Executive Director, Planning and Preparedness

About Us

The Department of Emergency Management is responsible for leading disaster and emergency planning, preparedness, response and recovery activities on behalf of the Province of Nova Scotia.  The objective of the Department is to ensure that Nova Scotians are safe, prepared and resilient in the face of disasters and emergencies. The Department leads the coordination and co-operation of partners and resources during provincial level critical incidents, supports municipal and other partners in regional level and local events, administers the province’s 911 service, maintains critical communications infrastructure and supports operations of our regional emergency management centres.  The Department also works to ensure critical government services continue to function during and after critical events. 

The Planning and Preparedness Branch enhances preparedness, reduces vulnerabilities, and ensures a coordinated response to critical incidents and emergencies by:

• Standing up and deploying the Nova Scotia Guard
• Reviewing comprehensive emergency management programs by the province and municipalities and ensuring they are robust
• Conducting thorough risk assessments and advising on mitigation strategies 
• Administering the Disaster Financial Assistance program to ensure recovery takes place as quickly as possible
• Leading strategic policy, including the management of federal and regional agreements and management of legislation, regulations, policies, establishing standards and preparedness initiatives
• Supporting effective risk management and business continuity for the Province, municipalities, and critical infrastructure partners
• Managing the resiliency office

About Our Opportunity

Reporting to the Deputy Minister, the Executive Director, Planning and Preparedness, provides strategic leadership and is accountable for the proactive design and continuous refinement of comprehensive emergency management legislation, regulations, policies, and preparedness initiatives, ensuring they are forward-thinking, adaptable, and aligned with the evolving needs. They are responsible for the deployment of the Nova Scotia Guard to ensure a collaborative and coordinated approach to emergency management across Nova Scotia and for promoting a culture of preparedness and resilience.

They are also responsible for directing and overseeing scientific, technical and risk assessment reviews and interpreting policy, legislation, reports, papers, plans and operating procedures to assess emergency preparedness. The ED will ensure compliance with business continuity management frameworks for provincial departments, municipalities and critical infrastructure partners, as well as promote and support regional and provincial after-action reviews. The Executive Director is also responsible for administering the Disaster Financial Assistance program, ensuring that the process is streamlined and recovery takes place as quickly as possible. 

Primary Accountabilities

• Leads and contributes to management decisions that determine short and long-range strategic program direction and resource allocation to ensure the effective administration of Emergency Management activities, the Emergency Preparedness and Nova Scotia Guard Act and the Emergency Management Act.
• Leads the strategic vision for the Department through policy analysis and formulation, planning and project management, and public information and communications efforts.
• Ensures that plans are regularly updated and reflect current threats, resources, and capabilities.
• Deploys the Nova Scotia Guard to ensure a collaborative and coordinated approach to emergency management and promotes a culture of preparedness and resilience.
• Supports the review and renewal of municipal emergency management plans and provides support for business continuity plans. Oversees monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of emergency management programs and business continuity plans for municipal and critical infrastructure through evaluations and after-action reviews and develops improvement plans following incidents and exercises.
• Responsible for overseeing the Disaster Financial Assistance Program and modernization of the process and tools used.
• Represents the department in intergovernmental and stakeholder meetings, contributing to national and regional emergency management initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate will exhibit a commitment to high-quality service delivery, focusing on meeting client needs and aligning operations with strategic objectives. The candidate must be adept at building strong relationships to achieve organizational goals. Proven experience in leadership and program delivery is essential.

• A degree in a related field, with several years of increasing leadership responsibility.
• Excellent leadership, communication, conflict resolution, and equity-informed policy analysis capabilities.
• Strong record in strategic planning and stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams, fostering high performance and professional development.
• Strong experience working horizontally across government and with key stakeholders to build partnerships and align priorities.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in complex, high-pressure environments.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders and provide clear, concise briefings and advice.

Leadership competences required at this level of work are:

• Decisiveness, strategic orientation, change leadership, team leadership, effective interactive communication, self-awareness and personal impact, partnering and relationship building, and intercultural and diversity proficiency.
  

The following qualifications or experience would be considered assets:

• Experience in designing and delivering significant funding programs and/or experience in negotiating federal/provincial agreements
• Experience in setting up measurement and evaluation frameworks and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of programs
• Experience representing the province in intergovernmental forums
• Training in business continuity, crisis leadership, or advanced risk management  
• Field experience in emergency management or disaster response
  

Equivalency

We recognize equivalent combinations of training, education, and experience, providing opportunities for individuals with diverse backgrounds to contribute their skills and expertise. Equivalencies include:

• 15 years of increasing leadership responsibility and directly relevant experience in developing strategies and plans  

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

We may assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Benefits

Based on the employment status the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs.  For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

• Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day
• Can expect to be called upon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support staff managing incidents
• During emergencies, will be required to work extended hours in locations across Nova Scotia
• Frequent travel throughout the province will be required

Additional Information

• Must have a valid unrestricted class 5 license
• Must be able to obtain an enhanced reliability security clearance

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths