Emergency Preparedness & Communications Specialist IV

State of Colorado; Pueblo County (CO); Presencial; USD 90 000 - 140 000; Tempo integral

Resumo da oferta

The State of Colorado seeks an Emergency Management leader to develop and maintain the hospital’s all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and oversee hazard vulnerability assessments. You will coordinate cross-functional planning with hospital leadership and external partners to ensure regulatory compliance and effective incident response.

You will lead staff training, tabletop and full-scale exercises, and serve in incident command during emergencies, guiding communications, resource

Qualificações

• Seven years of full-time, relevant professional experience in emergency management, crisis communications, hospital safety planning, or public health preparedness.
• Combination of related higher education and experience equal to seven years.
• Preferred: FEMA ICS courses and Hospital Incident Command System training.

Responsabilidades

• Develops, implements, and maintains the all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) for the hospital campus.
• Leads hazard vulnerability assessments and cross-department emergency planning.
• Designs emergency exercises and staff training to validate plans and readiness.
• Acts as SME for emergency management and advises hospital leadership during incidents.
• Ensures compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, and CDPHE standards.

Conhecimentos

Emergency management

Crisis communications

Hospital safety planning

Public health preparedness

Formação académica

Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management or related field

Descrição da oferta de emprego

Department Information

By email ([e-mail]), or

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CDHSCareers

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

This position is open ONLY to Colorado State Residents

About The Emergency Management And Preparedness Department

The Emergency Management and Preparedness Department proactively mitigates operational risks and prepares for a full range of emergencies to protect patient and staff safety at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo (CMHHIP). The unit leads the facility's comprehensive response and recovery efforts during large-scale crises by developing regulatory-compliant Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs), educating personnel, and providing expert strategic consultation to hospital leadership. Additionally, the department fosters collaborative partnerships with external healthcare coalitions and regional emergency response agencies to enhance communication, joint resource sharing, and overall community safety.

Description of Job

About The Position

This position will be 100% on campus; Monday - Friday hours are 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

As a designated staff authority, this position develops, implements, and maintains the comprehensive Emergency Management (EM) program for the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo (CMHHIP). The primary objective of this role is to safeguard the campus population by ensuring the facility’s all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and related safety protocols maintain continuous compliance with all state and federal healthcare regulations.

Acting as the agency's subject matter expert, this role leads facility-wide hazard vulnerability assessments, integrated cross-departmental emergency planning, comprehensive staff training, and strategic community partnership outreach. During active emergencies, this position serves within the incident command center to advise leadership and help direct the hospital's response and recovery efforts across a wide range of operational threats.

Planning

• Chairs the Emergency Management Committee, collaborating with cross-functional hospital leadership and external partners to ensure integrated campus emergency planning.
• Directs and executes the annual facility-wide Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) and comprehensive self-assessments to identify operational risks and prioritize planning efforts.
• Develops, implements, and maintains the hospital's all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), ensuring alignment with the six critical elements of the Joint Commission’s Hospital Emergency Management Standards.
• Designs and oversees strategic emergency preparedness protocols encompassing mitigation, response, and recovery for a variety of threats, including natural disasters, infectious diseases, and security incidents.
• Manages resource allocation planning within the EOP, including the staging of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical countermeasures, and essential utility backups.

Communication

• Develops and oversees redundant internal and external emergency communication systems to ensure timely threat notification across the agency.
• Serves as the primary liaison for community emergency partners, coordinating responses with local health departments, healthcare coalitions, and first responders.
• Collaborates with hospital leadership regarding the activation, operational logistics, and necessary supply chains for the CMHHIP Emergency Shelter.
• Designs and facilitates comprehensive emergency management training and scalable exercises (tabletop, functional, and full-scale) to validate communication pathways and test leadership readiness.
• Coordinates critical incident messaging and urgent response communications with facility leadership and the CDHS Critical Incident and CMHHIP Communications Specialist.

Quality Management

• Analyzes complex emergency response data and statistical metrics to evaluate program effectiveness and identify areas for structural improvement.
• Produces formal Apparent Cause Analysis/Root Cause Analysis Reports (ACA/RCAs) and Improvement Plans following all exercises and major real-world incidents.
• Drives Quality Assurance and Process Improvement (QAPI) initiatives for the emergency program, utilizing evidence-based data to update and revise emergency policies, procedures, and training objectives in collaboration with the Director of Quality Management.
• Provides real-time operational analysis during active incident command responses to prioritize needs and guide recovery efforts.

Customer Service

• Serves as the primary subject matter expert (SME) and technical advisor for hospital emergency management.
• Provides strategic consultation to executive leadership and department heads to guide high-level policy formulation and operational decisions.
• Fosters collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external community partners to promote the agency's emergency preparedness mission and values.

Compliance

• Ensures facility-wide compliance with all local, state, and federal emergency management regulations, including Joint Commission, CMS, and CDPHE standards.
• Leads the facility's preparation for and response to onsite accrediting agency surveys and audits.
• Formulates and executes formal Plans of Correction in response to any survey findings or identified compliance deficiencies.
• Conducts root-cause analyses and formal investigations into safety incidents and near-misses, developing corrective actions to mitigate future risks.

Other Duties as Assigned

Responsibility to perform assigned tasks and duties within the scope of practice for this position that do not fall within the realm of duty statements A-D.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Experience Only

Seven (7) years of full-time, relevant professional experience in an occupation directly related to emergency management, crisis communications, hospital safety planning, or public health preparedness.

Combination Of Education & Experience

A combination of related higher education (e.g., Emergency Management, Healthcare Administration, Communications, Public Health, Safety Engineering, or a related field) and/or relevant professional experience equal to seven (7) years.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hospital Disaster Experience: 3 to 5 years planning hospital safety responses, evaluating facility risks, and running disaster drills for staff.
• Crisis Communication Skills: Direct experience writing emergency alerts, coordinating with news media, and managing mass text/email alert systems during critical incidents.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Working familiarity with hospital emergency rules from government agencies (CMS) and The Joint Commission (TJC) Emergency Management Standards.
• Specialized Training: FEMA incident response courses (ICS 100, 200, 700, 800) and Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) training.
• Professional Credentials: Professional emergency management certification (such as CHEP or CEM) or formal Public Information Officer (PIO) training.

Preferred Education

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Communications, Public Relations, or Public Health.

Conditions of Employment

• Full background check -CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons): CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers).
• Use, handling, or exposure to hazardous materials - Potential exposure during various construction projects.
• Be up-to-date on MANDT and CPR before working first assignment;
• Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist;
• Stabilize another person to accomplish a controlled takedown;
• Rotate body 90 degrees with feet planted for using a defensive tactic;
• Kneel on one or both knees and stand up again with multiple repetitions;
• Must be able to see and hear to observe, address, and respond to potential breaches in safety;
• Seize, hold, control, or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury;
• Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs, and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently;
• Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations.
• Shall not initiate or engage in sexual, social, personal, or financial relationships with patients either during or any time after hospitalization, even if the patient requests or initiates such a relationship. All relationships with current or former patients must be disclosed on your application;
• Successfully pass all modules of the CMHHIP New Employee Orientation core curriculum to include English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams;
• Has direct patient encounter responsibilities; works in situations involving assaultive behavior;
• Ability to read and comprehend the English language; effectively and fluently communicates in English, both verbally and in writing;
• 2-step TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hire;
• Annual influenza vaccination required.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:
• Disclose that information on the application.
• Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position.
• Provide your employee number from your prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

CDHS Selection Process Explanation

Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs. per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.

• Preferred Qualifications & Competencies:
• Relevant years of state service experience.
• Minimum Qualification Screening Process A Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position. You must complete the official State of Colorado online application. Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process. You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached."

You must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

Supplemental Questions

Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully. We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

Appeal Rights

You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated. You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website.

Additional Support For Your Application

Disclaimer regarding technical support is omitted to remove application instructions.

About Us & Benefits

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, join the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. Each of us is committed to contributing to a safe and accessible CDHS. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
• *Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Our Values

• We believe in a people-first approach: We prioritize the needs, well-being, and dignity of the individuals, families and communities we serve. We commit to respect, fairness and access in every decision, policy and interaction. We engage client voices and experiences in the development and implementation of the services we provide.
• Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.
• We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.
• Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.
• We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.
• Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

ADA Accommodations

CDHS is committed to a Colorado for ALL qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment.

This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to [e-mail].

EEO Statement

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer.

We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL" of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL" drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Supplemental Information

Questions and responses are taken from the original posting for supplemental interview content. They have been retained as part of the job description for full context. They are not removed as they provide insight into the expectations for applicants.

Describe your direct experience developing and updating an all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) for a hospital or healthcare facility. How do you conduct a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) to decide which risks to plan for first?

Describe your experience designing and running emergency exercises in a healthcare environment. How do you test communication systems to make sure backup methods work when primary systems fail?

Tell us about a time you reviewed data after an emergency or training drill and found significant operational failures. Describe the steps and action items necessary to identify process failures, improvement opportunities, and report the results of the drill?

Describe your experience preparing a facility for unannounced regulatory surveys regarding emergency preparedness. How do you handle developing a formal Plan of Correction if surveyors find a deficiency?

Your legal name is used in the hiring process for background checks. Did you use your full legal name in your application? If not, please update your information before submitting your application.

Are you a current or previous State of Colorado employee?

If you are a former State of Colorado employee, please provide your EID (employee identification number will start with 99....), if not applicable type N/A. Failure to provide this information may disqualify your application from further consideration.

Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application. In the space below, please provide an explanation as to why the prior termination or resignation should NOT disqualify your application from the current position.

Are you a Veteran requesting preference? If yes, you must submit a copy of DD214