Exercise Officer Senior

Overview

Join our Emergency Management team as an Exercise Officer, where you will serve as a key liaison between local, state, and federal agencies to enhance regional preparedness. We are looking for a collaborative leader who can build strong networks and ensure our organization remains ready to respond to and recover from any disaster.

The Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is hiring an Exercise Officer Senior (Staff Development Program Specialist Senior). This position is located within Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and headquartered at the Joint Force Headquarters at 2400 Wright Street, Madison, WI.

The DMA provides essential, effective, and responsive military and emergency management capability for the citizens of our state and nation. During emergencies, no single organization can handle the response. The DMA consists of several organizations working together to plan, prepare, coordinate, and respond effectively when our communities and neighbors need us the most.

WEM builds capabilities and coordinates resources to support a safe and resilient Wisconsin. WEM is the state’s lead agency for coordinating effective disaster response and recovery efforts in support of local and tribal governments from natural and human‑caused/technological events. WEM works alongside local, tribal, state, and federal agencies as well as volunteer and private‑sector partners.

Our convenient location is near Madison College and adjacent to the Dane County Regional Airport with access to major highways. Our facility includes a fantastic fitness center, indoor pickleball court, and free on‑site parking.

The DMA offers an opportunity to engage with a team of dedicated professionals and great life/work balance. In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, we offer a competitive benefits package featuring:

• Substantial leave time including at least 3.5 weeks of vacation to start, 9 paid holidays, and ample accrued sick time that rolls over each year.
• Excellent and affordable health, vision, and dental benefits (health plan options start at just $45/month for single plans and $111/month for family plans after two months of employment).
• A casual atmosphere and flexible work schedules, depending on the position's requirements.
• An exceptional pension plan with employer match and lifetime retirement payment, plus an optional tax‑advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
• Well Wisconsin Wellness Program: A free and confidential employee assistance program that offers employees and their immediate family dependents a variety of tools, resources, and professional consultation services to support their health, goals, and overall wellbeing.
• Working for Wisconsin State Government may make you eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

This position will implement several short‑term special projects as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) exercise and training program for Wisconsin Emergency Management. Under the direction of the Training & Exercise Section Supervisor, the Exercise Officer Senior will develop, conduct, and evaluate all‑hazards exercises in accordance with the HSEEP all‑hazards exercise‑training program. The Exercise Officer Senior will conduct needs assessments to determine the appropriateness of local and state exercise programs and ensure that appropriate training is developed and/or delivered in accordance with established State and Federal guidelines and procedures to achieve uniformity, quality control, and safety.

This position will provide exercise program strategy and planning for the development, conduct, and evaluation of the state Capstone Exercises and yearly State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) exercises.

This position performs special exercise projects and assignments on behalf of local governments as directed by the Division’s supervisory and management personnel. Duties are performed with extensive latitude for independent decision‑making and are performed independently with minimal supervision by the Training & Exercise Section Supervisor. This position also requires travel and…