Accreditation and Strategy Program Manager

Posting number: 2026-07949

Department: Military Department

Division: Emergency Management

Job classification: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM SPECIALIST 4

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Emergency Management

Summary

Accreditation and Strategy Program Manager

Emergency Management Division | Lakewood, Washington

Are you an experienced professional who understands how to assess an organization's capabilities, identify gaps, drive corrective action, and translate strategy into measurable results?

The Washington Emergency Management Division (EMD) is seeking an Accreditation and Strategy Program Manager to lead several of the Division's most important organizational improvement efforts. This position is responsible for leading EMD's Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), managing the Division's Corrective Action and Continuous Improvement Program, and facilitating implementation of EMD's strategic plan.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in:

• Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) or a comparable organizational accreditation, assessment, or standards-based improvement process;
• Corrective action and continuous improvement, including identifying gaps, developing improvement plans, assigning and tracking corrective actions, and measuring progress;
• Developing and using performance measures and other data to assess organizational effectiveness and inform management decisions;
• Assessing an organization’s programs and translating findings into actionable improvements;
• Organizational strategic planning, including facilitating the development, implementation, monitoring, and periodic revision of a strategic plan; and
• Facilitating work across multiple programs and stakeholders to achieve organizational priorities.

This is primarily an organizational strategy, accreditation, assessment, and continuous improvement position. It is not a military operations planning position and is not focused on tactical incident planning or field operations.

The position works directly with EMD leadership and program managers to ensure that the Division's programs, processes, and priorities remain aligned with EMD's strategic direction and national emergency management standards. The position will help EMD identify where we are today, where we need to be, and what actions are necessary to close the gap.

EMD's EMD33 Strategic Plan provides the long-term framework for this work and serves as the Division's guide for organizational priorities, program improvement, and future change. Applicants are encouraged to review the plan (linked below) before applying.

EMD33 Strategic Plan

About EMD and the Washington Military Department

The Washington Emergency Management Division is a civilian division of the Washington Military Department. EMD employees are state employees who lead and coordinate emergency management activities across Washington.

Military service or military experience is not required for this position. Although EMD is organizationally located within the Washington Military Department and its primary workplace is at Camp Murray in Lakewood, Washington, this position is a civilian emergency management leadership role. The work is focused on organizational strategy, accreditation, continuous improvement, and statewide emergency management—not military operations.

The work of this position falls under the Director's Office and reports to the Deputy Director of the Emergency Management Division.

Before You Apply

This position is best suited for a professional with experience in organizational strategy, accreditation, assessment, corrective action, and continuous improvement.

The three areas of experience most relevant to this position are:

1. EMAP / Accreditation
Experience leading or supporting an accreditation, assessment, standards, or compliance process.

2. Corrective Action / Continuous Improvement
Experience identifying gaps, developing corrective actions or improvement plans, tracking implementation, and determining whether changes improved organizational performance.

3. Strategic Planning
Experience facilitating or implementing an organizational strategic plan and translating strategic goals into measurable actions and outcomes.

Experience serving in an Emergency Operations Center or disaster field operation is valuable, but it is not the primary focus of this position.

Examples of duties

The Accreditation and Strategy Program Manager serves as a key advisor and facilitator for organizational strategy, accreditation, assessment, and continuous improvement.

Primary responsibilities include:

Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP)

• Serve as EMD's lead for the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP).
• Coordinate EMD's accreditation activities, including assessment, documentation, gap identification, corrective actions, and ongoing maintenance of accreditation standards.
• Work with EMD leadership and program managers to ensure Division programs and processes align with applicable EMAP standards and established best practices.

Corrective Action and Continuous Improvement

• Lead EMD's Continuous Improvement Program and Corrective Action Program.
• Facilitate the identification, analysis, prioritization, assignment, and tracking of corrective actions resulting from exercises, real-world incidents, assessments, evaluations, and other improvement activities.
• Develop and monitor improvement plans and ensure identified actions are translated into measurable organizational improvements.
• Coordinate related Stakeholder Preparedness Report (SPR) activities and other required improvement processes.

Strategic Planning

• Facilitate the development, implementation, monitoring, and periodic update of the EMD Strategic Plan (EMD33).
• Work closely with the Director, Deputy Director, senior managers, and program staff to translate strategic goals and objectives into actionable priorities.
• Monitor progress toward strategic objectives and identify issues, gaps, and opportunities requiring management attention.
• Facilitate cross-program collaboration to ensure organizational activities remain aligned with EMD's strategic direction.

Assessment and Performance Measurement

• Lead assessments of EMD programs, processes, tools, and organizational capabilities.
• Develop, collect, analyze, and communicate performance measures that inform organizational effectiveness and strategic decision-making.
• Use assessment findings, performance data, lessons learned, and stakeholder input to identify opportunities for improvement.

Emergency Management Operations

• Serve in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), Joint Field Office (JFO), or Disaster Field Office (DFO), as assigned, during emergency or disaster operations.
• Apply lessons learned from exercises and real-world incidents to EMD's continuous improvement and corrective action processes.

Qualifications

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications for Emergency Management Program Specialist 4, the successful candidate must demonstrate experience in at least two of the following areas:

• Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) or a comparable accreditation, assessment, certification, or standards-based organizational improvement program;
• Corrective Action or Continuous Improvement Programs, including developing, implementing, monitoring, and closing corrective actions or improvement plans;
• Organizational Strategic Planning, including facilitating the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of strategic goals and objectives;
• Organizational or Emergency Management Program Assessment, including evaluating programs, processes, capabilities, or performance and identifying opportunities for improvement;
• Performance Measurement and Analysis, including developing or analyzing metrics used to measure organizational effectiveness and inform management decisions; or
• Program or Project Management, including coordinating multiple stakeholders, monitoring progress, evaluating results, and achieving defined organizational outcomes.

Highly relevant experience will include work that demonstrates the ability to connect assessment findings to corrective action, continuous improvement, strategic priorities, and measurable organizational results.

Experience with military or law enforcement operational planning is not required and, by itself, does not demonstrate the primary experience sought for this position.

Qualifications

REQUIRED

One year of experience as an Emergency Management Program Specialist 3;

OR

A Bachelor's degree AND five years of professional level experience in emergency management, financial management (grant, contracting, claims management, budgeting) training/education, public information/affairs, program/project management environmental analysis/planning, civil/structural engineering, legislative affairs, and/or urban planning.

AND(in additional to the experience listed above. This experience may be gained concurrently with the professional level experience listed above).

Two years of experience in two or more of the following:

• Strategic planning (developing, facilitating and/or monitoring).
• Identify, track, and analyze metrics to measure organizational effectiveness.
• Leading and administering an Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) or similar program for an organization.
• Leading assessments of Emergency Management Programs.
• Facilitating and managing a Continuous Improvement Program (CIP) as the subject matter expert in exercise and real-world activations requiring the implementation of corrective actions, improvement plans, and Stakeholder Preparedness Report (SPR) activities.
• Program/project management - coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating a project or program having a specific goal to be achieved within a specific time frame.

Additional qualifying experience will substitute, year for year, for the education requirement. A* Master's or Ph.D. degree will substitute for one year of the experience requirement.*

DESIRED

Experience:

• Two years of applied experience in Program Management.

Knowledge of:

• EMAP standards
• Emergency Management Division and its programs.

Skills and Abilities to :

• Ability to take action to meet the needs of others
• Ability to take action to learn and grow.
• Use Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Access) to develop complex documents in support of program objectives.

Supplemental information

Compensation: Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENTBackground Investigation:Must successfully complete the appropriate background checks required for employment. Must be willing to sign releases of information and shall not have access to any investigative materials and files. The processing of background checks can take up to six months post-employment. Failure to successfully pass a background check may be cause for termination.

Union:This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees.

Driver's License:

1. Valid to drive in the State of Washington.
2. Must meet requirements of the REAL ID Act. This is required for base access and will be required upon hire.

Military Facility:Willingness to work on a Military Controlled Access Installation.

Camp Murray uses the Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) for entry to the installation. Must meet access requirements / background check which can be found in the Camp Murray Access Requirements Policy (Unified Policy No. 18-01). This includes possession of an Enhanced Driver’s License, or other REAL ID Compliant Identification.

Work Hours:A choice may be available between a Tuesday through Friday (4/10 schedule): Monday through Thursday (4/10 schedule): or Monday through Friday (5/8 schedule). Actual hours will start no earlier than 6:00 am and end no later than 6:00 pm, and will include core business hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Telework: This position may be eligible for occasional ad hoc telework.

Emergency Assignment:Upon activation of the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) or Joint Field Office (JFO), incumbent may be required to work in an alternate location with rotating shifts, including weekends and evenings, in a highly stressful and fast-paced environment.

Travel:Occasional statewide travel may be required up to 20% to include overnight stays.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for this recruitment will be accepted electronically via www.careers.wa.gov. It is very important that the "Work Experience" and "Supplemental Questionnaire" portion of the application is completed in as much detail as possible.

In order to be considered for this opportunity, please include the following with your online application:

• An attached Resume outlining your experience to date.

• An attached Cover Letter that further explains your qualifications and indicates why you believe you are a viable candidate for this role.

• Contact details for a minimum of three (3) professional references. Please include at least two (2) past/current supervisors, one peer and/or subordinate, if applicable. For each reference include the following:

• Name

• Professional Title

• Working Relationship

• Daytime Phone Number

• Email Address

NOTE: This information may be entered in the "References" section of the online application or can be an attached document.A resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application.The information provided in your application must support your supplemental questionnaire responses. Responses not supported in your application will disqualify you for consideration of employment from this recruitment.

Failure to attach the requested resume and/or cover letter may preclude you from consideration from this recruitment.

This recruitment may be utilized to fill additional Emergency Management Program Specialist 4 vacancies as they become available for 60 days after the closing date.

If you have questions about the application process or this recruitment, please email Geri Harding at geri.harding@mil.wa.gov
Technical Support: Reach out to NEOGOV directly at 1-855-524-5627 for technical support and login issues.

The Washington Military Department is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included, and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency. Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, as well as people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons with disabilities and/or limited English proficiency needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruitment Section of State Human Resources at: Email:geri.harding@mil.wa.govCall: (253) 512-7384, or 711.