Summary This position (Emergency Management Specialist) is located in Northern Indiana Health Care System (NIHCS). This position is located within each VAMC and reports to the Associate Director or Executive Leadership Team. The position of an Emergency Management Specialist (EMS) manages the health care system in sustaining national and regional support to the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP). Responsibilities Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Coordinating the Healthcare System efforts and engaging staff, as well as the functions required to manage the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP). Ensuring the emergency response results and conclusions lead to a continual improvement of the emergency management program throughout the healthcare system. Participates in the development, coordination and review of directives, white papers, Medical Center Memorandum, service support agreements, standard operation procedures, policy matters and related documents issued by the VHA and the Healthcare System. Plan, organize, implement, oversee and provide technical assistance for projects relating to emergency management programs. Utilize EM principles ensuring accurate and proper documentation and anticipating possible inquiries from VHA OEM, VISN, and VAMC Executive Leadership. Manage and maintain the health care system's automated alert and notification system, coordinating, and monitoring results with the Communication Support Team. Represent the healthcare system at the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and federal, state, county, and local coalition. Responsible for ensuring Cascade Calling Systems are updated and prepared for immediate use during any type of emergency or exercises. Develop and maintain the VA Contingency Plans covering the provisions of continuous patient care and treatment during emergencies. Develop presentations, reports, and records contingency education units to appropriate professional organization. Function as the local program manager for the Disaster Emergency Personnel System (DEMPS), which is a program comprised of qualified volunteers who register and train in disaster management and support national deployment requirements. Monitor the Decontamination Unit Leader in organizing and coordinating all areas of responsibility related to the Decontamination Response Team including coordinating with the Safety Officer, Industrial Hygienist, Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Coordinator. Initiate, ensure, and maintain an inventory of Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) and other decontamination equipment; coordinates with the Industrial Hygienist on annual PAPR functional checks; ensuring training is provided to the Decontamination team. Establish, revise, and review policies, procedures, mission objectives and or organizational design for mission accomplishment and complex and evolving issues and functions, including the development of appropriate national guidance and procedures as it relates to EM, EOC, and COOP activities for VHA. Develop and maintain VHA emergency operations plans in support of internal and external requirements and mandates. Review, analyze and coordinate the implementation and evaluation of exercises to test and analyze the healthcare system's comprehensive emergency management plans and associated programs which includes collaboration and integration with the Safety, Patient Safety, Office of Public Affairs, VA Police programs. Provide direct support to other facilities within the VISN in their EM preparedness and planning efforts. Implements EM best practices towards quality improvement projects enhancing EM operations and planning activities. Provide guidance and assistance in all employee and vulnerable patient/Veteran accountability efforts before, during and after an emergency. Ensure all data on employee and patient/Veteran accountability is reported to the healthcare system Incident Command Center and VISN in a timely manner. Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: This position may be authorized for telework (ad-hoc only - as determined by the needs of the service). Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Emergency Management Specialist/PD99789S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary/trial period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/29/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: applying the policies governing emergency management programs and operations; assisting with the execution of a comprehensive emergency management program; responding quickly to emergency situations; implementing a variety of emergency, contingency, and operations plans; applying basic data gathering methodologies to collect various types of information; using and managing database programs. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Emergency Management Incident Management Planning and Evaluating Vulnerabilities Assessment Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary during non-emergency situations. However, participation in field exercises and operational support missions may require strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distance, climbing, working long hours, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. May include various housing and living conditions to include non-climate controlled, limited privacy sleeping facilities (for example, cots, tents, "hot-bunking", gymnasiums, or similar), limited shower and laundry facilities, and limited feeding options (such as shelf-stable meals, meals-ready-to-eat (MRE's), and field kitchens). Incumbent must have and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license. During emergency situations the incumbent may be required to remain available 24 hours per day, seven days per week for multiple weeks. Incumbent is subject to work under emergency notification and contact procedures. EMS will be provided and must carry a government provided mobile communication device. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.