Work Location: Papago Park Military Reservation (PPMR), Phoenix, AZ

Salary: $22.8671 - $32.4840 per hour (DOE) 

Grade: 22

Closing Date:  April 7th, 2025

The DEMA- Emergency Management Exercise Manager is responsible for work of considerable difficulty in planning, implementing and supervising full-time, reservists, interns, and subject matter experts. Provide and support in-person and virtual exercises across the State of Arizona to support specific functions during emergencies. DEMA-EM Exercise Branch coordinates periodic exercises to meet and support the following Authorities and References of the State Emergency Response and Recovery Plan (SERRP) to ensure operational capabilities. Actively participates in promoting a continuous improvement workplace culture, through the use of teamwork, root cause problem solving, standard operating procedures, and review of performance metrics.

Responsibilities include:
• Supervises the work of full-time and internal staff, reservists, interns and multi-disciplined adjunct instructors to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures, correcting errors or problems in support of all phases (i,e, conference calls, planning meetings) of the exercise programs in all hazards scenarios to include natural disasters to man-made (i.e. Active Shooter, Terrorism). Authorized to execute personnel actions for staff including time, attendance, hiring, counseling, performance management/evaluation, and recommendation for termination.
• Promotes the efforts of multi-jurisdictional entities to include local, county, state, tribal, private sector, non-governmental and federal agencies in supporting exercise activities through planning, implementing and supervising the delivery of in-person and virtual exercises across the State of Arizona to meet identified exercise gaps and fulfill grant requirements. Design, develop, plan, facilitates and support internal and external stakeholders' discussion based and operational based exercises to include seminars, games, workshops, tabletops, functional and full-scale exercises. Perform roles such as exercise director, controller, evaluator, or other exercise support positions as assigned. Establishes exercise methodologies and goals. Analyzes and review existing agency plans, policies and procedures that are relevant to an exercise activity and coordinate implementation of improvement plans and corrective actions. Creates and maintains exercise program guidance, enforces exercise standards and record maintenance.
• Plans and facilitates the annual State Integrated Preparedness Planning Workshop (IPPW) formerly known as the Training and Exercise Planning Workshop (TEPW). Update and monitor the State Integrated Preparedness Plan (IPP) formerly known as the Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan (MYTEP). Provide technical assistance to Arizona's fifteen counties and twenty-two tribes in support of their IPPWs.
• Prepare detailed administrative and exercise reports summarizing exercise statistics, memorandums and correspondence. Provide technical assistance and reviews yearly grant applications so exercise programs are in compliance with agency policies, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) guidelines, Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) requirements.
• Prepare and support events for multi-jurisdictional entities to include local, county, state, tribal, private sector, non-governmental and federal emergency services agencies, including colleges and universities. Develops and delivers presentations on exercise program activities.
• Assigned to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) Plans Section or other SEOC positions as required during exercises or emergency activations.
• Attends state and national meetings, seminars and conferences related to emergency management.

Knowledge of:
• Supervisory and managerial principles and techniques, including functions such as hiring/separations, employee development and effective discipline.
• Principles of emergency management exercise requirements and trends.
• Grants concepts, spreadsheets, report writing, emergency management and grant terminology.
• Procurement guidelines.
• HSEEP doctrine and FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner program guidelines.
• Methods for curriculum design.
• State Homeland Security Grant Program, Emergency Management Performance Grant Program guidelines.

Skilled in:
• Effectively manage and lead staff.
• Organizing, prioritizing, and delegating tasks.
• Clear oral and written communication skills.
• Active listening and critical thinking, use logic and reasoning to identify solutions.
• Problem and conflict resolution.
• Customer service to include customer needs assessment and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Proficient in Google Suite, Microsoft Office programs (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Microsoft Teams, Zoom).
• Reporting.

Ability to:
• Manage employees with diverse backgrounds and responsibilities.
• Interact with and maintain relationships with stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and responsibilities.
• Handle confidential/sensitive information in a professional manner.
• Interpret federal and state grant guidelines.
• Develop policies and procedures.
• Must have the ability to regularly work extended hours.
• Manipulate documents and templates within Google Suite, Microsoft Office (HSEEP templates) and Adobe.
• Perform data analysis and create reports.
• Public speaking.
• Stay knowledgeable current on most updated technology and HSEEP guidelines.

National Emergency Management Basic Academy, National Emergency Management Advanced Professional Series, National Emergency Management Advanced Academy, FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (M.E.P), Instructor Training Certification, Credentialed through the Arizona Qualification System, Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) through the International Association of Emergency Managers, Certified as a Basic or Master Emergency Manager through the Arizona Emergency Managers Association.

• Bachelors degree in Emergency Management or related field or 4 years of relevant work experience
• Minimum 1 year of Supervisory experience
• This position requires possession of and the ability to retain current valid state issues driver's license. In and out of state may be required. Candidates for this position will be required to submit to a criminal background investigation as well as possess the ability to achieve a favorable Tier 3 investigation for the purpose of obtaining/maintaining a Secret clearance eligibility and Common Access Card (CAC) within one year of hire.
• Incident Command System (ICS): ICS 100 Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 120 Introduction to Exercises, ICS 130.A How to be an Exercise Evaluator, ICS 200 ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, ICS 300 Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents.
• Independent Study (IS): IS 700 National Incident Management System, An Introduction, IS 800 National Response Framework, An Introduction
• Professional Development Series (PDS) Courses

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The State of Arizona offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Eligible DEMA employees participate in excellent retirement programs provided by the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and for fire personnel the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS).

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact hr@azdema.gov.
DEMA is a smoke-free work environment.
ADA/EEO Employer
The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity and Reasonable Accommodation Employer