Description Charleston County is seeking a highly experienced professional to lead Charleston County's resiliency efforts. The principal function of the position is to lead, plan, organize, and facilitate Charleston County's resilience initiatives, such as assessing vulnerabilities, looking at grant and funding options, exploring new technologies and developing partnerships in collaboration with County departments and key partners/stakeholders at the regional, state, and federal levels. The incumbent will also be responsible for developing, implementing, managing, and maintaining the strategic planning necessary to guide and coordinate a countywide approach to resilience.
The position must clearly define resilience efforts for the County through effective communication and collaboration to ensure active and inclusive input, enable synergy between various efforts, and capitalize on opportunities that help the County achieve its's resilience goals. The position must engage diverse leaders from within, and external to County government, and bring them together to address the most pressing threats to Charleston County. The incumbent will exercise an extensive degree of independent judgement, cross departmental leadership, and professional and managerial knowledge to ensure the overall success and timely delivery of strategic initiatives. The position will work under the direction of the Deputy Administrator for General Services, but extensive leeway is granted for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative.
Hiring Salary: $80,579 - $105,602 (Estimated Annual Salary)OPEN UNTIL FILLED - APPLICATION REVIEW BEGINS IMMEDIATELY Duties and Responsibilities - Oversee the planning and implementation of Charleston County's resiliency goals and initiatives and develop programs and strategies to advance those goals and initiatives.
- Assess and prioritize the greatest threats to the County's resilience and the financial impact of those threats, lead the implementation of a cohesive resilience strategy, and coordinate resiliency expertise and resources across municipalities, public service districts, other jurisdictions and the community to effectively address these threats.
- Oversee Charleston County's All-Hazards Vulnerability and Risk Assessment and other studies.
- Identify the County's capabilities, resiliency challenges, plans to address challenges, and current gaps or shortfalls in achieving resiliency goals.
- Develop and implement outcome-based programs, best practices, research and evaluation tools to achieve resilience throughout the County and address vulnerabilities resulting from hazards, including but not limited to, extreme heat, drought, wildfires, earthquakes, flooding and a comprehensive and equitable approach for creating more resilient communities.
- Direct, manage and review resiliency policies, capital projects and program plans. Coordinate with Planning and Zoning Department staff to recommend resilience amendments to Charleston County Zoning and Land Development Regulations (ZLDR) Ordinance and the Resilience Element in the County's Comprehensive Plan.
- Foster relationships and collaboration with other departments, municipalities, community and civic groups, County leadership, elected officials, local businesses, and residents with the goal of improving communication, training and educating stakeholders.
- Serve as the County's primary point of contact for resilience efforts throughout the region. Coordinate and collaborate with multiple jurisdictions on various ongoing projects.
- Facilitate collaboration of interdepartmental teams and working groups on resiliency initiatives and programs to develop and implement resilience policies and strategies.
- Work with the Sustainability Manager to coordinate and update the Charleston County Resilience and Sustainability Advisory Committee.
- Manage outside consultants involved in planning and implementing programs and initiatives related to resiliency issues.
- Pursue state and federal grant funding to support implementation of resilience initiatives.
- Build on the Resilience Element, adopted by County Council as part of Charleston County's Comprehensive Plan, with the goal of prioritizing resilience in all County plans, policies, and regulations.
- Manage budgeting of resilience initiatives and guide development of strategic approach.
- Demonstrate understanding of technologies, plans, programs, and policies related to resilience and expertise and experience in the development, planning and delivery of strategy, policy and programs across Charleston County government.
- Develop and oversee resilience-specific indicators and metrics and define specific measurable targets for the impact of the work, as well as a process for regular assessment and reflection on progress toward these targets and demonstrate ability to correct course of action as needed.
- Gather and analyze data to support and track progress on resiliency initiatives. Review data and research to guide the work of resilience initiatives and oversee the preparation of periodic performance reports. Evaluate, enhance, and develop performance management systems that monitor and assess progress towards achieving resiliency goals.
- Produce high quality reports, media, and other communication materials to share progress with internal and external stakeholders. Create a centralized process and documentation effort to reflect all County resilience work currently in process and coordinate with County departments to develop a resilience framework.
- Work closely with the County's Sustainability Manager in the implementation of the County's Climate Action Plan and participate in professional resiliency networks.
- Adhere to Federal and State laws, and County policies and procedures, as it relates to job functions.
- Position requires Emergency Operations Center duty during Charleston County emergency activations. Must obtain NIMS Incident Command certifications.
Minimum Qualifications Minimum Qualifications: Education and Experience: - Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university required.
- Master's Degree preferred from accredited college or university in Resilience Studies, Public Administration, Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Sustainability Studies, Urban Planning, Architecture, Public Health, Emergency Management, Economic Development or other closely related field.
- Five (5) years or more of progressively responsible professional experience in resiliency planning, strategy formulation, engagement and project delivery. Knowledge of the governmental planning and development functions is highly preferred. Additional experience in urban or regional planning, engineering, large scale infrastructure projects and/or economic development is highly desirable.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - Ability to demonstrate initiative as self-starter exercising high autonomy and independent as well as critical thinking to provide informed recommendations for advancing County resiliency goals.
- Working Knowledge of governmental decision-making processes.
- Excellent project management skills with strong organizational abilities and attention to detail.
- Exercise an extensive degree of independent judgement, interdepartmental leadership, and professional and managerial knowledge to oversee the implementation of high-priority resilience projects.
- Knowledge of resilience issues facing coastal communities.
- Excellent customer service, written and verbal communication skills to work effectively with elected officials, leadership, committee chairs, department staff, technical consultants and the public. Must respond to questions, comments and requests in a courteous and timely manner.
- Familiarity with accounting practices to ensure financial needs are met during the budgeting process.
- Excellent computer skills that at a minimum include presentation software, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, and the ability to learn new software as needed to prepare a variety of documents, correspondence, media and reports.
- Must have and maintain a valid South Carolina driver's license with a safe driving record.
Closing Date/Time:
