Job description template

Emergency Management Director Job Description Template

A copy-ready emergency management director job description with responsibilities, qualifications, skills and pay guidance: customize it for your company in minutes.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
How to use this template

Copy the template below, replace the bracketed fields and tailor duties to your workplace. For pay, national BLS data shows emergency management directors earn a median of $93,330 ($44.87/hour); the middle 50% earn $67,910–$126,490.

Job title

Emergency Management Director

Job summary

[Company name] is seeking a dependable emergency management director to join our team in [city, state]. In this role, you will assess hazards and risks, write emergency operations plans and support our team’s commitment to safety, quality and service.

Responsibilities

  • Assess hazards and risks
  • Write emergency operations plans
  • Coordinate with agencies and partners
  • Plan and run training and exercises
  • Activate and lead emergency operations centers
  • Communicate with the public during emergencies
  • Manage recovery and grant programs
  • Follow company policies, safety procedures and applicable regulations

Required qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree
  • Working knowledge of emergency planning and incident command system
  • Leadership and collaboration
  • [Add role-specific requirements, such as driver’s license or ability to pass a background check, if job-related]

Preferred qualifications

  • Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)
  • FEMA ICS and NIMS courses
  • FEMA Professional Development Series
  • Experience with emergency notification systems

Skills

  • Risk assessment
  • Exercise design
  • Grant management
  • Crisis communication
  • Calm under pressure
  • Communication

Work environment and schedule

Emergency managers work in offices and emergency operations centers, and travel to sites during incidents. Most work full-time business hours, with long, intense hours during emergencies and on-call duty.

Pay and benefits

$[min]–$[max] per [hour/year], depending on experience. [List benefits: health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, training and certification support.]

Equal opportunity

[Company name] is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law, and we provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Tips for a emergency management director job posting that attracts applicants

  • Use the title candidates search for. “Emergency Management Director” is the clearest; alternates include Emergency Manager, Emergency Management Coordinator, Disaster Preparedness Manager.
  • Show the pay range. Postings with pay get more qualified applicants, and a growing number of states and cities require pay ranges in job postings.
  • Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Long requirement lists discourage qualified candidates, especially career changers.
  • Describe a real day. Borrow from our day in the life of an emergency management director so applicants self-select accurately.
  • Mention training. Highlighting structured onboarding: such as Emergency Management Director training: widens your applicant pool.

Next steps

Screen and interview with our Emergency Management Director hiring guide, then onboard with the 30-60-90 day plan.

Team pricing