Disaster management does not come into the picture only when any country, city, or town is struck with a calamity. It revolves around a proactive approach and makes sure when there is a natural or a man-made disaster, there is sufficient preparation, distribution, and management of responsibilities and resources.
With climate change impacting almost every part of the earth, we have witnessed wildfires, earthquakes, floods, to hurricanes affecting human life more. In today’s world, disaster management has many lucrative career options which enable you to help affected populations. You may work in the office or the field, helping with recovery efforts, rehabilitation, and minimizing human suffering.
Disaster management offers lucrative careers from risk assessment analysts to researchers, emergency response coordinators to emergency management directors. In this article, we will discuss five career options in disaster management that are financially rewarding and offer personal fulfillment.
- Emergency Management Director
You can start your career as Emergency Management Director in disaster management. As emergency management director, you will plan and prepare for disasters and emergencies beforehand. This position requires responding to natural calamities and man-made disasters, including terrorism. The emergency management director must collaborate closely with local and federal law enforcement agencies to form a coordinated response effectively.
Getting an online masters degree in disaster management is a good option if you cannot attend school in person because of your current job and responsibilities. The curriculum equips aspiring students with qualitative and quantitative research methods enabling them to inquire and research meaningfully. The contents include but are not limited to sociological, ecological, environmental, and overall health effects of disasters. Specializations include maritime, cybersecurity, criminal justice, public health, and fire administration.
As an emergency management director, you may work in the public sector for local, state, or federal government agencies, hospitals, and educational institutions. Other settings where you can perform include corporations offering scientific, technical, or security services.
- Management Analyst
To start a career as a management analyst, you may need a master’s degree in disaster management, emergency management, or relevant fields. Additional certification like PMI RMP (Risk Management Certification) may be required, and occupational health and safety will give you a head start.
If you like to plan, document, improve, and repeat the process again, then a management analyst career might be a good fit for you. Because as a management analyst, you will be required to analyze existing disaster management documentation, evaluate the implementation phase, and support and facilitate knowledge building and sharing. You will draft and revise disaster management plans and extract learnings from the documented and recorded processes from previous disasters.
The curriculum for management analysts comprises data collection methods, descriptive and inferential statistics, tools for designing and analyzing, and risk management courses. Project management contents are included to familiarize you with agile practices, cost and resource management, and more.
- Fundraiser
If you’re good with expressing thoughts and ideas and can inspire people for a cause, then a career as a fundraiser might interest you. You must plan, strategize, execute, and finalize fundraising events as a fundraiser. Primary responsibilities of a fundraiser include but are not limited to, coordination with legitimate non-profit organizations and disaster relief centers and communication with the right stakeholders. In this career, you must devise plans to distribute resources effectively.
Besides a master’s degree in disaster management, you will be expected to have strong interpersonal and organizational skills. To succeed as a fundraiser, you must have succinct communication skills, understanding, and delivering messages to your target audience. Understanding the dynamics of cultural and social values will help you move people toward the right cause.
You can work in non-profit organizations, public or private companies, or religious and educational institutes. Health research foundations and social services organizations can also provide you with a platform to start your career.
- Operations Manager
After completing a master’s degree in disaster management, emergency management, or in a relevant field, you may choose a career as an operations manager. The curriculum focuses on personal preparedness to provide adequate ground support when needed. Course contents include response and recovery operations. Effective utilization of resources and tackling any challenges associated with response and recovery operations. All-hazards risk analysis equips you with the right skill and enables you to respond to natural, man-made, or technological disasters.
As an operations manager, you will be expected to provide ground support if a disaster strikes. You must keep yourself composed under extreme pressure and stress so your team members look up to you and complete relief operations without hesitation. You will be expected to provide detailed feedback and feedforward on obstacles, challenges, and shortcomings in emergencies.
You may work with non-profit organizations, hospitals, and emergency services. Local, state, or federal agencies and educational institutions are also good starting points.
- Social and Community Service Manager
Social and community service managers are responsible for the overall well-being of their community. They plan, coordinate, and supervise disaster risk reduction (DRR). As a social and community service manager, you will oversee all disaster management cycle phases, including prevention, mitigation, readiness, response, and recovery. You will provide support to meet the essential needs of people and communities affected by a disaster.
You may require a master’s degree in disaster management to start a social and community service manager career. The contents of the course include but are not limited to decision-making, negotiations, time and project management, data analysis, sociology, and financial management. You may work in a non-profit organization, for-profit social service companies, private and public hospitals, or shelters and clinics.
Conclusion
A career in disaster management offers a wide range of opportunities for aspiring individuals with a passion for helping and supporting people affected by a disaster or emergency. You can explore various career paths such as disaster management, humanitarian relief and aid, health sector, and policy development.
These careers will allow you to make a positive impact in times of crisis. You will contribute to the affected community’s planning, preparation, response, support, and recovery. These careers provide a platform to collaborate with different organizations, save precious lives, and inspire others to follow in your footsteps.