Emergency Preparedness Director (DPW)

City of Atlanta, GA; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Atlanta is seeking an Emergency Preparedness Director within the Department of Public Works to lead strategic planning, coordination, and execution of local emergency preparedness initiatives. You will oversee safety, incident response, and business continuity aligned with city strategies.

You will develop interdepartmental liaisons, manage crisis responses, and provide timely briefings to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and ten (10) years of relevant experience.
• Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) certification is required.

Responsibilities

• Directs planning, organization, control, and implementation of local emergency preparedness for Public Works.
• Develops and maintains liaison with other departments and Mayor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness for plan development and response coordination.
• Conducts planning, training, and exercises for the DPW and defines roles and responsibilities.
• Provides crisis management leadership for the department before, during, and after incidents.
• Serves as the DPW liaison in the Joint Operation Center (JOC).
• Leads Business Continuity planning, training, exercises, and recovery efforts.
• Interacts with the Commissioner and senior staff to oversee emergency preparedness and response issues.
• Provides briefings to the Commissioner on serious weather or man-made incidents impacting operations.
• Coordinates messaging with the department’s communications team.
• Participates in cross-organizational planning for major events.

Skills

Emergency management

Crisis leadership

Cross-department coordination

Communications

Planning and training

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)

Job description

Department of Public Works Emergency Preparedness Director

Posting Expires: 10/12/2026

General Description and Classification Standards:

Leads the strategic planning, coordination, control, and meticulous execution of local Emergency Preparedness Management activities. Manage Safety and Security, Incident Response, and Business Continuity initiatives for the Department of Public Works, all in alignment with the Mayor’s Moving Atlanta Forward strategy.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive.

• Coordinates and directs the planning, organization, control, and implementation of local emergency preparedness management activities for Public Works.
• Develops and maintains liaisons with other departments, as well as the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness in order to facilitate plan development, response effort coordination, and exchanges of personnel and equipment.
• Conducts planning, training, and execution exercises for the DPW as well as practice emergency management execution and cement roles and responsibilities.
• Provides crisis management leadership for the department before, during, and after critical incidents and special events.
• Serves as the for Department of Public Works Liaison in the Joint Operation Center (JOC).
• Leads the Business Continuity mission for continuity of operations planning, training, exercise, and recovery.
• Interacts with the Commissioner and other senior staff for the department on a daily basis to oversee and ensure proper functioning emergency preparedness, continuity of operations, and response issues.
• Provides briefings to the Commissioner of Public Works for all serious weather or man-made incidents that may occur that may impact the department operations.
• Coordinates communication messaging with the department’s communications team.
• Participates in a cross-organizational planning team responsible for coordinating the logistics, operations, and security of major sporting events, large-scale public events, and other high-profile events hosted by or impacting the City of Atlanta.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

The above statements reflect the general duties, responsibilities and competencies considered necessary to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job and should not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements of the position. COA may change the specific job duties with or without prior notice based on the needs of the organization.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

This is a partial listing of necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job successfully, it is not an exhaustive list.

• Knowledge of emergency management principles, policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Knowledge of emergency preparedness, disaster response, business continuity, resilience, and recovery operations.
• Knowledge of Emergency management practices and IC
• Emergency response planning, COOP, and SOP development.
• Safety/security controls and vulnerability assessment concepts.
• Skill in developing and implementing emergency preparedness, continuity, and response plans.
• Skill in coordinating emergency operations among multiple departments, first responders, and local, state, and federal agencies.
• Ability to assess risks and develop strategies for natural disasters, cyber threats, infrastructure failures, power outages, and other emergencies.
• Ability to effectively manage crises and make sound, timely decisions under pressure.
• Skill in conducting emergency preparedness training, exercises, drills, and after-action reviews.
• Ability to communicate complex emergency situations clearly and provide timely briefings and recommendations to senior leadership.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience –

Bachelor’s degree in a related field and ten (10) years of relevant experience.

Licensures and Certifications - Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)

Required physical, lifting, and sensory capabilities are requirements to perform the job successfully. Typical environmental conditions associated with job.

Lifting Requirements:

Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.

Job Info

• Job Identification 34228
• Job Category General
• Posting Date 09/28/2026, 03:43 PM
• Apply Before 10/12/2026, 04:00 AM
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 55 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, US