Emergency Management Policy Advisor - Portland, OR - City of Portland, Oregon

Description

The Position

About the position

Job Appointment: Full time

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday day shift; alternate schedule may be available

Benefits: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefit for this position

Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees

Union Representation: (City of Portland Professional Workers, CPPW). To view this labor agreement, please click here.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland's online portal. You will need respond to the supplemental questions and attach a résumé.

Position Summary

The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) is looking for a Policy Advisor. This role is responsible for recommendation and oversight of Citywide policy initiatives and the development of administrative rules, code updates, and processes for Citywide emergency response. They will develop and maintain effective relationships with internal City, federal, state, tribal, and local government entities to support emergency management operations, funding, policy development, and regulatory compliance. This role ensures the organization's emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts are aligned with government policies and priorities. This role advocates for policy, resources, legislative support, and interagency collaboration to enhance emergency management capabilities.

Other duties include the following:

• Citywide Emergency Management Policy: Recommends, creates and oversees Citywide policy initiatives and the development of administrative rules, code updates, and processes for Citywide emergency response, in alignment with city and bureau priorities. Provides expertise and recommendations to PBEM and City Staff regarding best practices.

• Project Management: Oversees citywide policy projects, including managing sub-projects led by colleagues and/or contractors. Project management includes initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling and closing projects for citywide policies and procedures.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Acts as a liaison between PBEM and other City departments and leaders, local jurisdictions, non-governmental organizations, volunteers, non-profits, and county departments involved in emergency management, fostering collaboration and information sharing.

• Emergency Response: Work with PBEM Leadership and Duty Officers to perform complex problem analysis and solution development for emergency response.

• Emergency Training and Exercise: Help develop and attend emergency training, exercises, and drills.

• On-Call Duties: Serve as an on-call Duty Officer/Backup Duty Officer on a rotating basis (during business hours and nights and weekends during on-call period), providing 24/7 coverage during assigned periods to respond to emergencies promptly.

The Emergency Management Policy Advisor oversees special projects for the bureau. This role is integral to maintaining the operational readiness and developing and administering policies and procedures. The successful candidate will ensure effective communication and information management during emergencies.

This position requires a proactive and collaborative approach to emergency management, emphasizing community resilience, effective stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement of the city's preparedness and response capabilities.

About the Bureau

The mission of the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) is to promote disaster readiness, coordinate response, and build resilience for Portland. PBEM develops and implements plans, programs, and policies to advance the city's mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities. PBEM works before, during, and after emergencies to minimize negative impacts to the community and build a resilient Portland.

Have a question?

Contact Information:

Anna Morgan, Senior Recruiter

Bureau of Human Resources

To Qualify

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position. Applicants must describe in their supplemental question responses and résumé how their education, training, work experience and/or lived experience, meets each of the following minimum qualifications:

• Thorough knowledge of fiscal policies, operations, procedures, administrative rules, and compliance guidelines, and relevant laws, regulations, and court decisions.
• Knowledge of principles, practices, and methods of change management and the social, political, intergovernmental, and operational issues influencing Bureau/Office operations.
• Ability to work under limited supervision, independently determine methodologies, assumptions and data parameters to develop and adjust analytical models; determine report formatting; determine methods for resolving issues.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Bureau/Office management and staff, representatives of other public agencies, the public, and others encountered in the course of work.
• Completion of ICS Course Certificates I-100, I-200, I-700, and I-800 at the time of application.

Although not required, you may have one or more of the following preferred qualifications:

• A four (4) - year degree in public administration, business administration, or emergency management
• Critical knowledge of emergency management
• Four (4) years of public sector experience

The Recruitment Process

STEP 1: Apply online between October 27, 2025 – November 10, 2025

Required Application Materials:

• Résumé

• Answer to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• Veteran's Preference documents (e.g., DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter) must be submitted by the closing date.
• Update: As of March 3, 2025, if you have already submitted veteran documents and qualified for preference, you do not need to resubmit them for future recruitments.
• To update or remove veteran preference for this recruitment or from your profile, contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

Application Tips:

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained, which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.

• Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.

• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.

• Do not attach any additional documents. Do not attach a cover letter, it will not be reviewed.

• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process by the closing date and time.
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.
• You can use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please make sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage using AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills.

STEP 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Mid - November, 2025 to Early December, 2025

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their résumé and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
• Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

STEP 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Mid - December 2025

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

STEP 4: Selection (Interview): Early/Mid - January 2026

• Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview

STEP 5: Offer of Employment: Late January to Early February 2026

• Some positions will require those offered employment to complete and sign a criminal background statement before being considered for employment.

STEP 6: Start Date: Mid/Late February 2026

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.

• Timeline is approximate and subject to change.

Additional Information

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations

An Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action Employer