Careers at Virginia Tech

The Public Safety Management Area at Virginia Tech is composed of the Police Department, Environmental Health & Safety, and Emergency Management and has a critical role in supporting the well-being of our community. We are essential in planning for and responding to emergency events, and in creating a culture of preparedness where employees and students are safe in their work and living environments.

The Emergency Coordinator is responsible for supporting emergency plan development, training delivery, emergency exercise development and facilitation, outreach functions, and emergency management program development. Under the leadership of the Executive Director for Emergency Management, this position works as part of the Virginia Tech Emergency Management (VTEM) team to sustain and improve preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery programming. Additional responsibilities include the following:
• Work with campus partners to implement systems, policies, and procedures for identification, collection, and analysis of risk-related information.
• Recommend strategies for identification and mitigation of hazards and risk.
• Assist in planning, implementing, activating, and coordinating readiness of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
• Assist with development and delivery of program-specific training and education to the Virginia Tech community regarding emergency preparedness, mitigation, business continuity, and disaster response procedures.
• Assist with the coordination, design, and implementation of emergency management training and exercises, including tabletop, functional, full scale, and drills designed to prepare Virginia Tech for effective response to emergencies and to improve departmental preparedness.
• Provide emergency management technical consultation, advice, and service throughout the university to students, faculty, and staff.
• Develop public information and preparedness education programs for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
• Prepare after-action reports and improvement plans.
• Assist with grant development and management.
• Work with the VTEM team in developing outreach material.
• Assist with the development, writing, compilation, maintenance, and revisions to departmental publications, presentations, website, and marketing materials and documents.
• Participate in and represent VTEM at outreach events and opportunities.
• Perform other related functions in support of VTEM's all-hazards emergency management program.

The incumbent also performs other duties as requested; takes initiative to support a healthy work environment; strives to fulfill the terms in the Standards of Business Conduct; exemplifies the Virginia Tech Principles of Community; and supports the university’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

Education
• Bachelor's degree in emergency/disaster management, public or business administration, public health, urban planning, science, engineering, or related field; or education, training and relevant work experience that equates to a bachelor's degree.

Experience
• Related experience, certifications, and/or education demonstrating knowledge of the fundamental principles of emergency management (mitigation, preparedness, prevention, protection, continuity of operations, recovery, and response).
• Experience in complex issue analysis and creative problem solving, along with the ability to develop strategic alternatives and provide recommendations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the capacity to adapt communication style to engage, inform, and persuade diverse audiences.
• Commitment and ability to work effectively with individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, staff, students, public officials, community groups, and the general public.
• Ability to prepare technical reports.
• Ability to use personal protective equipment (furnished).
• Ability to observe and record details relating to potential and actual hazards and/or emergencies.
• Ability to work in all weather conditions, under extreme temperatures, around chemicals, chemical fumes, biohazards, and electrical and mechanical hazards, and in variable lighting and ambient noise conditions. 

• Ability to climb stairs and ladders, move and/or climb over obstacles, and work under other conditions as required by the specific situation or emergency.
• Ability and eligibility to operate a state-owned motor vehicle.

• Master’s degree in emergency/disaster management, public or business administration, public health, urban planning, science, engineering, or related field; or education, training and relevant work experience that equates to an advanced degree.
• Certificates and/or coursework in emergency management, hazard mitigation planning, emergency management, disaster resiliency, risk assessment, or related topics.
• Experience in graphic design for web, print, and multimedia.
• Experience using social media platforms to support emergency management and community preparedness.
• Experience in creating, implementing, and coordinating emergency management planning programs for a large, diverse organization.
• Experience in grant writing and management.
• Demonstrated customer service experience.
• Experience in creating visual presentations, instructional design, and the development of training materials.
• Experience working with administrators, instructors, researchers, operations professionals, and students in an institute of higher education.

Emergency Coordinator - Pay Band 4

Senior Emergency Coordinator - Pay Band 5

Rank and Title

Candidates must meet all "Required Qualifications" to be eligible for this Emergency Coordinator position (pay band 4). At the Hiring Manager's discretion, highly qualified candidates may be considered for the title "Senior Emergency Coordinator" (pay band 5) based on the quality and volume of their related professional experience and the number of "Preferred Qualifications" the candidate meets. 

Regular

Anticipated starting salary is $60k - $65k for Emergency Coordinator; $70k - $75k for Senior Emergency Coordinator.

February 17, 2025

The selected candidate will be required to successfully complete a criminal conviction and driving records check. 

This position is designated as Emergency Personnel. The selected candidate must be available for 24-hour on-call response to perform emergency management functions and related duties during an emergency (such as providing support to the university's incident commander and staffing of the EOC). Risk assessment and emergency response duties require ability to respond to emergencies on evenings and weekends, and work extended hours on site, possibly under difficult and trying circumstances. 

VTEM's normal office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, but support for planned events and other special assignments periodically will require work outside these times. This position will involve infrequent travel within the state.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.