Emergency Preparedness Professional

Emergency Preparedness Professional

The University of Georgia seeks an Emergency Preparedness Professional to strengthen rural healthcare facility resilience through assessments and infrastructure hardening planning. The role involves on‑site assessments, stakeholder engagement, and program advisement.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and 2 years of professional experience.

• Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a closely related field (strongly preferred).
• Demonstrated expertise in Georgia and federal regulations regarding healthcare emergency management and infrastructure (e.g., CMS Appendix Z) (strongly preferred).
• Experience surveying healthcare facilities for alignment with state and federal regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to handle large amounts of information and compile it into professional reports.
• Experience working with local and state agencies and additional partners to safeguard vulnerable populations before and during a disaster.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences.
• Experience working with external vendors or contractors to ensure realization of program goals.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with healthcare facilities and other relevant partners to facilitate program implementation and success.

The Emergency Preparedness Professional plays a key role in advancing the Institute for Disaster Management's mission to strengthen rural healthcare facility resilience through assessments and infrastructure hardening planning. This position focuses on conducting on‑site assessments to evaluate healthcare facilities' ability to effectively shelter in place (SIP) or receive evacuees during disasters. In addition to being a subject‑matter expert in healthcare emergency preparedness, this position will serve as the IDM representative during these assessment visits, ensuring that facility leadership and personnel are properly engaged for program success.

This role serves as a bridge between technical expertise and practical implementation. The Emergency Preparedness Professional will work with state, regional, and local partners to translate assessment findings into actionable program strategies. Additionally, this role will serve as the point person for healthcare facilities, connecting them to program resources and consulting them on infrastructure hardening programs.

• Ability to drive throughout the State of Georgia for overnight travel.
• Demonstrated expertise in healthcare facility engineering and maintenance.
• Understanding of emergency management and response principles.
• Strong understanding of Georgia and federal regulations regarding healthcare emergency management and infrastructure.
• Ability to listen effectively and clearly communicate technical issues both orally and in writing.
• Adept at communicating effectively verbally and in writing with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Possess strong organizational skills, the ability to work independently, multitask, and prioritize.
• Ability to create and deliver clear, professional reports.
• Ability to analyze, identify critical elements and alternatives, and organize existing resources and new information to implement the most appropriate solutions.
• Ability to engage a wide range of audiences and drive program participation.
• Demonstrated alignment with UGA competencies:
  • Communicates Effectively
  • Makes Sound Decisions
  • Serves Others

• Sitting at a computer workstation for extended periods.
• Walking through healthcare facilities of various sizes for survey work.
• Occasional lifting and transport of field survey equipment, some of which can be heavy and/or bulky.
• Driving to perform job duties.

• Drive to scheduled healthcare facilities for initial facility assessment. This position will require overnight travel outside of the primary office location.
• Ensure facility compliance with pre‑assessment responsibilities.
• Facilitate connections with facility leadership and…