SMC EM Emergency Coordinator - Unclassified (Open)
Salary
$102,731.20 - $128,419.20 Annually
Location
County of San Mateo, CA
Job Type
Full-Time
Job Number
Q002T
Department
Department of Emergency Management
Opening Date
07/02/2026
Closing Date
7/30/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit
35
Description
About the Department
San Mateo County Emergency Management (SMC EM) is not your typical government agency. We are actively building innovative programs, forging cross-sector partnerships, and redefining what modern emergency management looks like for a county of 775,000 residents across 20 cities and 18 unincorporated areas.
Our mission is to build resilience by empowering our communities, strengthening operational capabilities, and coordinating support before, during, and after emergencies.
To learn more about SMC EM, visit: https://www.smcgov.org/dem
About the Role
This is not an entry-level role, and it is also not a senior position. This is a role for someone who has already worked through real crisis, learned hard lessons, adapted under pressure, and is eager for more.
The Emergency Coordinator sits within the operational center of SMC EM. You will plan. You will write. You will brief. You will execute. You will move between strategy and the tactical detail of getting things done, across a complex Operational Area and the partners who serve it.
This work requires range. One day, you are facilitating a planning cycle that will shape the next twelve months of countywide preparedness. The next, you are translating policy into a one-page brief or presentation deck for a city council, then coordinating an exercise design with fire and law partners, then back at your desk drafting a memo that will move across the Op Area.
The throughline is judgment. We need someone who can prioritize, pivot, and produce. Someone who has thrived in uncertainty before and is energized to do more of it here.
What This Role Actually Involves
The Daily Rhythm and Duty Officer Rotation
Most weeks, this job runs on steady program work. You plan, coordinate, brief, write, and move projects forward across the Operational Area. That is the baseline. Sitting on top of it is the obligation that defines emergency management, and it comes first: the readiness to respond the moment something breaks or crisis unfolds.
Every Emergency Coordinator shares the duty officer rotation and maintains daily situational awareness. When your week comes up, you carry the duty phone around the clock. You are the one who answers at 2 a.m., assesses what is unfolding, makes the early notifications, briefs leadership, makes necessary calls to partners, and supports on scene if that is warranted. The rotation means you are not on call every night, but when you are up, you are the county's first point of contact and the early judgment that shapes everything that follows. We treat that responsibility seriously, and we expect you to as well.
Disaster Operations
When the county activates for a real event, the routine work shifts to disaster operations. Every Emergency Coordinator is expected to deploy into the response, in the EOC or in the field, in whatever section role the incident demands. That can mean long shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays for as long as the activation runs. This is the work that everything else prepares you for. If standing up an EOC for days during a regional disaster is not the kind of challenge that draws you in, this is not the role.
Planning
You will lead and contribute to the full planning cycle, from scoping through drafting, coordinating, executing, exercising, and updating operational plans, annexes, and frameworks across the Operational Area. The work means translating federal and state guidance (FEMA, CalOES, SEMS, NIMS) into plans that are usable on a Tuesday and survive a Saturday at 2 a.m. It means coordinating reviews and revisions with internal staff and external partners, building consensus around standards while protecting quality. Asking how this could be better, more practical, and more useful in the moment. And it means maintaining a working understanding of the threat and hazard landscape facing San Mateo County, so the plans on the shelf actually reflect the risk on the ground.
Communication and Coordination
This role requires someone who excels in communication and coordination. You will brief and present to varied audiences on a regular basis and on demand: senior county leadership, elected officials, fire and law chiefs, Operational Area partners, community organizations, and the public. The substance has to hold steady; the delivery has to flex for the room. Alongside the briefing work, you will produce clear, accurate written products on tight timelines: memos, briefings, plans, talking points, after-action reports, and correspondence that moves at the speed of decision-making. You will represent SMC EM credibly in working groups, advisory committees, tabling events, and external meetings at all levels of government, and you will maintain steady, professional communication with partners across the op area.
Project Management and Execution
Exercise, Training, and Operational Readiness
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone with real operational experience who is still eager to grow and learn. This is a mid-level role, not entry-level and not senior, so you should be able to work independently and deliver without being managed step by step, though you do not need to be a twenty-year veteran. What matters most is that you have been through crises or high-pressure situations and have the proven grit and resilience to show for it. You are known for working hard, for figuring things out when no one hands you the answer, and for not waiting to be told what to do. When you see a gap, you move toward it and find a way to add value. You stay composed when priorities shift, the information is incomplete, and the stakes are high. You stay curious and keep learning, never settling for the way it has always been done. And you carry yourself with integrity: you speak up when something is wrong, you ask for help when you need it, and you verify before you act. Our expectations are high, and we want someone who is energized by this and levels up accordingly.
The Ideal Candidate will possess:
Qualifications
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
Education: Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in business, public administration, emergency management or related discipline.
Experience: One year of experience having responsibility for assisting in program planning, development and budgeting in the public, military, or private organization, preferably related to emergency/disaster planning and management.
Application/Examination
Open. Anyone may apply.
The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: Pass/Fail) based on the candidates applications and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.
How to Apply
To apply for this opportunity, the following materials must be submitted in addition to the standard Employment Application form:
1) Tell us about a time you worked through a real crisis, activation, or high-pressure situation. What was your role, what did you do, and what did you take from it that has shaped how you work since?
2) This role requires moving fluidly across audiences, from senior executives and elected officials to fire and law chiefs to community partners and the public. Describe a time you had to communicate the same information to very different audiences. How did you adjust, and what did you learn about meeting people where they are?
3) Walk us through a planning effort you led or contributed to substantively. How did you scope it, who did you bring in, where did it get hard, and what is the final product still doing today?
IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the Countys website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the Countys website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.
Tentative Recruitment Schedule:
Final Closing Date: Thursday, July 30, 2026 by 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening: Week of August 3, 2026
In-Person Panel Interviews: Week of August 10, 2026
About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California, serving a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.
The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.
The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.
Analyst: Lealoa Numera (07022026) (Q002 Department of Emergency Management Coordinator)
We invite you to explore our Benefits-at-a-Glance page for a snapshot of the comprehensive and competitive benefits available to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. From health and wellness to financial security, our benefits are designed to support you at every stage of your career. (Please note that benefits are subject to change.)
In addition to core benefits, the County is proud to offer a variety of wellness and professional development programs to help you grow both personally and professionally. Most of these enriching opportunities are available during work hours and come at no cost to you.
As a County employee, you'll also be covered by the federal Social Security system, earning valuable retirement benefits based on your salary and years of service.
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IMPORTANT: Applicants for this position are required to submit a resume and cover letter with responses to the supplemental questions listed on the application. Your responses will give us additional information about your training and experience as related to this position and will be rated as part of the examination process. Be concise and specific. Neatness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses. Failure to submit all required documents/ responses may result in your application being rejected.
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How did you learn about this position?
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If you answered, "Professional Publication/Website" or "Other" to the above question, please indicate below how you learned about this position. Your response to this question will help us in better marketing County jobs. Type NA if not applicable.
Required Question
Employer County of San Mateo
Address County of San Mateo Human Resources Department
500 County Center, 4th Floor
Redwood City, California, 94063-1663
Phone (650) 363-4343
Website https://jobs.smcgov.org