Deputy Director of Emergency Services

Description

THE MISSION
To protect life, property and the environment by leading the development and implementation of a cooperative countywide plan for emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery drawing from all local, state and federal resources.
THE POSITION

The Deputy Director of Emergency Services is a leadership role, which supports the Director of Emergency Services in managing all aspects of the County's emergency preparedness, including response, recovery, and mitigation efforts. The Deputy Director will play a critical role in coordinating with multiple agencies, ensuring community resilience, and implementing strategic initiatives to address natural disasters, technological incidents, and other emergencies.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Bilingual Incentive - Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational needs and certification skills.
• Educational Incentive: Possible educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% for incumbents in eligible positions based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification.
• Annual Leave - The candidate selected for this position will earn 208 hours per year, increasing to 288.08 hours after 5 years of service.
• Annual Leave Redemption - The ability to “cash in” or redeem up to 100 hours of Annual Leave per year after using 80 hours of annual leave within the previous 12 months (Management Resolution, § 1205).
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. If you participate in the County sponsored 401(k) plan, the County will match a part of your contribution up to 3% of your salary, on a per pay period basis. Following five (5) years of continuous County service, an additional 2% non-elective contribution will be made to the 401(k) plan.
• Health Insurance - Medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your dependents. A maximum flexible credit allowance of up to $23,530 annually.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Increase your spending power by reimbursement with pre-taxed dollars for IRS- approved dependent care and health care expenses.
• Holidays - 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Pension Plan - Both you and the County contribute to the County’s Retirement Plan. If you are eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems, such as CalPERS.
• Additional Benefits - Professional Memberships, Disability Plans, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Wellness Program.

PAYROLL TITLE: Sheriff's Senior Manager II
AGENCY/DEPARTMENT: Sheriff / Office of Emergency Services

Sheriff's Senior Manager II is a Management/Confidential classification and is not eligible for overtime compensation. Incumbents in this classification are eligible for benefits at the MB3 level.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill present and future regular, temporary, fixed-term, intermittent, and extra-help vacancies for this position only. There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy within the Sheriff's Office.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: March 4, 2025
CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when a sufficient number of qualified applications are received to meet business needs.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

Emergency Management and Coordination

• Assists in planning, developing, and implementing the County’s comprehensive emergency management program.
• Coordinates interagency collaboration among local, state, and federal partners to ensure unified emergency response efforts.
• Oversees emergency operations during activations, serving as a key decision-maker in high-stress situations, ensuring timely and efficient response to evolving incidents.
• Responds to incidents in the field, often during inclement weather or other adverse conditions.
• Leads the development and execution of the County’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), hazard mitigation plans, and continuity of operations plans (COOP).

Leadership and Administration

• Supervises and mentors the Office of Emergency Services staff, fostering professional development and a culture of excellence.
• Represents the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services at public meetings, stakeholder engagements, and community events.
• Ensures compliance with federal and state emergency management standards, including FEMA, Cal OES, and NIMS/ICS protocols.
• Serves as Acting Director in the Director's absence

Training and Preparedness

• Plans and executes training programs, tabletop exercises, and full-scale drills for Office of Emergency Services staff, public safety personnel, and community stakeholders.
• Promotes public awareness campaigns on disaster preparedness and resilience.

Policy and Program Development

• Analyzes and assesses potential risks to the County, developing policies to mitigate vulnerabilities.
• Advises the Director and County leadership on policy matters related to emergency management.
• Collaborates with community organizations to enhance volunteer programs and strengthen public-private partnerships.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assures neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

Education and Experience

Any combination of experience and/or education that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the KSAs would be:

• Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Public Administration, Homeland Security, or a related field

AND

• Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in emergency management, public safety, or a related field, including 3 years in a supervisory role.

Relevant work experience may substitute for an applicable degree for up to (4) years.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• The following FEMA Emergency Management Institute Certifications:
  • IS-100
  • IS-200
  • IS-700
  • IS-800
  • ICS 300
  • ICS 400

DESIRED:

• Experience in developing and implementing disaster preparedness training and exercises
• Experience in managing and/or participating in Emergency Operations Center operations
• Experience in obtaining and/or administering state and federal grant programs, including FEMA Public Assistance, FEMA Individual Assistance and California Disaster Assistance Act program
• Experience in public speaking

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Thorough knowledge of:

• Emergency management principles, including hazard analysis, disaster response, recovery, and mitigation.
• National Incident Management System (NIMS), including Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and Incident Command System (ICS).
• Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs), including hazard mitigation plans and continuity of operations plans (COOP).
• Laws, codes, ordinances, standards, rules, and regulations related to emergency management, and incident response.
• Mass notification systems, including relevant software and communication platforms for emergency management.
• Principles of contract and grant development and monitoring.
• Techniques for preparing and disseminating information to community groups, personnel, and stakeholders.
• Federal Disaster Relief and Emergency Act (Stafford Act) and the California Emergency Services Act (CESA).
• Fiscal disaster assistance programs at local, state, and federal levels.
• Unified Command organization, roles, and responsibilities during multi-agency response efforts.
• Principles and practices of effective public speaking in crisis situations.
• Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation and operations, including staffing and resource management during an emergency response.

Thorough ability to:

• Lead effectively in rapidly changing environments, remaining calm and setting an example for others.
• Make timely decisions in high-pressure environments, especially when faced with limited information.
• Identify tasks that can be delegated, assigning them to the appropriate team members based on their expertise.
• Manage multiple tasks simultaneously without sacrificing quality or effectiveness.
• Coordinate interagency collaboration among local, state, and federal partners to ensure a unified emergency response.

• Assess risks and develop policies to mitigate vulnerabilities, advising senior leadership on emergency-related matters.

• Evaluate compliance with FEMA, Cal OES, NIMS, and ICS standards and regulations.
• Develop and modify emergency management plans to address current risks.
• Manage emergency resources effectively during responses to ensure optimal use.
• Supervise, train, and mentor staff, promoting professional growth and fostering a culture of excellence.
• Interpret and administer policies related to emergency preparedness and incident management.
• Design and promote campaigns that inform and prepare the community for disasters.
• Work outdoors, respond to emergency incidents in the field on short notice for extended periods of time.

Considerable Skill in:

• Communicating clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, to diverse audiences.
• Organizing, prioritizing, and coordinating multiple emergency preparedness and response activities.
• Planning and directing operations for emergency preparedness and response activities.
• Analyzing and resolving complex administrative and operational problems efficiently, ensuring effective emergency response.
• Maintaining effective relationships with community organizations, government partners, and the public.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire, however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

LATERAL TRANSFER OPTION: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (Download PDF reader) for additional information.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION SCREENING - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Applicants meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the examination process.

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence.

ORAL EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related oral examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating examinees' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

NOTE: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination may not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill present and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent and Extra Help vacancies for this and similar positions only. There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy in the Sheriff's Office.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: PRIOR TO ACTUAL APPOINTMENT FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST, THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO PASS A THOROUGH BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE SHERIFF'S HUMAN RESOURCES BUREAU. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION FINDINGS MAY BE A BASIS FOR REMOVAL FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST. TO SPEAK TO A SHERIFF'S OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE CONCERNING THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION PROCESS, CALL (805) 654-2375.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Gerald Chambers by email at gerald.chambers@ventura.org or phone (805) 477-1921.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

MANAGEMENT

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes:MB3, MB4, MS, MT,MCC, MU

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• County of Ventura

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