Senior Emergency Planning Specialist (Training and Exercises)

YVR is a place of connection, bringing together people, places and cargo while ensuring a safe and efficient experience for everyone.  The Business Resilience team ensures that YVR is prepared for emergencies and disruptions by managing emergency response plans, the business continuity program, and life safety assets to support operational readiness.

Position overview

Are you energized by a fast-paced environment and motivated to make a real impact on safety and resilience? If so, this role puts you right at the center of it.

We’re hiring for a permanent, full-time position reporting to the Manager, Business Resilience, where you’ll play a pivotal role in keeping YVR prepared, coordinated, and ready to respond. You’ll lead the delivery of YVR’s Emergency Management Program—driving training, readiness, and execution of the Emergency Response Plan, Evacuation Plan, and Hazard Specific Plans.

You’ll design, develop, and run full-scale and tabletop exercises, and support key response teams, including Incident Management Teams and Floor Wardens. Your work will directly shape the resilience of YVR in responding to emergencies and operational challenges – when it matters most.

Coordination and collaboration are essential. You’ll work closely with the RCMP, CBSA, Nav Canada, BC Emergency Health Services, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, the Cities of Vancouver and Richmond, and more than thirty other provincial and federal agencies and community partners to ensure seamless, coordinated emergency response across the airport.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead real-time incidents and post exercise reporting, evaluation, and follow-up on procedural issues, including identifying and engaging key stakeholders.
• Analyze response gap trends and develop work plans to address them, incorporating continuous improvement, maintenance, and training.
• Develop, deliver, and maintain a wide range of emergency preparedness training for YVR staff and partners, including ICS, Emergency Response Teams, Floor Wardens, and specialized programs, while ensuring ongoing awareness of post emergency procedures.
• Build emergency response capacity through training, collaboration, and knowledge sharing with airport and community partners, while staying current on emerging technologies, industry standards, and best practices.
• Lead YVR’s resilience and preparedness initiatives by developing and updating emergency response strategies, delivering workplace and personal preparedness training, coordinating with government and airport partners, advising tenants, driving emergency readiness campaigns, and collaborating across the organization to strengthen change management and overall resilience.
• Create engaging, resilience focused training content by researching topics, developing logical and compelling scenarios, writing clear video scripts, and coordinating all production elements—from filming to graphics and narration—to deliver impactful learning experiences.
• Develop engaging, resilience focused training by researching topics, creating compelling scenarios, writing clear scripts, and coordinating all aspects of video production to deliver impactful learning content.
• Create engaging resilience focused training by researching topics, developing compelling scenarios, writing clear scripts, and coordinating end to end video production to deliver impactful learning content.

Key qualifications include:

• At least three years’ progressive experience in an operations environment, with a minimum of two years’ experience in emergency and/or disaster management, supplemented by a technical diploma or an associate degree with a specialization in Emergency and/or Disaster Management or Adult Learning; or an equivalent combination of training and experience
• Proven experience working and leading in an emergency context
• Ability to explain: the four phases of emergency management; business continuity; the exercise planning process; and the Incident Command System (ICS)
• Experience delivering adult training courses and conducting emergency exercises
• Proven ability in public speaking and to deliver on-point presentations to large groups
• Familiarization with adult learning techniques and a variety of training methods, including designing classroom, online, and blended learning courses
• Ability to engage and collaborate with a wide range of internal and external partners and stakeholders while demonstrating empathy and patience
• Proven ability to use diplomacy and innovative solutions to deliver training, workshops and debriefs
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and in a team to achieve team’s overall objectives
• A self-starter with keen interest and ability to learn and adapt in a non-structured environment 
• Proven ability to multitask, manage data and stay organized in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated ability to regularly meet deadlines and to deliver a polished product
• Knowledge of emergency management trends, standards, and regulations
• Proven ability to report on and manage data with clear and concise reporting capabilities
• Proficient user of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) 
• Previous job performance will be taken into consideration for all internal candidates that apply for this position.

Although not required, French language skills are an asset as we are committed to providing bilingual services to our visitors and passengers. This helps us meet federal language obligations while ensuring a welcoming experience. Candidates who do not speak French are still strongly encouraged to apply.

As part of our recruitment process, short-listed candidates may be required to participate in an assessment process.

Salary Range : 85,156 to $ 111,294 per annum, based on a 37.5-hour work week. This is individually tailored to reflect your unique experience, qualifications and internal equity. At YVR, your work experience goes beyond the paycheck. We support your personal and professional development, well-being, and a thriving work culture with generous vacation days, extensive health benefits, retirement savings matching, wellness programs, community engagement, commuting support, and continuous learning opportunities. Learn more at https://careers.yvr.ca/benefits.

YVR is more than just an airport. We connect our beautiful province and all it has to offer to the world. We are all leaders and trailblazers for change and innovation, so no matter the department or team you’re a part of, the work you do matters.

At YVR, we are flexible in everything we do. We will work together to find ways to deliver customer excellence that helps us all thrive.

Whatever your background and wherever you’re from, you belong at YVR. If you have any questions about accessibility or require any assistance applying, please reach out at careers@yvr.ca.