Public Information Officer (Communications Emergency Management Planner)

This position announcement will be used to fill a full-time, permanent Public Information Officer (Communications Emergency Management Planner) position in the Office of Emergency Management with Anne Arundel County. This is technical and administrative planning work in developing and drafting emergency or disaster preparedness plans for the County as it relates to mitigation, preparation, and recovery for hazards and related disaster response activities. This position will specialize in communication strategies, social media content creation, media relations, and community outreach.  

NATURE AND VARIETY OF WORK

An employee in this classification is responsible for performing technical planning duties for the County's Emergency Management Division to include plan development and formulating, coordinating and maintaining emergency and administrative plans related to all facets of county mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities and divisional emergency management operations.  The employee has technical responsibility for the work and proceeds independently to plan and carry out the work, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders in accordance with professional principles and practices applicable laws and regulations and established policies and procedures. The employee uses initiative, resourcefulness, experience and judgment in researching trends, developing and establishing new methods and precedents and their application in the conduct of the work.  Work is reviewed by the Deputy Director through conferences and reports.

An employee in this classification is designated as an essential employee who is required to work under all weather conditions with frequent exposure to outdoor temperatures.

(Note: The duties and responsibilities enumerated in this class specification are for the purpose of determining a common set of minimal qualifications and salary level for this class. They are not intended to include all of the essential functions of the class.) Examples of Duties

• Oversee matters concerning the agency's relation to the news media, the gathering of information for release to the news media, the release of information to the news media, and the utilization of the news media, editorial and audio-visual techniques for the furthering of departmental goals.
• Ensure that information provided to the news media is accurate, timely, complete, and within limitations set by the law and agency rules and procedures.
• When necessary, in major events, responds to incident scenes to coordinate and disseminate information to the media.
• Oversee the development and quality control of publications, press releases, newsletters, etc.
• Serve as spokesperson for the department on any newsworthy matters, appearing on radio, television, and in person, and as a spokesperson to be quoted in newspapers.  
• Apply the principles and practices of emergency management to perform intermediate professional administrative work for assigned programs
• Provide support and analysis in functional activities such as developing emergency plans; planning training and workshops; providing training and presentations; and collaborating with County, community, and regional partner agencies
• Prepare draft solutions and examples; develop policies and procedures; develop requests for proposals, memorandums of understanding, and other technical documents
• Analyze and evaluate current trends and best practices to identify hazards, reduce vulnerability, and improve emergency response
• Serve in a staff role during Emergency Operations Center activations (EOC) or significant County events
• Participate in the evaluation, integration, and operation of emergency management support tools and applications
• Develop, monitor, and report on projects to include those funded by grants

Requires a flexible work schedule to attend community functions, work with allied organizations, and participate in active emergency operations. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Thorough knowledge of:

• Emergency management principles, procedures, planning including county response systems and capabilities
• Methods and procedures of operating emergency and disaster plans
• Federal, State, and local emergency management safety procedures, laws and regulations governing emergency and disaster plans
• Incident Command System (ICS) organization including the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and its various functions and various types of natural and technical hazards and disaster response
• Methods and techniques of analysis and evaluation in order to conduct policy/procedures reviews and make recommendations for changes when needed

Considerable knowledge of:

• Geography of the County and surrounding areas to enforce and participate in the implementation of safety standards and regulations
• Supervisory practices and principles

Knowledge of:

• Social media platforms, including, but not limited to, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Nextdoor, etc.
• Working knowledge of social media management platforms

Skill in modern office procedures and practice to operate standard computer equipment, hardware and software applications. Ability to:

• Plan, organize, develop, implement and maintain an effective emergency management and disaster plan
• Prioritize and multi-task, plan, coordinate, review and analyze existing information and make informed and sound decisions
• Consult on emergency management issues; to work collaboratively with diverse groups on complex projects, and to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Act as a representative of County government to the public and allied agencies
• Operate computer software to include Microsoft products and other software applications as required for emergency and disaster planning
• Conduct training on emergency plans and procedures for emergency operations center personnel and to supervise the work of an assigned staff
• Communicate effectively and establish and maintain working relationships with county officials, employees, contractors, and the public

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in Emergency Management, Emergency and Disaster Management, Homeland Security, Public Administration, Journalism, or a related field; and four (4) or more years of experience in emergency management services to include: Experience in National Incident Management System (NIMS); Experience in Incident Command System (ICS); one (1) year experience as a Public Information Officer; and, a valid non-commercial Class C motor vehicle operator's license.

NOTE: Accredited University or College is the recognition from an accrediting agency that an institution maintains a certain level of educational standards. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of accrediting agencies it recognizes for schools within the United States. For a University or College outside the United States, the applicant must provide documentation of accreditation and educational equivalency, which can be accomplished through a credential evaluation service. Applicants with a foreign degree must provide this documentation upon the close of the announcement.

NOTE: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in Emergency Management, Emergency and Disaster Management, Homeland Security, Public Administration, Journalism, or a related field may be substituted on a year-for-year basis with additional experience in emergency management services to include: Experience in National Incident Management System (NIMS); Experience in Incident Command System (ICS); one (1) year experience as a Public Information Officer.

NOTE: Experience in emergency management services to include: Experience in National Incident Management System (NIMS); Experience in Incident Command System (ICS); one (1) year experience as a Public Information Officer may be substituted on a year-for-year basis with experience in public administration, journalism, or project management.
Preference will be given to candidates that possess experience in National Incident Management System (NIMS); Experience in Incident Command System (ICS); one (1) year experience as a Public Information Officer

Salary : $72,276 - $136,421