Director, Austin Energy Emergency Management

About This Position

 

This position provides leadership and oversight for the utility’s Emergency Management Program, ensuring comprehensive preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities for electric generation, transmission, and distribution operations. The role is responsible for implementing strategic planning goals, directing emergency planning, coordinating training and exercises, and ensuring regulatory compliance and response readiness. The position serves as a key member of the Incident Management Team, collaborates with internal and external stakeholders, manages program performance and budgets, and supervises staff to ensure effective response during emergency activations and continuous improvement of emergency management functions.

 

Job Description:

Director, Austin Energy Emergency Management

Purpose:

Under minimal direction with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment, this position directs Austin Energy’s (AE) hazards programs including the Department Operations Center (DOC), Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), training, planning, and response activities related to natural hazards and malicious acts affecting the electric utility.  

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:

 Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• Oversees and directs the development of short- and long-term Emergency Management planning goals and objectives for the department, including operations and services provided, with a focus on response functions needed to provide electric services.

• Develops, implements, and monitors the Incident Command System and Emergency Operations Plans, as required by or in consideration of Federal, State, and Local regulations and requirements. Functions as AE Incident Commander in their absence during event activation.

• Coordinates post-emergency after-action reviews and makes recommendations for corrective action.

• Develops, implements, and conducts training programs, seminars, and disaster exercises, with a focus on electric system emergency events including manual load shed, black start restoration, hot or cold weather events, cyber and physical critical infrastructure attacks.

• Ensures operational readiness of various communication systems, resource supplies, and other emergency response tools.

• Maintains and oversees the electric utility critical load registration process, periodic review, and critical load list in accordance with department policy and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Oversees and coordinates the development of programs to receive and provide mutual aid assistance.

• Coordinates and collaborates with multiple stakeholders on interdepartmental and interagency issues, projects, and protocols.

• Ensures compliance with city, state, and federal government rules and regulations.

• Monitors and evaluates program effectiveness and implements improvement strategies.

• Prepares and administers the annual budget and associated financial reports, and identifies, as necessary, budgetary needs.

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:

Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

 Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of utility industry processes, practices, and operational trends.

• Knowledge of regulatory processes and rules impacting AE.

• Knowledge of supervisory and managerial techniques and principles.

• Knowledge of budgeting methods and systems.

• Skill in handling extremely intense and chaotic emergency situations.

• Skill in handling conflict and uncertainty.

• Skill in planning, organizing, and monitoring personal and subordinate employee work assignments.

• Skill in training and leading disaster exercises.

• Skill in facilitating cooperative group decision making among diverse organizations and individuals serving on planning committees.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally, in writing, and in making presentations to large groups

• Ability to deal effectively and cooperatively with a wide range of Local, State, and Federal government officials, the news media, and private business.