The assistant director for global safety and risk management is responsible for assessing risk for university-wide overseas travel, monitoring ongoing international developments for risk mitigation, and providing training and oversight to support best practices. This position will play a key role in managing university communication and collaboration regarding global risk and safety and will lead emergency response related to university-supported international travel. The assistant director serves as chair of the Global Travel Oversight Committee (GTOC), which makes critical decisions regarding health and safety matters relative to international activities.
In coordination with the GTOC, the position will proactively assess risks associated with travel to specific geographic areas; take the lead on establishing and implementing emergency protocols for all university-supported programs; review program and individual student itineraries for health and security concerns and determine if programmatic changes are necessary; review and approve contingency plans for programs when a travel advisory has been put in place immediately before or during a program; determine if itinerary changes and other mechanisms have sufficiently mitigated health and safety risks. The assistant director should maintain active membership in the field’s professional organizations, such as OSAC and PULSE, that monitor global risk and establish best practices for emergency response and risk management.
The position is responsible for providing coordination, support, training, and compliance monitoring for Virginia Tech's Global Travel Policy 1070. The position works closely with the Global Education Office (GEO) program management staff and the Procurement Office travel team to ensure that study abroad program members, individual study abroad participants, and other university-supported international travelers are registered in the Global Travel Registry and comply with the university’s requirements for international travel. The assistant director monitors travel advisories released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Dept. of State, and other agencies worldwide to alert the university-wide Global Travel Oversight Committee (GTOC) when a program or registrant’s itinerary comes under an advisory.
The assistant director for global safety and risk management oversees development and delivery of training programs designed to prepare students and faculty for travel decisions related to health, safety, and risk management, in addition to communicating university policy and advising as to best practices. The assistant director works collaboratively with the GEO and the GTOC, among other campus units, to promote standardization of health, safety, and risk management practices, and to coordinate emergency and crisis response for all university-supported international programs, activities, and travel.
The position will facilitate and coordinate with the emergency response staff to provide 24-hour on-call emergency and crisis response for staff, faculty, and students abroad. In addition, the assistant director takes a leadership role in coordinating with key university personnel to formulate action plans for resolution; leads decision-making and planning efforts among GEO’s staff when incidents occur; designs and facilitates emergency response training workshops for all faculty/staff responding to emergent situations abroad; maintains and updates an emergency response manual; identifies on-site, VT-based and insurance provider resources in responding to concerns; determines communication plans and serves as GEO’s contact for parents, faculty, and students; coordinates travel to the program site if necessary.
The assistant director for global safety supervises and is supported in the above functions by the global safety compliance coordinator.
This is a full-time, calendar year, administrative and professional faculty position that reports directly to the director of Global Education and works collaboratively with the Office of Emergency Management.
