1 Fenn Street, Suite 201 

Pittsfield, MA 01201 

T: (413) 442-1521 · F: (413) 442-1523 

TTY: 771 or (800) 439-2370 

berkshireplanning.org 

Employment Opportunity 

Public Health Planner (Emergency Preparedness)  

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission welcomes you! Our staff come from an  increasingly broad range of personal and professional backgrounds. Our diverse set  of skills and perspectives help us better serve the communities and residents of  Berkshire County. You may not be formally trained as a professional planner – we  still encourage you to apply. Be sure to send a cover letter highlighting your  transferable talents.  

To Apply: After carefully reviewing the job ad and full position description, submit  an online application via our website. General questions and accommodation  requests can be directed to [email protected].  

General Description  

This Planner position will focus on the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)  grant program and the Age Friendly Berkshires initiative. Additional assignments  will support a variety of other projects and initiates overseen by BRPC’s Public Health  Planning program. This is a full-time, on-site, flexible schedule position. Core work  hours (10 am to 4 pm) must be covered every workday unless otherwise agreed. 

Full-time staff must work a minimum of 35 hours per week, with occasional  weekends and night meetings as required. This position reports to the Public Health  Planning Program Manager. 

Primary Responsibilities  

• Manage the Public Health Emergency Preparedness grant program and  coalition, including required projects, deliverables, documentation, and  reporting. 

• Coordinate coalition meetings and activities, including agendas, contact lists,  stakeholder input, project priorities, meeting facilitation, and follow-up. • Represent Berkshire County at local, regional, and state emergency  preparedness meetings and assist with the development of regional projects. • Provide emergency preparedness assistance to local boards of health,  including planning, response, recovery, training, exercises, and mitigation. • Support emergency response activities, including public risk communication  and information sharing with local boards of health and other response  partners.

• Support the Berkshire and Franklin County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)  through volunteer activities, exercises, workplans, reporting, and  coordination with MRC leadership. 

• Support Age Friendly Berkshires initiatives, including partner contracts,  advisory board meetings, stakeholder coordination, progress reporting, and  related regional projects. 

Additional Responsibilities  

• Support the Berkshire County Boards of Health Association and its meetings,  events, programs, and educational offerings. 

• Conduct research, data collection, analysis, evaluation, and preparation of  plans, reports, and other materials. 

• Provide technical assistance to Berkshire County municipalities and support  other agency programs and projects as assigned. 

• Assist with agency outreach, training, website content, resource  management, and grant development activities. 

Minimum Qualifications  

• A bachelor’s degree and two years of relevant experience. An equivalent  combination of education, training, and experience may also be considered. • Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, including the  ability to work effectively with public officials, boards, community groups,  and partner agencies. 

• Strong analytical, organizational, and time-management skills, with the  ability to prioritize and manage multiple assignments. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs and related software. • Ability to travel throughout Berkshire County at all times of the year and  participate in meetings, deployments, training, and events that may occur  outside standard business hours. 

Preferred Qualifications  

• Master’s degree in planning, public administration, public policy, public  health, or a closely related field. 

• ICS, HSEEP, or other emergency planning certifications. 

Pay Range  

As of July 01, 2026, the pay range is $63,909-$77,400 per year, depending on  education and experience. Market adjustments and merit raises are generally  available in July each year. BRPC may not alter the pay range unless the position  is re-posted.  

Benefits 

• MA State Retirement System 

• Health, Dental & Vision Insurance 

• Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance 

• Medical & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) • 457b Deferred Compensation Plan 

• Generous Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, Holidays, Floating Holiday)  • Professional Development Funds 

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

EEO/Smoke- And Drug-Free Workplace  

BRPC is a smoke- and drug-free workplace that does not discriminate based on  race, ethnicity, age, or gender and actively seeks diversity, equity, and inclusion  in all its hiring. 

No telephone calls. Application review begins 10/01/2026, and will continue until  the position is filled. 

Please visit the employment page of our website for a full position description and  additional details: Employment Opportunities at BRPC

1 Fenn Street, Suite 201 

Pittsfield, MA 01201 

T: (413) 442-1521 · F: (413) 442-1523 

www.berkshireplanning.org 

Position Description – Public Health Planner  

Position Title: Planner (Emergency  

Preparedness) Pay Range: $63,909 - $77,400 /yr Program: Public Health Type: Permanent  

Reports To: Program Manager Location: Onsite Name: Vacant Weekly Hours: 35 (Full-Time) 

Position Summary 

BRPC Planners serve as professional staff members supporting regional and municipal  planning projects through research, analysis, public engagement, documentation,  project implementation, and response support. The position works under the direction of a Program Manager, along with senior staff managing specific projects, and contributes  to project delivery through assigned tasks and responsibilities. The primary focus of this  position is on public health emergency preparedness and healthy aging initiatives. 

Primary Responsibilities  

General Program/Project Responsibilities  

• Supporting public participation activities for planning projects, including assistance  with meeting preparation, facilitation, documentation, and follow-up. 

• Reviewing and contributing to analyses of impacts and outcomes related to  assigned projects or areas of work. 

• Completing assigned tasks and project components in accordance with established  schedules and hour or budget allocations. 

• Providing project support to Senior Planners, Principal Planners, and Program  Managers, as assigned. 

• Assisting Senior Planners, Principal Planners, and Program Managers in identifying  potential future projects or program opportunities. 

• Performing a range of planning functions within assigned areas of work, including  research, data collection, analysis, evaluation, and preparation of plans, reports,  and other materials for publication. 

Emergency Preparedness  

• Take responsibility for managing the Public Health Emergency Preparedness  (PHEP) grant program, coalition, and the completion of all deliverables, including 

Last Updated: 9/22/2026 

Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS) Planning and Drills, Board of Health (BOH)  Contact updates, Regional & Local Projects and the submission of evidence of  completed deliverables as required.  

• Attend and represent Berkshire County at the Western Mass Public Health Advisory  Group (WAG), Regional Emergency Planning Committees (REPC), Western Region  Homeland Security Advisory Council (WRHSAC) Subcommittees, Local/State  Advisory Committee (LSAC), Health and Medical Coordinating Coalitions (HMCC),  and other local, state, and regional meetings as requested.  

• Assist in developing and proposing additional WRHSAC, WAG, REPC, HMCC, LSAC  and other projects. 

• Support local PHEP coalition meetings including note-taking, reporting out,  soliciting input on priorities and plans, developing agenda, maintaining contact  lists, ensuring all deliverables are completed on schedule, and facilitating PHEP  meetings and activities.  

• Support regional committees and meetings as needed, including, but not limited  to, research, outreach, planning, note taking, leadership roles, and exercises.  Reports as required.  

• Assist local boards of health with emergency preparedness needs, including  planning, response, recovery, trainings, and mitigation. 

• Support the Berkshire and Franklin County Medical Reserve Corps, including  meeting regularly and coordinating activities with the MRC Coordinators,  developing and attending volunteer activities, meetings and exercises, and  assisting with reporting, workplans and other administrative work. 

• Emergency response support in case of an emergency, including public risk  communication and information sharing with local boards of health and other  response partners. 

• Participate in continuing education, training, and exercises to maintain and  improve emergency preparedness knowledge, skills, and best practices. 

• Other public health emergency preparedness tasks as needed and assigned. 

Age Friendly Berkshires  

• Support the Age Friendly Berkshires Advisory Board via managing partner  contracts, setting agendas, helping set priorities, convening monthly stakeholder  meetings, and submitting quarterly progress reports to the funder. 

• Participate in and support ongoing Community EMS (CEMS) and mobile integrated  health (MIH) talks with regional partners as determined by the project manager. 

• Maintain relationships with county-wide partners engaged in age-friendly work 

• Keep apprised of local, state, and national policies, initiatives, and reports that  would impact or support age-friendly initiatives. 

Last Updated: 9/22/2026 

Additional Responsibilities  

Agency Responsibilities  

• Providing support to agency outreach and related activities, including e newsletters, training efforts, and website content. 

• Assisting with the organization and management of agency reference, educational,  and archival materials, data, and resources related to assigned work. 

• Providing technical assistance and support to Berkshire municipalities within  assigned areas of work, as assigned. 

• Providing technical assistance and support to other agency initiatives and projects,  including in other program areas, as assigned. 

• Interacting at the staff level with state and federal agencies and participating in  regional or state coordinating groups related to assigned projects. 

• Assisting with grant development activities, including preparation of support  materials and documentation for project management. 

Berkshire County Boards of Health Association  

• Support BCBOHA and its projects, programs, and initiatives as contracted and  assigned.  

• Support BCBOHA Executive Committee meetings, BOH Spring and Fall Dinners  and other BCBOHA meetings and events 

• Support BCBOHA educational offerings, including BOH Orientation, Temporary  Food and others 

Qualifications 

Education/ Experience  

Master’s degree in planning, public administration, public policy, public health, or a  closely related field from an accredited college or university. Bachelor’s degree and two  years of relevant experience may be substituted for a master’s degree. 

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be substituted for  the required degree and experience. 

Licenses/ Certifications  

• Valid driver’s license and/or access to reliable transportation.  

• Preferred: ICS, HSEEP, and other Emergency Planning Certifications Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

Last Updated: 9/22/2026 

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and work effectively  with a wide range of individuals, including public officials, citizen groups, and  partner agencies. 

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear  written materials and communicate effectively with local officials, boards, and  agency staff. 

• Strong analytical skills for interpreting data and applying information to support  public decision-making. 

• Ability to organize and manage multiple tasks and assignments effectively, with  direction and support as needed. 

• Effective time management and organizational skills. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs and related software. 

• Ability to participate in public meetings deployments and events in all parts of the  region at all times of year. 

Work Environment & Other Requirements 

Work Environment  

Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment with regular interaction  with agency staff, municipal officials, partners, and the public. Participation in off-site  meetings, response activities, and public forums throughout the region is required and  may occur outside standard business hours. 

Physical Requirements  

The position combines sedentary office work, including regular computer use, with field  work in varied indoor and outdoor environments. Field duties require walking, standing,  bending, navigating stairs and uneven terrain, and lifting or carrying materials weighing  up to 25 pounds, sometimes under changing or unpredictable conditions.  

Travel & Location  

This is an on-site position at the BRPC office, with teleworking in accordance with BRPC  policy. Local travel for meetings or events may be required. Mileage for business travel  is reimbursed in accordance with current IRS rates. 

Work Schedule  

This is a full-time, 35-hour per week position. Core hours are 10 am to 4 pm, Monday  through Thursday, though you may work a flexible schedule as agreed upon with your  supervisor. Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required for public meetings,  training, or other events.

Last Updated: 9/22/2026 

Review & Approval 

Executive Director’s Signature: Date: ___________    

Supervisor’s Signature: Date: ___________