OEM Specialist

2026 Saline County

OEM Specialist

Job Description

Exempt: No

Department: Office of Emergency Management

Reports To: Office of Emergency Management Deputy Director

Location: 102 South Main Level B, Benton, AR 72015

Safety Sensitive: This position is designated as safety sensitive and is subject to pre-employment, reasonable suspicion and random drug and alcohol screening.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION

Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Emergency Management, the OEM Specialist performs professional, technical, administrative, and operational work supporting all functions of the Saline County Office of Emergency Management. The position is responsible for managing the daily administrative functions of the office while assisting with emergency planning, disaster response, resource coordination, training, special operations, and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activities.

The OEM Specialist serves as the primary office administrator while also functioning as an operational emergency management professional capable of responding to incidents, coordinating resources, supporting emergency operations, and assisting partner agencies throughout Saline County.

Unlike a traditional clerical position, the OEM Specialist is expected to operate in both office and field environments and support all phases of emergency management. This position is designated as a safety sensitive position as defined by Act 593 of 2017. An essential function is the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative Responsibilities (~50%)

Office Management:

Manage daily office operations, answer telephones, and handle public inquiries.

Maintain calendars, scheduling, electronic/paper filing systems, and coordinate office supplies and purchasing.

Prepare correspondence, meeting agendas, minutes, and administrative reports.

Payroll & Personnel Support:

Process payroll and maintain employee leave records, compensatory time tracking, and personnel files.

Maintain employee certifications, training records, and travel documentation.

Maintain confidential personnel records.

Financial Administration:

Process invoices, track expenditures, and assist with annual budgeting.

Maintain purchasing and inventory records.

Assist with grant documentation and FEMA reimbursement tracking.

Compliance & Documentation:

Maintain required documentation for the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM), FEMA, Homeland Security grants, Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants, Public Assistance documentation, and county record retention requirements.

2. Emergency Management Responsibilities (~50%)

Preparedness:

Assist the Director and Deputy Director across all emergency management phases.

Maintain emergency plans, update resource databases, maintain emergency contact lists, and conduct exercises.

Coordinate training, prepare situation reports, and coordinate public education programs.

Response:

Staff the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during emergencies.

Coordinate incoming resource requests, track personnel and equipment, maintain incident documentation, and manage WebEOC entries.

Deploy to emergency scenes, assist with damage assessments, coordinate shelter support, and assist with Incident Action Plan (IAP) documentation.

Respond to after hours call on a on-call rotation to be determined by the Director.

Recovery & Mitigation:

Support disaster documentation, damage assessment, FEMA Public Assistance, and recovery coordination.

Collect hazard data and assist with mitigation planning and grant applications.

3. Operational & Field Responsibilities

Maintain operational readiness and assist county agencies during emergency incidents, including:

Hazardous Materials (HazMat) incidents

Search and Rescue (SAR) operations

Emergency communications and Mobile Command operations

Incident logistics, resource tracking, and disaster deployments

Emergency equipment management

Safely operate county emergency management vehicles, trailers, boats, UTVs, communications equipment, generators, and specialized response equipment.

4. Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

These knowledge, skills, and abilities are usually, although not always acquired through a completion of a bachelor’s degree in emergency management or a related field plus 1 to 2 years of relevant experience in emergency management.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

The ability to write reports, business correspondence, and policy/procedure manuals; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.

The ability to maintain a professional working relationship with our key partners, including:

All Fire Departments, Sheriff’s Office, Municipal Police Departments and EMS Agencies

Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM), FEMA, Arkansas State Policy and Arkansas Department of Health

Hospitals, School Districts, utility providers, volunteer organizations and local industry.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid Arkansas Driver's License is required during the applicant’s employment with Saline County.

Each employee whose salary and/or benefits are funded by any portion of EMPG funding shall complete the following 15 courses during their first full EMPG period of performance to retain employment. The employee will maintain documentation of successful completion and provide verification of completion (certificates) to the ADEM EMPG Coordinator.

The following certifications are to be completed within one year of employment:

IS-100 Introduction of ICS

IS-200 ICS for Initial Response

IS-700 An Introduction to the National Incident Management System

IS-800 In Introduction to National Response Framework

G-300 – Intermediate Incident Command for Expanding Incidents *

G-400 – Advanced Incident Command for Complex Incidents *

FEMA Professional Development Series:

IS-120.a – An Introduction to Exercises

IS-230.d – Fundamentals of Emergency Management

IS-235.b – Emergency Planning

IS-240.b – Leadership and Influence

IS-241.b – Decision Making and Problem Solving

IS-242.b – Effective Communication

IS-244.b – Developing Volunteer Resources

Exercise Training:

IS-130.a - How to be an Exercise Evaluator

L-0146 - Homeland Security and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) within 2 years *

PREFERRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

HazMat Technician

Basic Search and Rescue

Technical Rescue Disciplines

Arkansas Certified Emergency Manager (when eligible)

Public Information Officer

WebEOC

CPR/AED

Emergency Vehicle Operations

Essential Characteristics

WORKING CONDITIONS

Continuously exposed to one or two elements such as noise, intermittent standing, walking, pushing, carrying, or lifting. This position will be placed on-call rotation at the direction of the Director and may have to attend meetings at night as well as out-of-town training.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

The following work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

W