Community Disaster Program Specialist - Des Moines, IA
About The Position
The Community Disaster Program Specialist guides, leads, and supports trained volunteers delivering care during disasters. The role develops and maintains volunteer engagement, works with volunteers to help communities prepare for disasters, and supports disaster cycle services in an assigned geographic area. The specialist partners with community organizations and leaders to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies, with particular attention to frontline communities and culturally and linguistically accessible services. This position participates in regional disaster response operations and employees are required to deploy outside their region at least once per year. Employees must meet training and physical capacity requirements for deployment. Chapter-based employees are expected to work daily in their assigned geographic area to engage and mobilize communities and support volunteers. Candidates within 50 miles of the Des Moines, Iowa chapter are preferred; relocation assistance is not available.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.
- At least 3 years of related experience.
- Current valid driver's license and good driving record.
- Ability to coordinate staff and volunteer activities.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse groups and individuals representative of community demographics, manage multiple priorities, facilitate, solve problems, market, lead, and manage partnerships.
- Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Ability to work outside regular duty hours, including nights and weekends.
- Ability to meet training and physical capacity requirements for deployment.
Nice To Haves
- Demonstrated ability to inspire and coordinate volunteers, fostering purpose and community impact.
- Experience building strong relationships with diverse community groups to drive participation and support.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, presentations, and group facilitation.
- Proficiency with digital tools, databases, and the full Microsoft Office Suite to streamline processes, support data accuracy, and produce documentation, reports, and presentations.
Responsibilities
- Facilitate and support a diverse volunteer team delivering volunteer-led disaster cycle services in a rapid, accessible, equitable, and culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
- Assist with implementation of specific disaster cycle services program activities or functions in an assigned geographic area.
- Engage disaster volunteers who represent the communities they serve culturally and linguistically.
- Support local efforts to prepare and mobilize communities and engage partners in disaster and emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Implement plans to meet volunteer engagement targets and support volunteer-led Disaster Action Team responses to local home fires or assigned functional tasks.
- Serve as a local point of contact for partners and communities, supporting community resilience before, during, and after disasters.
- Participate in regional disaster response operations after completing training requirements.
- Deploy to disaster relief operations outside the region at least once a year.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision plans.
- Health spending accounts and flexible spending accounts.
- Paid time off starting at 15 days per year, based on FLSA status and tenure.
- 11 paid holidays, comprising six core holidays and five floating holidays.
- 401(k) with 6% match.
- Paid family leave.
- Employee assistance.
- Short- and long-term disability and insurance.
- Service awards and recognition.
- Competitive compensation.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
