Emergency Management Directors

Employers

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that the largest employers of emergency management directors in 2023 were:

• local government agencies (excluding education and hospitals): 53 percent
• state government agencies (excluding education and hospitals): 16 percent
• hospitals (state, local, and private): 5 percent
• professional, scientific, and technical services firms: 4 percent
• colleges, universities, and professional schools (state, local, and private): 2 percent

Starting Out

People become eligible for emergency management director positions after obtaining five (for positions at smaller government agencies, companies, or other employers) to 10 (for larger employers) years of work experience in disaster planning, emergency response, or public administration.

Job candidates can learn about openings through LinkedIn and other professional networking sites and job boards at the Web sites of professional associations such as the International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association. Other methods include attending in-person online networking events and educational conferences and contacting potential employers directly about job openings.