Specialist-Emergency Management

Hourly range is $25.00/hour to $69.23/hour, with a midpoint of $47.12/hour. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

Under the general direction of the Director of Emergency Management, the Emergency Management Specialist is responsible for the development, monitoring, correspondence, coordination, collaboration, and management of emergency management procedures and plans for transit events. Coordinate and provide training platforms and activities for first responder agencies, including law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services. Be familiar with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) as a lead assigned or assisting with and/or responding to critical incidents in and around Sound Transit property.

The specialist will assist with training, drills, and exercises to practice and continuously improve the Sound Transit Emergency Management program. The Specialist will provide input and deliver emergency management preparedness training programs; responsible for identifying agency emergency management training needs and coordinating with subject matter experts, developing, testing, deploying, and tracking emergency management transit industry trends. Monitor compliance to ensure needed emergency management training, awareness programs, and agency emergency management curricula bring industry best practices. Serves as a point of contact between Emergency Management and local first responder agencies within the region.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Responsibilities include but are not limited to developing, coordinating, scheduling, and documenting emergency management events, activities, and procedures with municipal and state emergency management agencies and various first responder agency site visits and facilities familiarization and full- scale exercises and drills.
• Assists with plan development and coordinates all-hazard emergency prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery activities in support of Sound Transit's Emergency Management Program.
• Assists with the development, creation, implementation of various emergency plans and operations per Federal and State regulations to ensure safe and efficient response to, and management of emergency situations that may affect Sound Transit operations.
• Assists and responds to various levels of assigned research and development of emergency management plans; assists to help design, coordinate, and administers training, drills, and exercises, to prepare staff for effective response to major emergencies and disasters; performs other related duties as required. During an actual emergency, this position will support coordination of agency response and recovery operations, including liaison role at city/county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or general staff role in Sound Transit (ST) Agency EOC.
• Assists and/or when necessary, develops and implements programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of emergency events; reviews and maintains situational awareness of trends and potential risks, processes, or systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of potential or immediate hazards.
• Manage resources to help coordinate, track, and schedule external responder training for Sound Transit.
• Conduct frequent reviews and assessment of operating environments to maintain current and relevant emergency response for a variety of transit emergencies.
• Partner and assist with various drills, exercises, or emergency management activities as assigned.
• Develop, lead, and facilitate presentations and training events. Training content may include fire scenarios in tunnels, Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) lifts, evacuations, power outages, and incident response training to internal and external teams.
• Maintain industry best practices and consistently update plans and procedures to establish Sound Transit as a world class emergency management program.
• Maintain communications and interface frequently with external agencies and partners.
• Continuously updates, reviews, interprets, implements, and monitors the Emergency Management training program to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements.
• Provides and performs safety reviews of directives, curriculum, safety reviews, and operational activities that may affect external and internal training and certification requirements.
• Assist in the development, execution, and maintenance of an Emergency Management program. Act as a vital team member to ensure that a continuity program is maintained allowing Sound Transit to continue essential operations and to recover from disaster disruptions in normal business operations. Ensure emergency plans comply with local, state, and federal regulations and directives.
• Draft, organize, update, and maintain Emergency Management Program institutional emergency documents such as Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and Agency Continuity Plan (ACP).
• Prepare and present After-Action Reports, conduct a variety of Agency-wide technical studies relating to current and long-range emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery needs and develop specific proposals or recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Participate in local, state, and federal planning and preparedness activities. Participate in professional group meetings as assigned.
• Provide support to internal stakeholders and others on matters as required; serve on a variety of committees, as requested; prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence.
• Attend and maintain awareness of new trends and developments in the fields related to area of assignment; incorporate new developments, as appropriate.
• Ensure processes, policies, and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively; ensure accountability and compliance with all current and applicable state and federal laws, Agency policies and procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Assist with the development of a long-term plan that will incorporate training, as well as an incremental drill and exercise schedule to ensure all parties, including first responders maintain awareness and baseline knowledge of the transit systems within their jurisdiction.
• Ensure coordinated and continued education of Sound Transit staff, operation partners, and emergency responders to build upon current knowledge and skills in emergency management topics.
• Identify, coordinate, and assist with events, drills, and/or exercises that require additional support personnel.
• Maintain emergency management recommendations and findings from After-Action Reports (AARs) and Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) for past, current, and future events to ensure consistent continuous improvement of training and familiarization activities.
• Coordinate outreach to ST staff for education on individual responsibilities at drills and exercises, as well as real-world events. Provide training, overview, and understanding of their role within an Incident Command System (ICS) structure, working within an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and emergency management practices with first responders and/or state and federal regulatory agencies.
• Coordinate with public safety, operations, facilities/maintenance, and agency communications for internal and external outreach opportunities.
• Assists with modal and regional training exercises and document results; prepare user manuals for emergency procedures.
• Coordinate and support other specialists and senior specialists to ensure the validation of training through drills/exercises.
• Assists with the development of baseline templates for drills and exercises to provide standardized training for new sections of alignment.
• Assists with documentation of formal post-event debrief process of After-Action Report (AAR) and completion of an Improvement Plan (IP) and/or CAP. Coordinate with other specialists to ensure completion of IP/CAP tasks or mitigations identified.
• Assist and support with drills and exercises logistics.
• Supports the partnerships and relationships with local stakeholders, volunteers, and first responders to maintain a solid team effort.
• Assists in the activation of specialized drills/exercises
• As required and assigned, assists with local jurisdictions to develop specialized drills/exercises.
• Seek out and foster relationships with other SMEs who can support and provide insight into specialized drills.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit's Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management, Community Planning, Safety, or a closely related field; Four years of experience in the public sector providing services to the public or customers in a public facing emergency management, security, law enforcement, or fire service field; Or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in the transit/rail industry preferred. ICS, HSEEP, and Exercise design experience preferred.

Required Licenses or Certifications:

• Valid state driver's license. Position is required to transport PPE for first responders, training materials for classroom instruction, and continuity kit movement between locations.

Preferred Licenses or Certifications:

• Completion of FEMA's Emergency Manager Professional Development Series.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Comfortable speaking to various size groups of professionals internally and externally to ST.
• Basic computer and technology skills.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers.
• Hands on use of Microsoft Office products, especially Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
• Principles and practices of research and evaluation methods and statistical analysis.
• Current emergency management planning principles, methods, and techniques.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations including the American with Disabilities Act.
• Methods, techniques, and principles of developing and conducting adult training programs.
• Recent developments, current literature, and information related to trends in emergency management.
• Techniques to work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities.
• Principles of business letter writing and report preparation.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.
• Utilizing personal computer software programs affecting assigned work and in compiling and preparing spreadsheets and reports.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other division staff, management, vendors, outside agencies, community groups, and customers/passengers.
• Interpreting and administering policies and procedures sufficient to administer, discuss, resolve, and explain them to staff and other constituencies.
• Interpreting and applying applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations to ensure compliance.
• Applying principles and practices of emergency management.
• Public speaking and in developing and delivering presentations and presenting ideas and concepts orally and in writing to a variety of audiences such as employees, internal agency management, conferences, passengers, and other emergency management entities, elected officials, community leaders, and local, state, and federal agencies.
• Monitoring agency and operating partners emergency management programs and recommending adjustments.
• Assesses and document continuous program compliance with state and federal regulations emergency management training and exercises.
• Working cooperatively with other divisions, Agency officials, and outside agencies.
• Maintaining confidentiality of information, manage and access security sensitive documents and materials.
• Working effectively under pressure, meeting deadlines, and adjusting to changing priorities.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:

• Some experience in Excel and Visio.
• Ability to work in a transit environment, speaking with the public, quickly responding to issues, in field presence for emergencies or large events, working with passengers and large crowds.
• The ability to prepare and assist with evacuation and other emergency situations.
• Problem solving and creativity.
• Maturity and a responsible attitude.
• Independent and able to work in an unsupervised environment.
• Remain calm and focused on situations where personal safety or the safety of others may appear to be at risk.
• Presentation skills, able to present technical and non-technical information to an audience with varying skills and technical background.
• Resilience and confidence.
• The ability to remain calm in difficult situations and communicate in a positive manner.
• Good teamwork skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Patience and tolerance.
• A strong understanding of cultural differences.
• Honesty, fairness, and reliability.
• Operational assessment of working with external first responder agencies at various levels.
• Maintain positive working relationships with staff, customers and supporting organizations, such as law enforcement, to promote confidence in the safe and secure delivery of transit services.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a hybrid office and field environment.
• Positions working in the field may occasionally be exposed to dangerous machinery, extreme weather conditions, physical harm, hazardous chemicals, and/or extreme noise.
• Position is required to transport PPE for first responders, training materials for classroom instruction, and continuity kit movement between locations; may be subject to bending, grasping, kneeling, sitting, and carrying and lifting up to 50 pounds.
• Position is required to attend events in the field that may require accessing platforms, stations, and transit vehicles; may be subject to climbing, hearing, standing, talking, seeing, and walking.
• Position includes on call and weekend/night shifts when required for special/notice events or for no-notice events that require activation of an Emergency Operations Center or support/coordination at city/county EOC.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.