Emergency Management Planner - Southeast Region

State of Tennessee Job Information Opening Date/Time 09/11/2026 12:00AM Central Time

Job Information
State of Tennessee Job Information Opening Date/Time 09/11/2026 12:00AM Central Time Closing Date/Time 09/24/2026 11:59PM Central Time Salary (Monthly) $4,057.00- $5,078.00 Salary (Annually) $48,684.00- $60,936.00 Job Type Full-Time City, State Location Chattanooga, TN Department Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)
LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF TENNESSEE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, HAMILTON COUNTY
This position is located in the Southeast Region.
This position is designed as Hybrid.
Qualifications Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree and experience equivalent to two years of full-time/paid or unpaid internship responsible professional emergency management planning work or closely related field.
Substitution of Education for

Experience:

Additional graduate coursework in emergency management, business continuity, public health emergency preparedness, public administration, or community planning may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis, for a maximum of two years.
Substitution of Experience for

Education:

Qualifying full-time work in a public safety related field or office administration may be substituted for the required education, on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of four years.
Overview The Tennessee Department of Emergency Management Authority (TEMA) is dedicated to protecting Tennessee communities before, during, and after emergencies. Through preparedness, coordination, rapid response, and recovery, we work alongside local agencies, first responders, and residents to build a safer, stronger, and more resilient Tennessee. Working for TEMA is more than a career it's an opportunity to serve the people of Tennessee when they need us most.

Every role contributes to protecting communities, supporting those on the front lines, and helping Tennessee prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. Join a team where your work has a meaningful impact across our state. Serve Tennessee. Support your neighbors. Make a difference. The Regional Planner serves as the primary planning support resource to county emergency management agencies within an assigned region.

This position specializes in the development, review, maintenance, and integration of County Basic Emergency Operations Plans (BEOPs) and County Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMPs). The Regional Planner ensures these plans meet state and federal standards, align with TEMA guidance, and support statewide preparedness, mitigation, and response outcomes. Working under the Planning Branch and in coordination with the Regional Planning Manager, the Regional Planner supports county planning processes, facilitates stakeholder engagement, assists in exercise-driven plan improvements, and contributes to statewide capability assessments.

Responsibilities

• Provides direct technical assistance to county emergency management agencies in developing, writing, reviewing, and updating County BEOPs to ensure compliance with state and federal planning standards and FEMA CPG-101.
• Guides counties through the Hazard Mitigation Planning process, including risk assessment development, mitigation strategy formulation, and alignment with FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide.
• Reviews submitted BEOPs and HMPs for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with state frameworks, recommending revisions to strengthen operational readiness and hazard reduction outcomes.
• Facilitates workshops, planning meetings, and stakeholder coordination sessions to support plan development and multi-jurisdictional collaboration.
• Assists counties in integrating risk assessment findings, capability gaps, and lessons learned from exercises or disaster events into current and future BEOPs and HMPs.
• Monitors plan expiration cycles and ensures counties remain on schedule for required updates, including FEMA approval cycles for Hazard Mitigation Plans.
• Supports counties in identifying mitigation priorities, potential grant-eligible projects, and alignment with state mitigation strategies.
• Collects and analyzes county and regional data for use in THIRA/SPR assessments, Integrated Preparedness Plans (IPPs), and planning-related grant documentation.
• Coordinates with the Regional Planning Manager and Exercise Program Manager to incorporate BEOP and HMP elements into exercises and uses After-Action Reports/Improvement…