Associate Director, Planning & Community Resilience

The Associate Director, Planning & Community Resilience reports to the Director and provides leadership, management and oversight for OPHP’s planning, healthcare preparedness coalition, community resilience, workforce readiness and continuous improvement programs. As a member of the OPHP leadership team, the Associate Director works collaboratively with BPHC leadership, City of Boston departments, healthcare organizations, community partners, and state and federal agencies to support BPHC’s preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities. The Associate Director also supports BPHC’s role as the lead for Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF-8) Health and Medical Services. 

The Associate Director provides oversight for the following programs: 

• Emergency Planning and Preparedness 

• Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (HPC) and Regional Preparedness Initiatives 

• Community Resilience and Volunteer Programs 

• Training, Exercise, and Evaluation Programs 

• Continuity of Operations (COOP) and Recovery Planning 

• Workforce Preparedness and Readiness Initiates 

• Capability Assessment and Continuous Improvement Programs 

• Climate Resilience and Preparedness Frameworks 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Provide leadership and oversight of OPHP’s planning healthcare preparedness, community resilience, workforce preparedness, and continuous improvement programs, including supervision of assigned staff, consultants, interns, and contractors 

• Oversee the development, maintenance, and integration of OPHP preparedness response, continuity, and recovery plans, including the Integrated Emergency Operations Plan (IEOP), Continuity of Operations (COOP) Program, Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS) Plans, recovery frameworks and supporting annexes and procedures.  

• Lead the design and execution of long-term vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies to safeguard infrastructure, assets, and communities against the impacts of extreme weather and climate-driven disruptions. 

• Lead healthcare preparedness and regional coordination efforts through oversight of the Boston Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (HPC), healthcare system readiness initiatives, and partnerships with healthcare, public health, emergency management, and community stakeholders.  

• Manage OPHP’s Training and Exercise Program, Integrated Preparedness Plan (IPP), and continuous improvement process, including exercises, evaluations, after-action reporting, corrective action tracking, operational assessments, and implementation of lessons learned.  

• Coordinate preparedness assessments and planning activities, including Hazard Vulnerability Assessments (HVAs), capability assessment, operational readiness reviews, and integration of local, regional, healthcare and community planning efforts.  

• Provide oversight of community resilience, volunteer, and workforce preparedness initiatives, including the Activation & Coordination Team (ACT), community partnerships, neighborhood resilience liaisons, working groups, and teams, as well as programs that strengthen preparedness among residents and organization throughout Boston.  

• Ensure preparedness initiates incorporate health equity, accessibility, language access, and whole-community planning principles, with particular attention to populations disproportionately impacted by emergencies and disasters.  

• Develop and maintain partnerships with local, regional, state, and federal agencies, healthcare organizations, academic institutions, community-based organizations, and private-sector stakeholders; represent OPHP and BPHC on committees, working groups, and preparedness initiatives as assigned.  

• Collaborate with OPHP’s leadership to establish preparedness priorities, support organizational initiatives, and provide subject matter expertise to strengthen public health, healthcare, and community preparedness capabilities.  

• Oversee grant-funded preparedness programs, budgets, contracts, consultants, operational assessments, and reporting requirement to ensure compliance with CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP), ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), and other applicable funding requirements.  

• Support the operational readiness of Stephen M. Lawlor Medical Intelligence Center (MIC), serve as a Duty Officer, and participate in emergency activations, planned events, and Incident Command System (ICS) assignment as designated.  

• Perform other duties as assigned in support of OPHP operations.  

The Associate Director Planning & Community Resilience works closely with the Director regarding program operations, personnel matters, preparedness initiatives, and emergency management activities and exercises independent judgment in the management of assigned programs and responsibilities.  

• Master’s degree in a related discipline with five years or more strongly preferred with demonstrated experience in managing projects involving significant planning and coordination; or a BA/BS and at least 7 years of demonstrated experience in managing projects involving significant planning and coordination in a related field.   
• Previous supervisory experience and coordination of staff required.  
• Significant experience working collaboratively with planning partners required. 

• Demonstrated experience writing collaborative operational plans required; demonstrated execution of plan(s) preferred.  

• Ability to manage project milestones and deadlines required; familiarity with principles of project management preferred.  

• Proven ability to manage and lead under stressful conditions during emergency responses required. 

• Works well as a member of a team, and establishes and maintains professional working relationships with BPHC programs and external community partners required. 

• Ability to give clear written and oral instructions required. 

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of emergency preparedness and public health strongly required. 

• Familiarity with Department of Homeland Security’s Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP) required.  

• Experience in emergency management, as well as knowledge of healthcare systems required. 

• Planning, coordination and management experience within the field of emergency management, and familiarity with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) standards for public health and healthcare emergency preparedness required. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required. 

• Strong organizational skills required. 

• Ability to write clear, concise reports based off of relevant research and data required. 

• Advanced knowledge & experience with MSOffice, MS Word, MS Excel, and PowerPoint required. 

• Experience with grant writing, executing contracts and purchasing preferred.  

• Familiarity with and knowledge of local community agencies, public sector work, and working with state and federal agencies desired.  

• Has or is willing to obtain Certified Emergency Manager/Associate Emergency Manager (CEM/AEM) certification to meet recognized industry standards. 

The preferred candidate will have planning, coordination and management experience within the field of emergency management and should have familiarity with the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) standards for public health and healthcare emergency preparedness. 

Experience with grant writing, executing contracts and purchasing is preferred. Familiarity with and knowledge of local community agencies, public sector work, and working with state and federal agencies is desired.