Description

The Senior Program Manager, Wildfire Preparedness will provide strategic leadership for the regional implementation and growth of CORE's wildfire resilience and preparedness initiative across the State of California, ensuring high-quality program delivery, grant compliance, and community impact. This role provides senior level oversight of a grant-funded wildfire preparedness program, including defensible space education, wildfire preparedness, vegetation management outreach, and community engagement activities.

In this role, the Senior Program Manager will lead regional program strategy and operations, supervises field staff, strengthens partnerships with community-based organizations, local agencies, fire service partners and government stakeholders, and serves as a senior representative for CORE on regional wildfire resilience efforts in California.

This position will also oversee program performance, budgets, grant deliverables, and reporting requirements while identifying opportunities to strengthen and expand CORE's wildfire resilience and equitable disaster preparedness across the state of CA's vulnerable and high-risk communities.

As part of CORE's broader emergency response capacity, this position may also serve as a resource for national deployment to support disaster response and recovery efforts as part of CORE's Emergency Response Team.

Requirements

Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of CORE's wildfire resilience and preparedness programs across California, ensuring program goals, grant deliverables, and regional priorities are achieved.
• Lead the vision, strategy, development, and delivery of wildfire preparedness education and outreach programs, specifically aimed at the multiple region's most vulnerable and rural populations.
• Monitor program operations, grant compliance, budgets, contracts, performance metrics, and reporting requirements.
• Develop and lead regional outreach strategies, educational campaigns, presentations, and public engagement efforts focused on wildfire resilience.
• Oversee regional operational logistics including equipment, PPE, educational materials, and field resources.
• Pursue professional development in wildfire risk reduction strategies and innovation, knowledge in fire weather, emergency alert systems, evacuation planning, and community preparedness resources while supporting public education.
• Lead, supervise, mentor and evaluate Program Coordinators, fellows, volunteers, and other assigned staff while fostering a collaborative and high performing regional team.
• Provide coaching, technical guidance, and strategic direction to staff implementing wildfire preparedness activities.
• Collect, analyze, and report program data to support grant reporting, continuous improvement, and strategic decision making.
• Represent CORE at regional meetings, coalitions, trainings, and public events related to wildfire resilience and emergency preparedness.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for program growth, strategic leadership development, and future grant funding within the region.
• Contribute to broader organizational strategy, program development, and cross-regional learning related to wildfire resilience and disaster preparedness.
• Other duties as assigned.

Scope and Travel:

• Provide senior-level supervision and strategic direction to Program Coordinators and other assigned regional staff.
  • Supervise California Emergency Response Corps Fellows and volunteers as assigned.
  • Significant travel within Los Angeles County (with emphasis on the San Gabriel and Antelope Valleys) and across California (with emphasis on Siskiyou County), including local field visits, partner meetings, trainings, conferences, emergency deployments, and community events.
  • Weekend availability for community engagement events.

Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in emergency management, environmental science, forestry, natural resources, public administration, or a related field, (graduate-level studies preferred; equivalent professional experience considered).
• Relevant certifications such as Wildland Firefighter/Field Crew, Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist, NFPA or Project Management Professional (PMP) are preferred.
• A driver's license and access to reliable transportation capable of driving long distances in both rural and urban settings.
• Spanish bilingual proficiency preferred.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience managing grant-funded wildfire resilience, climate resilience, emergency preparedness or community based environmental programs.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic leadership for complex regional programs, supervising staff, and managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Experience managing grant budgets, contracts, compliance requirements, and performance reporting.
• Demonstrable ability to assess wildfire risk areas, and develop targeted community resilience strategies
• Experience overseeing operational logistics, field resources, and equipment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining partnerships with community-based organizations, local governments, fire agencies, and regional coalitions.
• Experience identifying program growth opportunities, developing new partnerships, and supporting grant development and fundraising efforts preferred.

Skills & Competencies:

• Deep understanding of wildfire risk reduction, home assessment, defensible space practices, fire behavior, emergency management systems, and California wildfire policy.
• Strong strategic planning, program development, and organizational leadership.
• Strong data management, analysis, and grant reporting skills.
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with experience presenting to diverse audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Excel, GIS (preferred), and other program management and reporting tools.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and project management skills.
• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities, regional partnerships, competing deadlines, and evolving grant requirements.
• Flexible and adaptable in dynamic field and emergency response environments.