Director, Emergency Management and Command Center

Job Description

Director of Emergency Management & Command Center Operations
 

Position Summary
The Director of Emergency Management & Command Center Operations is responsible for designing, implementing, and leading the organization’s enterprise emergency management and incident command capability. This role oversees the planning, activation, and operation of a centralized command center to manage natural disasters, operational disruptions, technology outages, and other enterprise-level incidents impacting patient care and business continuity.
The Director serves as a key operational leader during crises and ensures the organization is prepared and trained with proven readiness to respond effectively across all facilities and corporate functions.
 

Key Responsibilities
Emergency Management & Incident Command
●    Design, implement, and maintain an enterprise emergency management program aligned with HICS/NIMS principles
●    Establish and operate a centralized Enterprise Command Center capable of supporting multi-facility incidents
●    Serve in a leadership role during activations, including Incident Commander or senior command staff advisor as appropriate

Command Center Operations
●    Develop command center activation criteria, governance, and standard operating procedures
●    Coordinate real-time situational awareness, decision-making, and executive communications during incidents
●    Integrate clinical operations, IT, facilities, supply chain, HR, communications, and external partners into incident response

Preparedness, Planning & Exercises

●    Oversee hazard vulnerability analyses (HVAs) and enterprise preparedness planning
●    Lead tabletop exercises, functional drills, and full-scale exercises across hospitals and corporate teams
●    Ensure after-action reviews and corrective action plans are completed and tracked

Business Continuity & Resilience Integration

●    Partner with Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management leaders to align response and recovery strategies
●    Support continuity planning for extended disruptions (e.g., EHR downtime, regional disasters, workforce shortages)
●    Translate lessons learned into improved policies, playbooks, and training

Leadership & Governance

●    Establish clear roles, accountability, and escalation pathways for incident management
●    Provide executive briefings during incidents and post-incident reviews
●    Represent the organization with regulators, emergency management agencies, and healthcare coalitions as needed

Qualifications
Required
●    Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, or related field
●    5+ years of progressive experience in emergency management, incident command, or healthcare operations
●    Demonstrated experience running or supporting an incident command center
●    Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills under pressure

Preferred
●    Healthcare system experience across multiple hospitals or regions
●    Familiarity with HICS, NIMS, FEMA ICS, and Joint Commission emergency management standards
●    Certifications such as CEM, CHEP, or equivalent

Reporting Relationship
●    Reports to Senior Vice President of Risk Management 
●    Works closely with Clinical Operations, IT, Facilities, Communications, Security, and Business Continuity leadership