Position Information
The Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management (DPSCEM) is hiring a Chief of Administration & Public Affairs to provide department-wide administrative oversight of key business lines/services, strategic technology planning, policy and program development, promotion of performance and innovation, and business process design and implementation. The Chief of Administration & Public Affairs is responsible for cohesive planning and integration of systems, processes, and practices between the Emergency Communications and Emergency Management sections within PSCEM. The employee will facilitate a variety of senior-level professional and executive management services to support the mission of the department and provide guidance to the Department Director and other senior level staff in both day-to-day and longer-term projects.
Business lines and services:
- Communications and Public Affairs/Engagement Unit;
- Financial and Business Unit: and
- Human Resources and Facility Management.
Responsibilities:
- Maintaining an awareness of countywide policies and services as well as changing political issues and priorities to measure their impact on staff services and programs, identify potential issues or conflicts, and ensure the integration of service delivery and policy/program development with other county policies and procedures;
- Collaborating with departmental leadership to resolve personnel issues including discipline, grievances, and termination in the agency and through consultation with the Department of Human Resources;
- Interacting and collaborating with employees and employee groups, the public; the media; citizen groups; and federal, state, and local officials of other jurisdictions as a representative of the department;
- Managing the process for changes to policies and procedures in the department making recommendations for program and process improvements;
- Identifying and resolving critical issues such as budget and program cost overruns, contract and service provider inefficiencies, and interagency program conflicts and duplications;
- Facilitating technology rollouts of hardware and software including various application services in coordination with the Department of Technology Services and the Department of Public Safety Information Technology;
- Evaluating qualitative and quantitative outcomes of Emergency Communications and Management programs to ensure intended outcomes are met ensuring programmatic interconnectedness of Emergency Communications and Management functions and programs; and
- Serving as the legislative liaison, coordinating with the County Manager’s office as needed to provide information on proposed legislation as well as other aspects of the legislative process and managing the development and preparation of, Board Action items, audit coordination, grantor liaison and compliance assistance.
Selection Criteria
Minimum:
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Human Resources, Emergency Management, or a related field; and
- Progressively responsible management experience in local or state government operations including some of the following: supervision of staff, budget management, human resources, public engagement, communications, and/or program management.
Substitution: Additional professional level experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis. Additional professional level management experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis. A Master’s degree in Public Administration, or a related field may be substituted for one year of work experience.
Desirables: Preference may be given to applicants with a background in one or more of the following:
- A Master’s Degree in one of the related areas;
- Prior experience managing administrative service areas and public affairs;
- Federal Emergency Management Agency Professional Development Series (PDS) Coursework; ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800 or other relevant ICS courses;
- Certification of or completion of coursework in Project Management;
- Prior experience in Command Staff positions of an Emergency Operations Center or in an emergency response environment and/or
- Bilingual: English/Spanish
Special Requirements
A complete application will include a letter of interest and a resume which describe how your training, education, and experience have prepared you for this position. Please specifically address how your working background in local or state government aligns with the qualifications of the position.
A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.
Applicant must possess, or obtain by time of appointment, a valid motor vehicle operator’s license from the applicant’s place of residence. The applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide a copy of the applicant’s official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant’s driving record.
Completion of the Commonwealth of Virginia Statement of Economic Interest form will be required of the successful candidate upon hire and annually thereafter.
Completion of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Professional Development Series (PDS) Coursework; ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800 within 6 months of hire.
Additional Information
Work hours: Normal work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a hybrid office policy requiring employees in senior leadership positions to be into the office at least three days a week and available nights and weekends as needed. This position is not a remote opportunity and does not qualify for a work from anywhere telework agreement.
Due to the nature of the Department, this position is subject to emergency related work. This position may be required to work outside of normal hours and during emergencies regardless of whether some or all County facilities are closed, or programs and services are canceled.
Starting salary will depend upon the qualifications and experience of the candidate selected.
This position is in the Arlington County Government’s Extended Management Accountability Program (XMAP), in which Senior Executives are eligible for a negotiated salary/benefits package and are evaluated and compensated per a performance agreement linked to the County Management Plan, and results achieved. XMAP is a flexible total rewards/compensation system directly linked to performance and the market.
The pay range listed above is effective June 18, 2023.
The official title of this position is Integrated Programs Manager.
#LI-Hybrid.
Arlington County Government employee benefits depend on whether a position is permanent, the number of hours worked, and the number of months the position is scheduled.
Specific information on benefits and conditions of employment can be found on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: www.arlingtonva.us/pers.
Permanent, Full-Time Appointments
All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available:
Paid Leave : Vacation leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases every three years until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. There are eleven paid holidays each year.
Health and Dental Insurance : Three group health insurance plans are offered – a network open access plan, a point-of-service plan, and a health maintenance organization. A group dental insurance plan is also offered. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. A discount vision plan is provided for eye care needs.
Life Insurance : A group term policy of basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance is available with rates based on the employee’s age and smoker/non-smoker status.
Retirement : The County offers three vehicles to help you prepare for retirement: a defined benefit plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service. The County also contributes to this plan.
For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)) . The County also matches your 457 contribution, up to $20 per pay period, in this plan. The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to set aside money on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your base pay.
Other Benefits: The County also offers health, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; long-term care insurance; tuition assistance; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other employee benefits.
Permanent, Part-Time Appointments:
Part time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week.
Limited Term Appointments:
Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status.
Temporary Regular Appointments:
Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.
Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments:
Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements.
01
A complete application will include a letter of interest and a resume which describes how your training, education and experience have prepared you for this position. Please specifically address how your working background in local government aligns with the qualifications of the position. I have attached both of these documents.
- Yes
- No
02
What is your highest level of education?
- High School/equivalent
- Associates Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management, or related field.
- Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management, or related field.
03
Please check ALL boxes which describe your experience as it relates to the desirable qualifications.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency Professional Development Series (PDS) Coursework; ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800 or related ICS Courses
- Certification or completion of coursework in Project Management
- Prior experience in Command Staff positions in Emergency Operations Center
- Prior experience managing administrative service areas and or public affairs
- None of the above
Required Question
Agency Arlington County
Address 2100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 511
Arlington, Virginia, 22201
Phone 703-228-3500
Website https://careers.arlingtonva.us/