to lead and operate effectively in high-stress situations
Requires ability to maintain a 24/7 readiness in the event of an emergency affecting the community.

WORK ENVIRONMENT – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

Usual Office Conditions

Disclaimer: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees may be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties as requested, subject to all applicable state and federal laws. Certain job duties described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

Fully In-Person

This position requires an in-person presence on the Boston Campus during the work week.

Compensation: $113,800.00 - $142,350.00 annually, commensurate with experience.

Grade of Position: 23-13E

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

Division: Division of Information Technology

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week.

Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits such as life and disability coverage as well as commuter offerings are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.