Commonwealth Chief Resilience Officer
Company: DHRM
Location: Richmond
Posted on: April 1, 2026
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Job Description:
Title: Commonwealth Chief Resilience Officer State Role Title:
Commonwealth Chief Resilience Officer Hiring Range: $125,000 -
$145,000 Pay Band: UG Agency: Sec of Natural&Historical Rsrc
Location: Governor's Office Agency Website:
https://www.naturalresources.virginia.gov/ Recruitment Type:
General Public - G Job Duties The Virginia Office of the Secretary
of Natural and Historic Resources is seeking an experienced
professional to serve as Chief Resilience Officer for the Office of
Commonwealth Resilience, within the Office of the Secretary of
Natural and Historic Resources. The Secretary of Natural and
Historic Resources advises the Governor on natural resources issues
and works to advance the Governor's top environmental priorities.
The Secretary oversees five agencies that protect and restore the
Commonwealth’s natural and historic resources. The Secretary's
office and all of the natural resources agencies work together to
uphold the provisions of Article XI of the Virginia Constitution.
The Chief Resilience Officer serves as the primary coordinator of
resilience and adaptation initiatives in Virginia and as the
primary point of contact regarding issues related to resilience, as
that term is defined in the Code of Virginia § 10.1-603.28. The
Chief Resilience Officer is equally responsible for all urban,
suburban, and rural areas of the Commonwealth. Reporting to the
Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources as an appointee of the
Governor, the Chief Resilience Officer is tasked with: - Promoting
communication, coordination, and cooperation between state
agencies, the federal government, local governments, other
political subdivisions of the Commonwealth, and other interested
parties regarding resilience; - Leading in developing and in
providing direction and ensuring accountability for a statewide
resilience and adaptation strategy; - Seeking to ensure that
resilience and adaptation strategies prioritize the protection of
Virginia's natural resources; and - Initiating and assisting with
economic development opportunities associated with adaptation in
partnership with both the public and private sectors, and
aggressively seeking funding for resilience efforts. The duties of
the Chief Resilience Officer are: - Identifying and monitoring
those areas of the Commonwealth that are at greatest risk from
significant multi-hazard threats and recommend actions that both
the private and public sectors should consider in order to increase
the resilience of such areas; - Providing support to local
governments, as that term is defined in § 10.1-603.28, that are
seeking to promote resilience within their communities by providing
technical assistance and capacity building support regarding best
practices for resilience planning, data collection, and project
design and implementation; - Coordinating with the Department of
Emergency Management on all issues related to pre-disaster hazard
mitigation and post-disaster recovery; - Assisting the Department
of Conservation and Recreation with the development and
implementation of a Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and a
Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan in accordance with §
10.1-602; - Seeking to maximize the coordination, availability, and
use of federal, state, and private funding to address resilience
challenges, including initiating and assisting with the pursuit of
funding opportunities at both the state and local levels. -
Coordinating the collection and dissemination of the best available
resilience science, legal guidance, planning strategies, best
practices, and needs assessments to the public. - Beginning July 1,
2025, and every two years thereafter, reporting to the Governor and
the General Assembly on the status of resilience in the
Commonwealth, as required by the Code of Virginia. - Convening and
serving as Chair of an Interagency Resilience Management Team to
support the coordination of planning and implementation of
resilience efforts at the state level. The Chief Resilience Officer
will lead the Office of Commonwealth Resilience and be supported by
a team of two employees, which will include a Resilience
Coordinator, and a Resilience Policy Advisor. Minimum
Qualifications Generally, the position requires strong management,
communication, organizational, interpersonal, facilitation, and
leadership skills, as well as strong technical and presentation
skills. The ideal candidate will have significant experience
leading resilience or resilience-related efforts (such as emergency
management, flood protection, etc) at the state, local, or federal
level. Experience leading these efforts in Virginia or similarly
situated states is preferred. The ideal candidate will also have
experience with, and an understanding of, the Virginia legislative
and budgetary processes or those of or similarly situated states;
coalition building; and project financing, management, and
execution. Additional Considerations Knowledge/experience with
state and federal resilience-related funding and policy programs is
preferred. Special Instructions You will be provided a confirmation
of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted
successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to
check the status of your application for this position. This
position requires the successful completion of a criminal
background check. This position is appointed by the Governor and
serves at the will of the Governor. Contact Information Name:
Suzanne Swinson Phone: 804-225-4839 Email:
Suzanne.Swinson@governor.virginia.gov In support of the
Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging
individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth
Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity,
applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD)
provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services
(DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI).
Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status
questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable,
to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can
be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019. Note :
Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or
DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use
that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring
Process.
Keywords: DHRM, Virginia Beach , Commonwealth Chief Resilience Officer, Administration, Clerical , Richmond, Virginia
