Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

Friday, August 30, 2024

Non-Union, Windsor

Full-Time, Permanent

Posting expiry date: Monday, September 16 2024 at 4:30pm

Reports to: Manager Planning and Strategic Initiatives

Divisions: Planning and Strategic Initiatives

Overall Job Responsibility:

Guided by the principles of need, impact, capacity, partnership and collaboration, the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator will enable effective WECHU management of anticipated and unanticipated disruptions, events, and/or emergencies that affect health or Ontario’s public health programs and services as described in relevant sections of the Ontario Public Health Standards (2024). The Coordinator will support the organization’s engagement in strategies that prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from anticipated and unanticipated disruptions, events, and/or emergencies with public health, or public health program and service impacts. The Coordinator adopts best practices in emergency management across all program areas, including conducting an all-hazards approach, adopting a disaster risk reduction and whole-of-society approach to managing risks and vulnerabilities, and incorporating Incident Management System (IMS) concepts and/or principles consistent with IMS to emergency response.

This list of responsibilities is representative of the scope of this position, however, it is not exhaustive or descriptive of any one position within this class.

Key areas of Responsibility include but are not limited to:

• Develops, coordinates, implements, monitors and evaluates comprehensive community public health education/promotion strategies designed to meet the needs of various target groups within the community and in accordance with the principles of health promotion and related competencies.
• Serves as liaison to and coordinates activities locally, regionally, and provincially.
• Serves on community advisory boards.
• Provides direction and support to other health unit staff as it pertains to emergency preparedness.
• Confers with county and municipal officials, community leaders, and their WECHU manager regarding emergency preparedness issues and needs.
• Provides technical assistance and consultation to community agencies, health care organizations, schools, industries and other community groups.
• Develops and prepares appropriate written and communication materials for WECHU, including reports, educational pamphlets, brochures and posters, social media messages.
• Plans, writes, coordinates and/or edits public health information materials related to emergency preparedness for use by the community partners and media.
• Provides responsive, high-quality service to municipal/county employees, representatives of outside agencies and members of the public by providing accurate, complete and up-to-date information, in a courteous, efficient and timely manner.
• Applies an equity lens to all aspects of work.

Education, training, & experience:

• Successful completion of a University Degree in Health Sciences, Public Health, Emergency Management, or related discipline, or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Masters Degree in related discipline preferred.
• Experience and/or training in emergency planning, response and exercises, and business continuity planning.
• Strong program planning, evaluation, and project management skills.
• Thorough understanding of Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and knowledge of other related program and workplace regulations/legislations.
• Previous experience working in a health care setting is an asset.

Skills and Abilities to:

• Extensive demonstrated knowledge of all hazard/risk assessment and analysis.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills and the ability to analyse and interpret information from a variety of sources.
• Provide recommendations for the development of overall community emergency preparedness goals and objectives, and provide ongoing evaluation of these goals and objectives.
• Provide public health emergency preparedness consultation to key community leaders, administrators, health and social service professionals, schools, industries, hospitals, and other community groups.
• Communicate effectively with a variety of individuals representing diverse cultures and backgrounds and function calmly in situations which require a high degree of sensitivity, tact, and diplomacy.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to connect with a range of internal and external stakeholders while focusing on fostering collaborative work relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate programs and services.
• Aptitude for coordinating and leading emergency and/or operational contingency on short notice.
• Proficiency with current computer applications (examples: Microsoft Office Suite), social media platforms, and data analysis software (examples: SAS, SPSS, Stata, R), and survey tools (examples: SurveyMonkey, LimeSurvey, Qualtrics).

Additional Requirements:

• Immunizations and TB screening as per WECHU policies.
• Satisfactory vulnerable sector police clearance.
• Ability to work weekend and evening work as required by the program.
• A valid Ontario Driver’s Licence, access to a reliable motor vehicle during working hours, and 2 million dollars in liability insurance.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit will provide accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process. If selected to participate in the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please inform Human Resources staff of the nature of any accommodation(s) that you may require.