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Form of workOPEN: October 16, 2023
CLOSE: Open until filled
POSITION: Director - Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA)
SALARY: PS2 ($234,350 to $251,471)
This position functions as the Director of the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DCHSEMA). The mission of the DCHSEMA is to support and coordinate Homeland Security and Emergency Management efforts, ensuring that the District of Columbia's all-hazards emergency operations are prepared to protect against, plan for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made hazards. DCHSEMA assumes the continuity of government during and following major disasters. This is accomplished in partnership with District, Federal, regional, and private sector agencies. DCHSEMA maintains the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which provides for the Executive Officer, and other key District Government officials, assured communications and a timely flow of information regarding situations and conditions in the city. The EOC is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is augmented by additional personnel when situations warrant. The EOC is designed as a relocation site for the seat of the District of Columbia Government in the event of a national disaster.
DCHSEMA is responsible for warning, informing, and protecting District residents by providing timely and accurate information before, during and after the time of emergencies. This information save lives; reduces property loss; reduces the time for recovery from a disaster; and supply residents with the information necessary to make appropriate decisions and take the appropriate actions as warranted. DCHSEMA is responsible for managing the local application of national civil preparedness programs in the areas of emergency communications and Emergency warning, emergency operational readiness, emergency shelter systems, and contingency planning. This is accomplished through the preparation of plans and the exercising and training of various key officials from the District and Federal government and the private sector with regard to those plans. This agency also manages the distribution of disaster preparedness information and provides citizens assistance during the recovery phase of a crisis or disaster. To learn more about DCHSEMA, please click here: http://hsema.dc.gov/
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Develops a budget to implement a Homeland Security Program to identify and mitigate threats, risks, and vulnerabilities within the District of Columbia:
Including public infrastructure and other public assets in the District of Columbia that need protection, assessing vulnerability, and addressing priority needs;
Establishing measurable readiness priorities and targets that balance the potential threats, magnitude of terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies with resources required to prevent, responds to, and recover from them;
Establishing measurable readiness metrics and performance measures for preparedness in the areas of prevention, protection, response and recovery;
Assisting residents and public and private entities in emergency preparedness;
Coordinating with Federal, state and regional authorities, and with private entities; and
Developing a budget to implement the Program.
Works in coordination with the District of Columbia Homeland Security Commission - which consists of seven (7) persons with expertise in security, transportation, communications, chemical safety, risk assessment, terrorism (including bio-terrorism), or occupational health and safety.
Establishes a (contract for) baseline threat and vulnerability assessment plan of the District of Columbia to include risks associated with terrorism, including bioterrorism, radiological weapons and their potential transport, to include food and water supply, cyber security, fire and rescue capability.
Assures coordination with other Emergency Support Function (ESF) Lead District Government Agencies to establish an Assessment of Actions Plans taken to address security issues and recommendations on whether additional safety and security enforcement actions are needed; and as needed recommendations for additional legislation to enhance the security the District Residents.
Establishes annual reports and plans for submission to the Mayor on the District's Homeland Security capabilities, priority needs and the cost of meeting these needs as it relates to relevant training and readiness exercises, resident education, and the utilization of mutual aid.
Provides leadership to, and exercises delegated authority for managing and directing various subordinate offices within the agency. Makes assignments to key subordinate managerial and supervisory personnel, usually in broad terms of functions to be performed.
Serves as the State Administrative Agent (SAA) for Homeland Security grant dollars that come to the District of Columbia and the National Capitol Region from the US Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Coordinates with other District Government Agencies and law enforcement, security, and terrorism experts, and representatives of the public to support the development of guidelines to establish security training program as it relates to the District of Columbia HSEMA District Response Plan.
Assures the District of Columbia's readiness and operational capability to respond to and recover from local emergencies, natural or man-made disasters, or national emergency situations.
Reviews the District-wide emergency operation plans necessary for the coordination of essential public services during any crisis or emergency.
Maintains and disseminates information on the storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals in the city as required by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1988 (SARA Title III).
In conjunction with the MWCOG, coordinates the Washington Metropolitan area's implementation of the National Weather Service (NWS) weather alerts, watches, and warnings. Assists with the coordination of the regional response to snow emergencies.
Provides standards, guidance and criteria with the development of a reliable and effective Homeland Security public warning systems and information capability for the dissemination of information and warnings to the residents of the District and the appropriate government agencies.
Ensures the training requirement of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for all staff of HSEMA are met. Assures the training of appropriate staff and key-officials (District, federal; and private sector) relating to emergency operations simulation exercises.
Maintains the Executive Command Communications Center (ECCC) and the Emergency Operations Center as a base for the emergency operations and the continuity of government. Assures the full mobilization of the appropriate emergency response personnel as necessary.
Responsible for the augmentation of the EOC as warranted. Assures that information received is evaluated and disseminated to key officials in a timely fashion so that appropriate decision can be prepared.
Responsible for the coordination of all special events which occur in the nation's capital to include the presidential inauguration, parades, block parties, cultural festivals, demonstrations, and national petitioning by citizens voicing their first amendment rights. Ensures all medical, police, transportation, and clean-up requirements are met.
Promotes coordination among the various programs within the agency; standardizes and improves work procedures.
Reports on probable future needs of the agency based on experiences and trends.
Reports to and advised the Mayor through the City Administrator on probable future needs of agency based on experiences and trends.
Serves as member of the Mayors Cabinet and as such participates in significant Cabinet determinations
Perform other related duties as may be assigned by the Mayor and or the City Administrator in furtherance of the mission as Chief Executive of the District of Columbia.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
Minimum of ten (10) years of senior level leadership in Emergency Management, protective services, incident management, public safety or Homeland Security.
Demonstrated mastery of Homeland Security and Emergency Management policies, procedures, and programs at the local, state and federal level.
Demonstrated expertise in applying relevant laws, statutes and regulations associated with the overall mission. Demonstrated ability to manage and resolve complex issues of Emergency Management policy and procedures.
Superior planning skills, from the development of high-level objectives to the breakdown of, and assignment of individual projects and tasks, to the monitoring and reporting of project status.
Mastery of program analysis, evaluation, management practices, theories and methodology, project management, and program evaluation.
Demonstrated mastery of and skill in problem-solving, and negotiation strategies. Mastery of a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for assessment and improvement of program effectiveness, and the improvement of complex management processes and systems.
Demonstrated skills and experience in providing leadership in a managerial capacity and in providing leadership in a team-based environment; and the ability to set appropriate work standards and to hold people accountable for their performance.
Mastery of management and budgeting principles and techniques, and problem solving techniques.
Must be able to secure and maintain a top secret/SCI clearance.
DOMICILE REQUIREMENT
There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted Service either: (1) be domiciled in the District of Columbia at the time of appointment; or (2) establish District domicile within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment. The law also requires that Excepted Service employees maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment. Failure to maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.
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