About the Department

The City of La Habra is seeking a dynamic Public Safety Program Manager who is highly motivated and enthusiastic about a professional police administrative career in a collaborative and fast-paced environment. If you are customer service-oriented and have a strong ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other departments, outside agencies, community groups, and the broader public, then this may be the career you are looking for. Ideally, this person has prior experience with emergency management, budget, and grant development preparation in the public sector.

This position requires proof of a Bachelor's Degree and Resume for consideration.

Please include these items as your attachments. Individuals that do not provide these attachments with the application will be disqualified from the recruitment process.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

This full-time position reports to the Administrative Bureau Manager and serves as a key liaison between the police department and the community, overseeing essential functions related to planning, organizing, designing, administering and maintaining the City’s emergency preparedness, response and recovery programs in addition to public safety communications, and grant and budget administration.

The City of La Habra is looking for a highly motivated and customer service-oriented Public Safety Program Manager with innovative ideas and a passion for excellence. Competitive candidates for the position will possess a broad range of knowledge and experience including excellent written, analytic and computer skills, budget, program administration as well as a strong customer service orientation, excellent report writing skills, and the ability to collaborate successfully with other departments, outside agencies, community groups and the broader public. If you are the ideal candidate with the education, training, and experience we are looking for, APPLY TODAY!

ABOUT THE CITY:

The City of La Habra is a vibrant Southern California community, strategically located in the northwest corner of Orange County. Today, the City is home to a population of over 63,000 residents within La Habra’s 7.3 square miles. A friendly and diverse community, La Habra is conveniently located within an hour's drive of many beaches, mountains, and desert recreation areas. The City is known for the Corn Festival, Citrus Fair, Tamale Festival, and the jewel of La Habra, its Children’s Museum. While the City has planned for and encourages measured growth, it retains a small town feel and lives up to its heritage as “A Caring Community.”

Position Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES (Duties may include, but are not limited to the following): The duties listed below are intended only as illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the class.

Manage the City’s Emergency Management Program, including preparedness planning, coordination of drills, inter-agency collaboration, and community outreach.
Oversee the City’s Emergency Operations Center and related trainings.
Serve as technical advisor during emergencies and exercises; ensures that all appropriate emergency management principles, protocols, and policies are met; must be prepared to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days per year.
Serve as the department’s lead for public relations, including development and management of content for social media, press releases, and coordination of community events.
Identify, pursue, and administer grant programs; monitor and manage grant expenditures; and assess program effectiveness and modify strategies based on findings.
Assist with the department’s budget preparation and monitoring processes, including forecasting, analysis, and expenditure tracking.
Develop and implement public safety initiatives and programs in alignment with city goals and community needs.
Conduct complex administrative studies and prepare clear, comprehensive reports and recommendations to the police department’s Command Staff.
Maintain strong working relationships with city staff, elected officials, partner agencies, and community groups.
Performs comprehensive analysis in a wide range of areas, including policies, organization, finance, contracts, procedures, and services.
Assists in the implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities as assigned.
Monitors project timelines, budgets, contracts, and other related resources.
Conducts research projects, gathers and analyzes data, writes reports, develops recommendations, cost implications, and implements guidelines for new programs and existing proposed projects.
Travel as required and represents the police department with outside agencies and attends professional meetings as required.
May supervisor staff and/or serve as Acting Administrative Bureau Manager as needed.
Builds and maintains positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees, and the public, using principles of good customer service.
Coordinates assigned activities with City departments, divisions, and outside agencies.
Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

QUALIFYING KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of:

Principles and practices of planning and administering emergency management services, including systems, response programs, and plans.
Emergency Operation Center processes and structure.
Public relations strategies and effective communications practices, especially in a public safety setting.
Law enforcement grant writing and administration, including federal and state funding sources.
Budget, municipal finance, and operational analysis.
Methods of effective community engagement and public information dissemination.
California Code and California Code of Regulations.
Municipal Code and related statutes.
Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations on local government operations.
Principles, practices, and techniques of public administration and analysis.
Research and survey techniques, methods, and procedures.
Principles and practices of modern office equipment and software applications.
Effective customer service techniques.

Ability to:

Coordinate emergency operations and recovery efforts in collaboration with public and private agencies.
Plan, manage, and execute high-visibility community events and outreach campaigns.
Administer and monitor departmental grants, ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
Operate computer hardware and word processing, spreadsheet, and specialized software.
Operate optical imaging systems.
Use and operate modern office equipment.
Organize tasks and set priorities.
Interpret, apply, explain, and reach sound decisions following laws, regulations, rules, and policies.
Analyze a variety of administrative and/or organizational issues and make sound policy and procedural recommendations.
Use correct English usage, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.
Make effective presentations.
Plan, organize, and successfully implement projects and assignments.
Organize and maintain office records.
Assist in budget preparation.
Oversee an emergency management program.
Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Prepare clear, accurate, and concise records and reports.
Maintain sensitive and confidential information.
Use tact, discretion, and diplomacy in conflict situations.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of the community, city staff, management, the general public, and others encountered in the course of work.

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

Any combination of training and experience, which demonstrates attainment of the required knowledge and ability to perform the required work, typically:

Education: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, public administration, emergency management, or a related field is required.

Experience: Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in emergency management, public safety communications, grant administration, or related public sector function. Experience working with people, finance, budgets, contract administration, goal setting, technology, legislative affairs, communication, and public relations is desirable. Must be available to work evenings, weekends, and attend special events.

Other Qualifications

LICENSE and CERTIFICATION:

Must possess and maintain a valid California Class C driver’s license, an acceptable driving record, and evidence of insurance.

Preferably possess a CERT basic training certification.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is constantly required to sit, and occasionally to stand and walk. The employee must be able to talk and hear. The employee must be able to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate computer hardware and standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms above the below shoulder level. The employee occasionally lifts and carries records and documents typically weighing less than 20 pounds. The employee must be able to operate a motor vehicle.

Specific vision abilities required by this class include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use oral and written communication skills, read, and interpret data. Thoroughly analyze and solve problems; exercise sound judgment in the absence of specific guidelines; use math and mathematical reasoning; establish priorities and work on multiple assignments and projects concurrently; meet intense and changing deadlines given interruptions; and interact appropriately with staff, management, city officials, contractors, public and private representatives, and others in the course of work.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The employee frequently works in the police department, where the noise levels are usually moderate, at or below 85 decibels. The employee attends meetings, city events, and other functions on behalf of the city, including functions being held during evening and weekend hours.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Public Employee Disaster Service Worker: In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, all La Habra city employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

The City of La Habra is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status or disability.

INTERESTED IN APPLYING?

To be considered for this exceptional opportunity, please submit a City application online through the Human Resources Department webpage at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lahabraca. Applications may be accompanied by a resume describing experience, education, and training in relation to the requirements of the position. However, resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a City employment application. Completed applications will be accepted until filled. A first review of applications will be conducted on August 26, 2025.

All applications will be reviewed and only those candidates determined to be most qualified on the basis of experience and education, as submitted, will be invited to participate in the selection process. The selection process may include, but is not limited to oral interview and/or written exams. Successful candidates will be placed on the employment eligible list from which hires may be made. The list is valid for up to one year, unless exhausted sooner.The final candidate must successfully complete a medical exam, drug screening, employment history verification, DMV check and will be fingerprinted. In addition, the final candidate for the Police Department must also successfully complete an extensive background check and polygraph.

If any accommodation is needed during the interview, please notify the Human Resources Department at least five days in advance of your scheduled appointment so that we may be able to provide a reasonable accommodation.

This bulletin is not a contract, neither expressed nor implied.

Any provision herein may be modified or revoked.