Public-Private Partnership Officer

Responsibilities

The primary responsibility of the Public-Private Partnership Officer is to provide strategic expertise and real-world experience in information sharing operations and disaster management in the public-private partnership operations as well as capacity building through training programs of the National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies Institute (NIMSAT), as well as the Informatics Research Institute (IRI) and its constituent centers. The Public-Private Partnership Officer will report to the Director of NIMSAT.

A key component of this position involves active business development and securing external funding. The successful candidate will be expected to generate at least 30% of their salary through external funding, showcasing their strong skills in identifying and securing funding opportunities.

• Manage the state public-private partnership program (Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center) in accordance with the interagency agreement between the University and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (GOHSEP).
• Conduct outreach to grow and improve public-private partnerships. Attend public/private partnership events hosted by FEMA, CISA, the US Chamber of Commerce, and others.
• Maintain partnerships with other state public/private partnership program directors and participate in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) private sector outreach calls and conferences.
• Responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining GOHSEPs continuity of operations plan for the alternate state emergency operations center (SEOC) to ensure mission-critical operations can continue during and after a disruption.
• Maintain liaison with Louisiana Economic Development to help grow Louisiana’s economic ability to respond to disaster and cyber incidents.
• Serve on the Unified Command Group during state crises. Advise the Governor on the state of private sector issues as it applies to response and recovery efforts. Provide the private sector CEOs, CSOs, and other C-Suite leaders with information that enables rapid evacuation, response, and recovery during disasters.
• Deploy to the State Emergency Operations Center in Baton Rouge during crises events or when activated by GOHSEP.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate emergency management training programs, ensuring they meet state and federal guidelines. Monitor industry trends and integrate innovative training methods and technologies to enhance program effectiveness.
• Develop and implement a continuing education certification program that aligns with the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association (LEPA) certification program. Facilitate in-person training sessions for GOHSEP personnel, local agencies, and community partners, incorporating subject matter experts to maintain curriculum accuracy and relevance. Oversee the logistics of training events.
• Assist the Institute’s R&D teams by identifying the operational research and technology needs in homeland security, cybersecurity, and emergency management efforts; critical infrastructure and supply chain risk and vulnerability assessments; community education. Assist in the development of grant/contract proposals, white papers, analyses, and reports.

Qualifications:

• Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Homeland Security, Communications, Cybersecurity or a closely related field.
• Five (5) years of work experience in emergency management may substitute for the required bachelor’s degree.
• Preferred Qualifications:
• Advanced degree in Business, Management, Homeland Security, Communications, Cybersecurity or a closely related field.
• Relevant military or intelligence experience, governmental or university work experience.
• Emergency management certifications.
• Experience with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello).
• Proficiency in Excel, SQL, or Tableau.
• Successful candidates must be able to demonstrate and have:
• Strong verbal and written communication skills coupled with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines consistently, and maintain accurate records.
• Ability to gather and interpret data from various sources, identify trends, and draw insightful conclusions to inform decision-making.