TITLE: Preparedness and Response Coordinator (Western Kentucky)

COMPANY OF ASSIGNMENT: Kentucky Department for Public Health

PURPOSE: This is a highly responsible and independent position charged with the development, implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive regional healthcare preparedness and response program through the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) and Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Cooperative Agreements.  Under the direction of the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) Area Supervisor and the Community Health and Medical Program Manager, this position will coordinate preparedness, response, and recovery activities for the state’s preparedness and response initiative – an effort to prepare public health and medical agencies for disasters and emergency incidents, including naturally occurring, accidental, and intentional events. Performs other duties as required. The position also performs other duties as assigned.

Leave/Termination Notice Requirement Classification: Professional

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Division of Public Health Protection and Safety (PHPS)

Hourly: $34.67
Annual Salary: $67,606.50

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: This job has an initial and promotional probationary period of 6
months.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. General Preparedness

a. Serves as a consultant and point of contact between Local Health Departments (LHDs), Healthcare Coalitions (HCCs), and KDPH for coordinating initiatives and activities. Analyzes and makes recommendations to help build, maintain and demonstrate preparedness and response capabilities.

b. Collaborates with LHDs, HCCs, KDPH staff, and other agencies to develop and implement policies, agreements, planning, training, exercise, and evaluation activities. This may include participation in intra/interstate workgroups and assessments of regional capabilities.

c. Coordinates the development, submission and monitoring of HCC budgets and annual work plan.

d. Collaborates with emergency response partners in bordering areas, HCC regions, states and HHS regions. Attend interstate meetings for cross-border preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives.

e. Plans, coordinates, and attends meetings, trainings, exercises, or conferences as determined by Area Supervisor or other KDPH leadership.

f. Support or lead regional healthcare and emergency preparedness readiness through the reliable management of equipment, inventory, warehouse operations, deployment logistics, training, and partner coordination.

2. Assessment/Planning

a. Collaborates with local, regional, and state agencies to complete hazard vulnerability assessments, jurisdictional risk analyses, and other required assessments related to PHEP or HPP.

b. Provides guidance for the development and maintenance of PHEP and HPP plans to include strategic plans, Readiness Plans, Response Plans, Training and Exercise Plans, and other plans as outlined in federal or program guidance.

c. Ensures accomplishment of federal cooperative agreement requirements through project management activities, completion of contract deliverables, outreach and engagement, communication and coordination with LHDs and HCCs.

3. Training and Exercising

a. Conducts assessments to determine training and exercise needs within assigned area.

b. Assists with developing training and exercises for the HCC, its members, and partners following the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). Acts as a controller, evaluator, or player in local, regional, and statewide exercises.

c. Ensures compliance with federal training and exercise requirements, including timely reporting of all benchmarks and data through after- action report/Improvement plan (AAR/IP) and other required mechanisms.

4. Response and Recovery

a. Provide or assist with expert consultation or coordination of activities for the LHDs, HCCs, Emergency Management, stakeholder partners, and other health and medical agencies to support response and recovery activities during exercises and real-world events.

b. Coordinates KDPH ESF #8 related response and recovery activities and resources by working in an incident command structure at the local, regional, or state level.

c. May serve as a member of a strike team or other response team to support intrastate or interstate response and recovery activities.

d. Provides support for the development of an AAR/IP to document response and recovery activities.

5. The ideal candidate will have:

a. A passion for community health and medical preparedness, response, and recovery.

b. A base knowledge of disaster and emergency preparedness and response activities.

c. Strong verbal and written communication skills.

d. A self-starter with good time management and organizational skills.

e. The ability to work in stressful environments.

f. A willingness to work as part of a team.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Graduate of a college or university with a bachelor’s degree.
Experience, Training, or Skills: Four years of professional full-time experience in a public health, hospital, community-based health care program, emergency management, emergency medical services (EMS), institutional healthcare program, health program administration, or population health.
Substitute EDUCATION for EXPERIENCE: Additional education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Substitute EXPERIENCE for EDUCATION: Professional experience in a healthcare facility, EMS, a community-based healthcare program, emergency management, an institutional healthcare program, any health program administration, public health, or population health will substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS (AGE, LICENSURE, REGULATION, ETC.): NONE

Special Knowledge and Skills: This position requires excellent oral and written communication skills, excellent technical report writing and public presentation skills, excellent interpersonal skills, ability to facilitate groups, highly organized with the ability to prioritize work, ability to work independently, ability to collect, organize and evaluate data to develop logical conclusions, reports, and presentations; strong computer skills, and considerable knowledge of emergency preparedness principles and practice. This job has no supervisory duties.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Work is typically in a field or hybrid setting. Travel is frequently required. Workdays and hours vary and are based upon needs for services.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS / JOB HAZARDS:
1. Possible physical management (lifting, balancing, maneuvering).
Additional Requirements:
1. This position requires a clean drug screen prior to and randomly throughout employment.
2. Must possess a valid driver’s license.
3. Background checks conducted prior to hire and updated annually.
4. Some local and out of state travel opportunities for training, conferences, workshops, etc.
5. Position may require variations in hours to meet project deadlines or accomplish response missions to include overtime.
6. Required to maintain a valid driver's license and required to drive a licensed vehicle.

Texting Privacy Policy and Information:

• Message type: Informational; you will receive text messages regarding your application and potentially regarding interview scheduling.
• No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes.
• Message frequency will vary depending on the application process.
• Msg & data rates may apply.
• OPT out at any time by texting "Stop".