Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Coordinator

Cambridge Health Alliance; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) is seeking a senior leader to direct Emergency Preparedness & Systemic Compliance within the Cambridge Public Health Department. The role focuses on regulatory leadership, planning, and response to ensure readiness and compliant operations across public health initiatives.

The position requires a Master’s in Public Health (or related field) and 5+ years of management experience in public health or emergency management, with strong communication skills for diverse

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Public Health or related field; Master's preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive management experience in public health or emergency management.
• Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Excellent verbal and written communication translating data for public officials.

Responsibilities

• Regulatory leadership: ensure CPHD/CHA compliance with federal, state, and regional disaster preparedness standards.
• Operational planning: oversee EOP, COOP, and Emergency Dispensing Site plans.
• Training & exercises: manage staff trainings, drills, after-action reporting, and corrective actions.
• Emergency response management: lead and coordinate public health response and incident command structures during incidents.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Public health knowledge

Emergency management

Education

MPH or related field

Tools

ICS (Incident Command System)

NIMS

PHAB standards

Job description

Location: Cambridge Public Health Commission
Category: Human and Social Services
Department: Community Engagement PH
Job Type: Full time
Union Name: Non Union

Work Schedule: Day Length Of Shift(s) In Hours: 8
Shift Details: M-F 8:30 - 5:00
Hours/Week: 40.00
Weekend Requirements: occasional meetings
Holiday Requirements: N/a
On Call Requirements: N/A

Department Description

The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD), a recipient of the 2013 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize, works to protect and promote the health of everyone in the city, with a special focus on vulnerable populations. Administered by the Cambridge Health Alliance, the CPHD uses a Social Determinants of Health framework to address factors like economic stability, education, and racism that affect community well-being. Its key areas of focus include communicable disease prevention, environmental health, and emergency preparedness. The department is also responsible for creating and enforcing public health regulations within Cambridge.

Job Purpose:

Emergency Preparedness & Systemic Compliance

• Regulatory Leadership: Ensure CPHD compliance with federal, state, and regional emergency preparedness requirements, including PHAB (Public Health Accreditation Board) standards and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) and Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) deliverables.
• Operational Planning: Oversee the development, maintenance, and integration of the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), Continuity of Operations (COOP) Program, and Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS) plans.
• Training & Exercises: Manage the department’s training and exercise program, ensuring staff readiness through online trainings, drills, after-action reporting, and corrective action tracking.
• Emergency Response Management: Lead and coordinate public health emergency response operations. In the event of a localized incident, such as an infectious disease outbreak (e.g., Hepatitis A in a food handler), this role facilitates the development of an Incident Action Plan (IAP), implements Incident Command structures, and leads public health operations to ensure an effective, coordinated response.

Community Resilience & Trauma-Informed Response

• Responsive Crisis Management: Serve as the lead public health representative for critical community incidents. Act as a visible, trusted presence in the community during and after crises, including responses to community violence, gun violence, extreme heat events, and homelessness crises.
• Trauma-Informed Coordination: Partner with mental health providers and community clinical networks to ensure rapid, coordinated support for the community during and following traumatic events.
• Resiliency Programming: Oversee trauma and resiliency programming, including Mental Health First Aid and the Cambridge Community Response Network.
• Equity-Centered Planning: Ensure that all emergency and resilience programming explicitly addresses social determinants of health to eliminate systemic disparities for vulnerable populations.

Strategic Partnerships & Leadership Engagement

• Executive Liaison: Serve as a strategic partner to City leadership (City Manager, City Council, and Department Heads) to communicate public health trends, community needs, and emergency resource requirements.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Cultivate and maintain deep, collaborative relationships with mental health organizations, academic institutions, private-sector stakeholders, and community-based organizations.
• Regional Integration: Represent CPHD on regional committees, including the Health & Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC) and Region 4AB initiatives.

Operations, Planning & Project Management

• Project Development: Oversee the development of new projects, ensuring community input, strategic alignment with agency mission, and fiscal responsibility.
• Planning & Quality Improvement: Establish program goals, implement changes in standards/procedures, and lead quality improvement initiatives.
• Data Management & Analysis: Review and analyze program data to make agency-wide decisions, comparing outcomes with state data to address population-specific needs.
• Accreditation Support: Lead departmental efforts to achieve PHAB Accreditation, including strategic plan implementation and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) collaboration.
• Grant Management: Lead efforts to identify potential grant opportunities, prepare proposals, and manage grant requirements.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Education: Master's degree in Public Health (MPH), Emergency Management, Public Administration, or a closely related field. (Bachelor's degree with equivalent, relevant experience may be substituted; Master's preferred).
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive management experience in public health, emergency management, or a related field. Demonstrated success in managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Technical Proficiency: Comprehensive knowledge of CDC/ASPR preparedness standards, the Incident Command System (ICS), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), SNS, and EDS deployment.
• Leadership Track Record: Proven ability to manage and lead under high-stress conditions, with strong experience in building consensus across diverse groups (municipal government, community advocates, and clinical providers).
• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex public health data into actionable, accessible messaging for the public and city officials.

Please note that the final offer may vary within the listed Pay Range, based on a candidate's experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.

In keeping with federal, state and local laws, Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) policy forbids employees and associates to discriminate against anyone based on race, religion, color, gender, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. We are committed to establishing and maintaining a workplace free of discrimination. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not tolerate unlawful discrimination in the recruitment, hiring, termination, promotion, salary treatment or any other condition of employment or career development. Furthermore, we will not tolerate the use of discriminatory slurs, or other remarks, jokes or conduct, that in the judgment of CHA, encourage or permit an offensive or hostile work environment.

Cambridge Health Alliance brings Care to the People - including your neighbors, friends and family. Our local hospitals and care centers serve our vibrant, diverse communities, and play an integral role in improving health. As passionate advocates for the underserved, we actively partner with our communities to take on challenging public health issues, and conduct important research to help reduce barriers to care. We believe that everyone deserves access to high quality, convenient health care. This is why our employees believe in where they work and why many build long, rewarding careers at CHA.

Healthcare is changing rapidly. CHA has a strategic plan that charts a proactive course for our future. It is built on a vision of equity and excellence for everyone, every time. It also recognizes that our workforce is our most valuable asset and prioritizes competitive salaries, benefits and professional development opportunities for employees. The strategic plan is changing the way we provide care and improving the health and experience of our patients; we are looking for smart, committed, compassionate people who want to be part of making our vision of better health and equity a reality.

At CHA, you can believe in where you work and go home every day knowing you made a difference. Join our team and help us bring Care to the People.