Unit Chief, Recovery Ops

Texas A&M University System•Austin, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) is an emergency response entity and this status can affect working hours, travel, and change in duties as needed. The Unit Chief, Recovery Operations under general direction, performs highly advanced (senior-level) management of the public assistance, individual assistance, and recovery operations programs. Serve as a liaison between local jurisdictions seeking assistance for disaster response and recovery efforts and the federal government. Work involves overseeing the preparation, maintenance, and reporting of grants; coordinating subgrant applications; reviewing incoming applications to determine compliance with requirements and standards; monitoring subgrant awards. Plan, assign, and/or supervise the work of others. Work under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. This position is considered at-will status serving at the discretion of the head of the agency. Salary is a fixed rate. This position is located on-site and not subject to telecommuting.

Requirements

Education – Bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited college or university or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience – Seven (7) years of related experience.
Two (2) years’ experience having performed in a supervisory capacity.
Ability to rapidly assimilate information related to TDEM, state, and federal regulations, legislation, guidelines, policies, and procedures.
Knowledge of emergency management, disaster preparedness, emergency response or disaster recovery principles and practices and of program planning, implementation, and monitoring.
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to demonstrate poise, tact, diplomacy, and maintain effective working/professional relationships with others.
Strong communication and presentation skills.
Ability to convey technical information in layman’s terms that can be understood by people with a variety of educational and working backgrounds.
Ability to analyze problems, identify causative factors, and apply actions to effectively resolve current, and prevent recurrences of, problem conditions.
Must be detail-oriented, organized, and flexible.
Ability to prioritize, plan, and execute multiple concurrent technical projects.
Ability to responsibly handle sensitive and confidential information and situations.
Ability to comply with safety standards and best practices.
Ability to work other than normal working hours, including during disasters and emergencies, sometimes for extended periods with limited relief.
Ability to deploy on relatively short notice and be able to work in adverse environments or weather conditions as needed.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook).
Ability to operate a variety of office and specialized equipment including a laptop computer, plotter, projectors, camera, GPS device, binoculars, palm device, communications devices such as two-way radio, satellite radio/phone, and other specialized audio-visual equipment.
Within twelve (12) months of employment, meet all Emergency Management Performance Grant and National Incident Management System training and exercise requirements and successfully complete: IS-100; IS-200; ICS-300; ICS-400; IS-700; IS-800; G-202: Debris Management and FEMA Professional Development Series.

Nice To Haves

One (1) year experience in working with government officials in a response/recovery function, such as assessing local and state needs in recovery, persuasive writing to apply for disaster assistance, managing public assistance grant programs and carrying out recovery planning processes and preparedness activities.
Additional work experience or the type described above may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.
Thirty (30) semester hours is equivalent to one (1) year of experience.
A completed advanced degree may be substituted in lieu of work experience.

Responsibilities

Oversee cross-functional work groups composed of Recovery staff, local, state and/or federal stakeholders to develop program objectives, work plans, and subgrant budgets for subrecipients.
Oversee and evaluate work plans and timelines to ensure submission of federal grant sub applications and program reports in a timely manner.
Provide guidance and oversight to staff, local and federal partners regarding grant administration, policies, procedures, resolve related issues and concerns, and ensure uniformity in grant and contract management.
Supervise and monitor the implementation, management, evaluation, and close-out of sub grants according to rules and regulations.
Research and analyze data trends across all open Public Assistance and Individual Assistance subgrants, projects and expenditures.
Research and analyze data trends across all damage assessments; develop plans to improve the damage assessment process to ensure Texas captures and tracks all eligible damages after a disaster.
Manage the compliance of all grantee’s and sub recipient’s with conditions of grants by overseeing agreements, contracts, expenses, activities, and federal and state regulations.
Supervise the review and monitoring of project costs and budget justifications and budget revisions for awarded subgrants.
Supervise the review of subgrant applications and the determination of the applicant’s eligibility for award based on established criteria.
Conduct policy research and prepare disaster declarations and the revision of plans, procedures, and related documents required to maintain eligibility for federal grants.
Serve as a liaison between the agency, the state, federal and other grant funding sources by attending meetings, responding to information requests, and resolving issues between parties involved.
Assist in the development of requirements for grant programs and in the creation of grant applications that may be awarded by the grantor agency.
Supervise the development, updates, and maintenance of contract templates for various types of grants.
Assist in the writing of disaster declaration request, state administrative plans, internal standard operating procedures and reports.
Supervise public assistance recovery and individual assistance recovery operations in the State Operations Center or the field when activated.
Plan, assign, and/or supervise the work of others to assure effective, accurate audit verification of the eligibility, justification and amounts of reported expenditures and work time charges on varied grants and contracts.
Attend work regularly and observe approved work hours in accordance with agency leave and attendance policies.
Perform related work as assigned.
Ability to travel (30%).
Face-to-face and person-to-person interactions are required.
Maintains a regular course of attendance during authorized work schedule and work extended hours when needed.