DIRECTOR OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY PROGRAMS - 09152026-80992

Job Information

State of Tennessee Job Information

Opening Date/Time09/15/2026 12:00AM Central TimeClosing Date/Time10/05/2026 11:59PM Central TimeSalary (Monthly)$6,544.00 - $8,454.00Salary (Annually)$78,528.00 - $101,448.00Job TypeFull-TimeCity, State LocationNashville, TNDepartmentAgriculture

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DAVIDSON COUNTY

This position is with the Animal Health Program and will be based on-site at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Ellington Agricultural Center campus in Nashville.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Possession of a doctorate in veterinary medicine from an approved school of veterinary medicine and experience equivalent to one year of full-time increasingly responsible professional experience as a Veterinarian.

Necessary Special Qualifications: None.

Examination Method: Education and Experience,100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Overview

The Director of Veterinary Emergency Programs leads TN's Animal Health strategic and operational efforts in planning, preparedness, prevention, response, recovery, and resiliency for events impacting animals, animal diseases, food products derived from animals, and animal-related natural disasters. This role coordinates Animal Health's participation in Secure Food Supply (SFS) plans, manages agency-wide training for emergency animal health operations, and holds primary responsibility for Animal Health's Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead Animal Health's enterprise strategy for animal health emergency management, covering prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, and resilience.
• Develop and maintain multi-year program roadmaps and performance indicators aligned with the mission of Animal Health.
• Chair or co-chair cross-functional working groups to integrate emergency readiness activities.
• Design and maintain hazard- specific emergency plans.
• Establish biosecurity standards and guidance for agencies and industry partners.
• Serve as the Animal Health Incident Commander or Technical and Subject Matter Lead during animal health emergencies.
• Coordinate field operations, staffing surge, movement control, epidemiologic investigations, and recovery.
• Lead after-action reviews and improvement planning.
• Coordinate Tennessee's Secure Food Supply plans across livestock and poultry sectors.
• Engage stakeholders including producers, processors, transporters, and federal partners.
• Develop job aids, communications, and decision support materials.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive training for emergency animal health operations.
• Plan and execute exercises such as workshops, tabletops, drills, and functional exercises.
• Maintain readiness records and deployable personnel qualifications.
• Lead Animal Health's Continuity of Operations planning, updates, and validation.
• Identify essential functions, alternate facilities, reconstitution procedures, and risk mitigation.

Competencies (KSA's)

Competencies:

• Decision Quality
• Business Insight
• Directs Work
• Resourcefulness
• Action Oriented

Knowledge:

• Administration and Management
• Biology
• Clerical
• Customer and Personal Service
• Food Production

Skills:

• Active Learning and Listening
• Critical Thinking
• Learning Strategies
• Mathematics
• Reading Comprehension

Abilities:

• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Problem Sensitivity
• Selective Attention

Tools & Equipment

• Office Equipment
• Various Medical Equipment and Devices