Manager, Emergency Management

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo; Fort McMurray; On-site; CAD 141,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent benefits

Retirement plans

Job summary

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo seeks a Manager, Emergency Management to lead the municipality’s emergency program and ensure compliance with provincial and municipal by-laws. You will oversee CEMP, ESS, and RECC operations, guiding risk identification and response planning under the direction of the Regional Fire Chief.

The role requires strong leadership and communication skills, collaboration with government and partners, and the ability to mentor staff while maintaining crisis

Qualifications

• Experience in emergency management programs and compliance with applicable acts and by-laws.
• Seven years of related emergency services/management experience; three in a supervisory role.
• Criminal record check and valid licence may be required for operational duties.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations, budgeting, and strategic planning for Emergency Management.
• Develop and maintain Regional Emergency Management Plans and ESS programs.
• Coordinate with EMA and RECC, advise Fire Chief on risk and preparedness.

Skills

Emotional intelligence

Analytical thinking

Organizational skills

Emergency Management knowledge

Public speaking

Technical writing

Communication

Leadership

Confidential information handling

Education

Degree in Business Administration/Public Administration

BEM and ICS 100/200/300 certification

ESS training in reception centers management

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Job description

Requisition ID: 4577

Affiliation: Exempt

Position Type: Permanent Full Time

Number of Openings: 1

Bi-weekly Working Hours: 70 hours bi-weekly

Shift/Work Schedule: Monday to Friday

Department/ Branch: Regional Emergency Services, Emergency Management

Job Location: Fort McMurray

Starting Salary Range*: $141,208.00 - $149,277.00

Posted (dd/mm/yyyy): 19/09/2026

Closing Date (dd/mm/yyyy): 04/10/2026

Posting Type: Internal and External

• The Municipality offers a competitive compensation package, including an attractive base salary, excellent benefits, retirement plans, and more. The starting salary for this position is within the range listed above and will be dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

We strive to make our hiring process accessible to all candidates. If you require accommodation for the interview or any other part of the application process, please let us know.

General Description

Reporting to the Reginal Fire Chief, the Manager, Emergency Management is a key figure in the overall development and administration of the municipality’s Regional Emergency Management Program. Responsible for ensuring the municipality is compliant with the Provincial Emergency Management Act and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s Emergency Management Bylaw (No. 18/006), this role provides expertise and advice to the Regional Fire Chief and is a key figure in the activities of the Emergency Management Agency (EMA). The Manager, Emergency Management provides day to day oversight to the Community Emergency Management Plans (CEMP), Emergency Social Services (ESS) programs, and the Regional Emergency Coordination Centre (RECC). Leads and supports the overall development, administration, and would advise the Regional Fire Chief on risk identification and recommendations within the region’s Emergency Management Plan. Primary responsibilities of the position include:

Branch Management, Financial and Administration

Leads overall service delivery, manages through direct involvement in daily operations, budgeting and strategic planning of overall design and deployment of all Emergency Management personnel. Ensures programs are developed according to legislation, industry standards, and best practices. Leads staff in the delivery of advice, recommendations, and decision support. Assist the Regional Fire Chief in development of the annual business plan and budget for Emergency Management. Supports the development and maintains the function, and prepares and facilitates presentations related to Emergency Management, the Emergency Advisory Committee, and the Emergency Management Agency. Assist the Fire Chief in an annual review of the Regional Emergency Management Plan (REMP), including the annual assessment of the Municipality’s state of emergency preparedness for submission to the DEM and CAO.

Leadership & Relationships

Takes a lead role in developing, implementing, and maintaining innovative and practical approaches to branch initiatives and Regional Emergency Management program initiatives including RECC (includes the Incident Command Team), CEMP maintenance, ESS, ICS (Incident Command Structure) training and exercises. Provides mentorship to staff, and ensures all employees are working proficiently and effectively in a productive environment. Monitors emergency situations and advises the Regional Fire Chief on impending emergencies. Supports and maintains relationships with representatives of the Government of Alberta, other municipalities, and regional or industrial partners. In some cases, may be required to act as the Deputy Director of Emergency Management (DEM). The Deputy DEM would serve in a critical leadership role, alongside or as directed by the DEM during emergencies or disasters. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with managers, employees, and external contacts (including Indigenous and rural stakeholders), and interact in a manner that builds trust, credibility, and rapport.

Implementation of Strategies

Responsible for supporting the effective implementation of the Emergency Management Program and Disaster Risk Reduction strategies, as well as the continuance of supporting local and community resiliency. Provides support to departments required to draft and implement risk mitigation plans/projects. Supports the direction and Regional Fire Chief in the Municipality’s emergency response including, but not limited to items such as decisions on activating the Emergency Coordination Centre, supporting the management and direction of activities in the RECC after it is activated, supporting the authorizing, and coordinating all services and other resources required during the Emergency. With the support of the Regional Fire Chief and Emergency Management Agency (EMA), this role supports planning, coordinating, and leading the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) methodology within the municipality.

Skills Requirements

• High emotional intelligence capacity including the ability to deal effectively with ambiguity and remain calm and neutral in high stress situations.
• Ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively and determine a proper course of action; use appropriate independent judgement to make decisions of a technical, management and/or administrative nature in support of the department/organization goals and objectives.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to work under own initiative and make sound decisions, sometimes under stressful conditions.
• Knowledge of Emergency Management legislation, regulations, and accepted practices.
• Advanced public speaking, small group facilitation, and technical writing skills.
• Ability to prepare a variety of correspondence, reports, and other written materials.
• Demonstrated ability with a variety of computer programs and technology (web cameras, conference systems, etc.) for the purposes of supporting the RECC.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), with ability to learn additional Emergency Management related software
• Strong communication, interpersonal, leadership, analytical, problem-solving, and presentation skills.
• Ability to deal with sensitive and confidential information/situations.

Education

• Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field including specialized training in emergency management and preparedness is required.
• Certification in Basic Emergency Management (BEM) and Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200 and 300 are required, with the intent and capability to obtain level 400.
• Basic level of training in ESS, including the management of reception centers, group lodging facilities, and site management is preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education and work experience may be considered.

Experience

• Seven (7) years of related experience working in an emergency services and/or emergency management environment, including three (3) years in a supervisory/leadership role is required. Public sector experience at the municipal level is an asset.
• Experience leading or supervising staff and/or volunteers, and experience working with multiple external stakeholder groups is an asset.
• Experience in project management is considered an asset.

Other Requirements

• Submission of a criminal record check.
• A valid Alberta Class Five (5) operator’s licence is preferred as incumbent may be required to operate a personal or municipal vehicle for business use.
• Ability to work after regular hours and on weekends as required.
• Ability to work rotational on call periods to ensure rapid response in event of large-scale emergencies or natural disasters.

Safety

As an employee of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the incumbent is responsible and accountable for knowing and working in accordance with the Health and Safety Directive. As per section 2 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the incumbent shall ensure while in the employ of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo the health and safety of employees, contractors, and the public. This position is employed in a supervisory capacity. As such the employee is required to obtain additional safety training in accordance with municipal procedures and directives.