Senior Planner

The mission of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is to work in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities. The BPHC sets an expectation that all staff and leadership commit, individually and as part of the BPHC team, to hold ourselves accountable to establishing a culture of anti-racism and advance racial equity and justice through each of our bureaus, programs, and offices.

Job Description

The Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP) is a program of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). The mission of OPHP is to enhance community, public health, and healthcare system resilience to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies that impact the health of the public. OPHP envisions a resilient Boston through healthy, informed, and connected communities that are supported every day and during emergencies by strong, integrated public health and healthcare systems.

OPHP seeks a Senior Planner to lead and coordinate emergency planning and preparedness activities across the office. The Senior Planner works with OPHP and BPHC staff and programs, City agencies, and external partners to ensure plans are collaborative, integrated, operational, current, and responsive to the needs of Boston residents. Working under the direction of the Associate Director of Planning & Community Resilience, the Senior Planner serves as a lead resource for emergency planning and supports BPHC’s responsibilities for coordinating public health and healthcare services during emergencies, including its role under Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF-8).

• Works to help BPHC advance as an antiracist organization by meeting or exceeding the standards set by the BPHC Anti-Racism Policy.
• Lead and coordinate collaborative emergency planning efforts across OPHP and BPHC.
• Maintain working knowledge of BPHC emergency plans, relevant City of Boston Plans, and Boston Healthcare Preparedness Coalition plans.
• Coordinate development, review, maintenance, and integration of BPHC emergency plans and annexes, including integration with ESF-8 and other relevant City plans.
• Maintain a master inventory and review cycle for emergency plans and identify planning gaps, dependencies, and priorities.
• Coordinate Continuity of Operations (COOP), recovery, Medical Countermeasures/Emergency Dispensing, and other hazard-specific or functional planning activities, as assigned.
• Support hazard vulnerability and capability assessment and incorporate identified risks and lessons learned into planning priorities and plan updates.
• Coordinate planning with City agencies, healthcare organizations, community partners, universities, business es, and other public and private partners.
• Support training and exercise activities, including after actions and improvement plans, to test and validate emergency plans and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Research federal, state, and local requirements, guidance, and best practices to inform planning and preparedness activities.
• Represent OPHP on preparedness planning groups and initiatives, as assigned.

• Serve as Duty Officer for the Stephen M. L awlor Medical Intelligence Center (MIC) following required onboarding and training.
• Staff the MIC during emergencies, planned events, and other activations affecting public health and healthcare.
• Provide planning support during activations, including situational awareness, incident planning, documentation, and development of planning products.
• Maintain working knowledge of relevant emergency plans, protocols, and procedures.
• Maintain readiness by participating in required emergency responses,…