Senior Manager, Emergency Management

Oakton College; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Oakton College seeks an experienced Emergency Management Director to develop and implement integrated preparedness plans, oversee an Incident Management Team, and coordinate across departments during emergencies. You will train senior leadership in ICS/NIMS, design campus drills, and maintain the EOP and business continuity plans.

The role requires a master's degree and active emergency management certifications; higher-ed experience is preferred, with on-call readiness and cross-campus

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Emergency Management or related field.
• Minimum five years in emergency management with leadership.
• Advanced NIMS/ICS knowledge and on-campus coordination experience.
• Illinois Professional Emergency Manager certification required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement an integrated preparedness plan and multiyear training roadmap.
• Coordinate during disasters, serving as EOC Manager when needed.
• Lead hazard assessments and develop mitigation plans.
• Train management and staff on ICS principles and emergency planning.
• Design drills/exercises using HSEEP; produce AARs and CAPs.
• Maintain campus Emergency Operations Plan and business continuity efforts.
• Support budgeting, grant opportunities, and interdepartmental coordination.

Skills

Emergency management leadership

Training & exercises

Public speaking / presentations

Risk assessment & mitigation

Education

Master's degree in Emergency Management

Illinois Professional Emergency Manager certification

Job description

Location: Des Plaines, IL

Category: Staff

Job Type: Full Time Staff

Posted On: Wed Nov 4 2026

Basic Function and Responsibility

• Develop and implement an integrated preparedness plan, establish a multiyear training exercise roadmap, and plan priorities for the College's Incident Management Team (IMT) and stakeholders within Oakton College departments.
• Provide coordination and support during actual disaster and emergency operations, both on-scene and from the EOC. Serve as the EOC Manager in the absence of the Chief of Police & Emergency Management.
• Lead and conduct initial and periodic assessment of natural, human, and technological hazards and threats and develop recommendations/plans for reduction of impact of the identified threats.
• Train upper management, departments, and the Incident Management Team (IMT) on Incident Command System (ICS) principles and assist departments in developing their individual Emergency Operations Plans.
• Design, coordinate, and evaluate college-wide and departmental emergency drills and exercises using HSEEP standards; produce After Action Reports (AAR) and Corrective Action Plans (CAP).
• Develop, maintain, and regularly update the campus Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), All-Hazards Contingency Plan, and supporting emergency procedures and checklists.
• Work with all areas of the College to facilitate, implement, maintain, and exercise an effective College-wide business continuity plan that strives to reduce the possibility that Oakton College operations will be interrupted in the event of a disaster; support special events planning and working closely with key departments.
• Evaluate and communicate the probability, risk, health, and safety of responders, continuity of operations, and impacts to facilities, infrastructure and mission of the institution.
• Assist in reunification planning both as a reunification site for K-12 schools and determining best locations for Oakton College reunification.
• Develop and maintain website content and other communication tools regarding potential disasters and emergencies in conjunction with the office of the Director of Communications and External Relations. Develop preparedness materials and communicate them throughout Oakton College to increase knowledge and preparedness of individuals, departments and response teams.
• Manage and test the AlertOakton! Emergency Notification System, including procedure development, performance evaluation, and user training.
• Research and present appropriate grant funding opportunities to the Grants Office to support effective programs for emergency management.
• Coordinate preparation of detailed reports and applications to State and Federal agencies, in conjunction with Risk Management, for any applicable reimbursement and financial assistance needed to recover from disasters.
• Manage College access control in conjunction with IT.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Supervision Received

Supervision is received from the Chief of Police and Emergency Management.

Supervision Exercised

Currently no functional supervision.

Job Requirements

Qualifications And Working Conditions

• Must possess a Master's degree in Emergency Management, Threat &, Response Management, Preparedness &, Planning, Disaster Services, or National or International Disaster Relief, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of related experience with increasingly responsible leadership in the emergency management field performing tasks such as developing/maintaining hazard assessment plans, mitigation measures (including preservation of academic research), damage assessment, resource recovery, responding to hazardous material incidents, and providing training in emergency management topics.
• Demonstrated experience in emergency management practices, with advanced knowledge of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS).
• Certification as an Illinois Professional Emergency Manager is required.
• Must hold certification for NIMS ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, & 800.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of work-related information and materials.
• Demonstrated ability to make formal presentations and provide effective training, to include planning and managing exercises/after-action reports, in emergency management concepts to varied and diverse campus audiences, including the highest level of college management.
• Experience working in a higher education environment and proven experience in working as part of a coordinated team to achieve program, departmental, and campus goals, preferred.
• Ability to interact professionally and tactfully with people of different levels of education, cultural backgrounds and life experiences and to exhibit an adequate level of respect to fellow employees and the College community at large.
• Experience developing and executing budgets.
• Basic certification in first aid and the use of AED equipment.
• Must possess a valid United States driver's license and have a safe driving record.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk, hear, use their hands and fingers, handle and operate objects, controls, tools or instruments; reach with hands and arms, climb or balance; run, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; taste and smell.
• The work may require strenuous physical exertion including to carry, drag, or restrain individuals, lift in excess of 50 pounds, and exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work is performed in both office and field settings on a rotating shift schedule in all weather conditions on a year-round basis.
• Ability and willingness to respond to emergencies on an on-call 24/7 basis.
• Must be able to travel between campus locations.

Additional Information

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:15 am - 5:00 pm This position is responsible for Emergency Management and Business Continuity for the College. As such, the hours for the position may be flexible in order to assure this position meets the needs of the College, especially during heightened incidents.

Based on the needs of the college and with Administrator approval, some positions at the college may have a hybrid schedule option available after 30 working days.

For information regarding employment eligibility, please visit our employment at Oakton web page.

Equal Opportunity Employer