The City of Bloomington has an exciting job opportunity as Part-Time Emergency Management Specialist. We invite diverse talent to join our team and help advance our mission focusing on economic vitality, attainable housing, public safety, progress partnerships, inclusion, open government, sustainability, transportation, and quality of place. Come join us and be part of shaping the vibrant future of Bloomington, Indiana.
The Part-Time (20 hours a week) Emergency Management Specialist leads the City’s preparedness by developing and coordinating all-hazard emergency plans, training, and exercises. The position creates and maintains building-level emergency plans, advises on necessary building modifications, conducts risk assessments, and works with City departments to enhance resilience and response capabilities. During emergencies, the Specialist provides operational support and assists in coordinating response efforts. This role ensures the City is aligned with emergency management best practices and continuously improves its preparedness and safety programs.
This job description is illustrative only and is not a comprehensive listing of all job functions performed. The following are essential duties for this position, performed with or without reasonable accommodation:
Primary
Works to ensure building-level preparedness for emergencies, including but not limited to City Hall, City of Bloomington Utilities facilities and plants, Public Works facilities, Parks facilities, and other City buildings.
Provides expert analysis, development, and continuous improvement of all-hazard emergency response and continuity plans across the City and organizational levels.
Maintains an ongoing process for assessing natural, technological, and human-caused hazards; identifies vulnerabilities; and recommends mitigation strategies.
Serves in a leadership or command role during emergency incidents, coordinating response efforts and supporting the restoration of normal operations.
Designs, coordinates, and evaluates drills, tabletop exercises, and functional exercises to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Prepares and provides emergency preparedness and response training for City personnel, including departments, staff, elected officials and offices, and designated emergency roles.
Tracks City preparedness efforts and response activities and communicates status updates, findings, and recommendations to executive leadership.
Collaborates with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as City departments, to ensure alignment with best practices, standards, and coordinated emergency management efforts.
Secondary
Researches and recommends funding or grant opportunities; supports initiatives that enhance emergency preparedness, resilience, innovation, and safety capabilities.
Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Public Safety, Public Administration, Environmental Health & Safety, Homeland Security, or a related field or equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential duties of the position.
Required at least two years of experience in emergency management, disaster planning, public safety, or a related operational field.
Knowledge of emergency management principles, including the NIMS/ICS framework and FEMA guidelines.
Experience developing or implementing emergency plans, training, drills, or exercises.
Ability to analyze hazards, assess risks, and recommend mitigation or preparedness strategies.
Knowledge of standard office software and the ability to learn emergency management systems or tools.
Must be able to respond to emergencies outside of normal business hours as needed.
Must be able to pass background checks required for working in emergency management/public safety environments.
Difficulty of Work
The incumbent is required to have advanced knowledge of emergency management principles, risk assessment, and incident command. The position involves independent judgment in planning, coordinating, and implementing emergency preparedness and response activities. The incumbent must balance multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously, often under tight deadlines or high-stress situations. Work requires problem-solving in complex, dynamic situations and decision-making that can directly impact the City’s safety and operations.
Work may require extended hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, particularly during emergency events or critical incidents. The incumbent may be exposed to stressful or high-pressure situations during emergency response or disaster events and must be able to access and operate in Emergency Operations Centers and field locations during drills or real incidents. This position typically works 20 hours a week.
Personal Work Relationships
The incumbent must establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships to successfully carry out emergency preparedness, response, and recovery duties. Works closely with executive leadership, Fire and Police Departments, Risk and Legal staff, Parks staff, facilities and operations staff, Council staff, and other City employees to coordinate emergency planning, training, and response efforts. Interacts with local, state, and federal emergency management agencies, public safety organizations, and community partners to ensure alignment with best practices, regulatory compliance, and effective coordination during emergencies.
Effective communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills are essential, as the role requires conveying complex emergency management information, facilitating training and exercises, providing guidance during incidents, and influencing planning and decision-making across multiple departments and stakeholder groups.