Job Posting Title

Resilience Program Specialist

Agency

309 DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Supervisory Organization

OEM

Job Posting End Date

Refer to the date listed at the top of this posting, if available. Continuous if date is blank.

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the posting end date above.

Estimated Appointment End Date (Continuous if Blank)

Full/Part-Time

Full time

Job Type

Regular

Compensation

Annual salary up to $60,000.00 based on education and experience.

Job Description

Join the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM)

Make a difference every day in Oklahoma’s safety and resilience.

About OEM

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is a dynamic state agency dedicated to preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating emergencies and disasters across the State of Oklahoma. OEM plays a key role in statewide public safety by coordinating emergency planning, community preparedness, response operations, disaster recovery, and long-term hazard mitigation with local, tribal, state, and federal partners. The agency also maintains the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), providing centralized coordination during critical events and serving more than 300 local emergency managers across the state.

Why Work at OEM?

At OEM, you’ll be part of a mission-driven team that strengthens communities before, during, and after disasters. Whether it’s coordinating response efforts during severe weather, assisting communities with hazard mitigation planning, or providing critical support during emergencies, OEM employees serve with purpose and impact.

Benefits & Perks

As a full-time state employee with OEM, you receive:

• Competitive state retirement benefits with employer matching
• 11 paid holidays each year
• A generous benefit allowance to offset the cost of health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance premiums for employees and their eligible dependents
• Opportunities for professional growth and cross-agency collaboration
• Priority interview consideration for U.S. veterans with appropriate certification
  • Veterans with certification letters from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services’ Office of Veteran Placement are entitled to an interview for any position for which they meet minimum qualifications.

Who We’re Looking For

We seek motivated, adaptable professionals who:

• Are committed to public service and community preparedness
• Can work effectively in team environments and high-pressure situations
• Are resourceful in problem-solving and coordinating across diverse partners

About the Position

We are seeking a Resilience Program Specialist providing support to our Resilience Division area.  This position is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

This position is a regular, full-time position governed by the Oklahoma Civil Service system and subject to the Civil Service and Human Capital Modernization Act. Employment in this role is covered by applicable Civil Service Rules, policies, and procedures.

This position is subject to a required 12-month trial period, during which performance, conduct, and overall suitability for continued employment will be evaluated in accordance with Civil Service Rules.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the State Hazard Mitigation Officer, this position performs professional-level emergency management and resilience program work supporting the administration of Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Assistance and related resilience initiatives. The Resilience Program Specialist provides technical assistance, grant coordination, project review, financial monitoring, and programmatic support to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions in furtherance of hazard mitigation and disaster resilience objectives.

This position assists with mitigation project development, grant administration, mitigation planning, compliance monitoring, applicant coordination, and disaster recovery support activities in accordance with state and federal regulations and FEMA guidance. Responsibilities include supporting hazard mitigation planning activities led by the agency’s Emergency Management Planner, reviewing project applications, coordinating reimbursements, preparing program reports, and facilitating operational coordination with local jurisdictions, FEMA personnel, and internal agency divisions.

Core Work Responsibilities

Hazard Mitigation Grant Administration

Support administration of Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) and resilience-related grant programs in accordance with state and federal requirements.

• Assist in administration of FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs, including Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), and related resilience initiatives
• Review and support preparation of project applications and associated documentation for submission within established deadlines
• Coordinate with FEMA personnel, applicants, contractors, and partner agencies regarding mitigation program requirements and project administration activities
• Provide technical assistance regarding grant requirements, eligibility, application development, reimbursement procedures, and compliance expectations
• Advise sub-applicants on integrating FEMA Community Lifelines (specifically Energy, Water Systems, and Safety and Security) and future-conditions climate/weather modeling into project narratives to maximize competitiveness in federal review panels
• Maintain grant and project information required to support program administration, reporting, mitigation planning, and agency decision-making
• Identify application, eligibility, documentation, or compliance concerns and elevate issues requiring policy interpretation or management determination to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer

Project Review, Financial Coordination & Compliance Monitoring

Support financial management, compliance review, and project monitoring activities associated with mitigation grant programs.

• Review reimbursement requests, supporting documentation, invoices, procurement records, and financial information for compliance with state and federal requirements
• Assist with reconciliation of project expenditures, payments, and grant funding activities
• Monitor project schedules, periods of performance, reporting deadlines, and project completion requirements
• Support quarterly reporting, budget tracking, amendment coordination, and closeout activities for mitigation grant programs
• Monitor compliance with federal grant requirements, including procurement standards, documentation requirements, environmental and historic preservation considerations, and applicable FEMA guidance
• Document deficiencies, unresolved issues, corrective-action requirements, and applicant follow-up activities.
• Coordinate with Finance, Grants, applicants, contractors, and FEMA personnel to address financial or programmatic documentation concerns.
• Elevate questioned costs, significant compliance concerns, project delays, or unresolved deficiencies to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer or other appropriate program authority
• Maintain complete and organized project records supporting reimbursement, monitoring, reporting, audit readiness, and closeout

Applicant Technical Assistance & Project Coordination

Provide technical assistance and coordination support to applicants and stakeholders throughout the mitigation project lifecycle.

• Assist local, tribal, and state jurisdictions with mitigation project applications, project modifications, requests for information, and grant administration activities
• Provide guidance regarding FEMA mitigation program requirements, documentation standards, and project implementation expectations
• Coordinate meetings, workshops, and applicant assistance activities related to mitigation and resilience programs
• Support communication and coordination between applicants, FEMA personnel, OEM divisions, and partner agencies
• Provide advanced technical guidance to non-traditional sub-applicants, private non-profits, and infrastructure cooperatives regarding local government sponsorship requirements and eligibility boundaries under HMA guidelines
• Assist applicants in identifying documentation, technical data, engineering information, environmental review materials, benefit-cost information, and other supporting materials needed for application development or project administration
• Track applicant requests, outstanding documentation, FEMA requests for information, project modifications, and other required follow-up actions
• Maintain professional working relationships with local officials, tribal governments, applicants, contractors, and partner agencies
• Refer questions involving planning ownership, policy determinations, legal interpretation, or final program decisions to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Emergency Management Planner, or other designated authority

Hazard Mitigation Planning Support and Resilience Coordination

Provide technical, programmatic, data, and stakeholder support for hazard mitigation planning activities led by the agency’s designated planning authorities.

• Support the Emergency Management Planner and State Hazard Mitigation Officer in the development, review, update, and implementation of the State Hazard Mitigation Plan and related mitigation planning products.
• Provide current Hazard Mitigation Assistance program information, project data, grant trends, applicant needs, implementation status, and subject-matter expertise for use in mitigation planning activities.
• Compile, organize, validate, and provide mitigation project information requested for planning analyses, capability assessments, risk-reduction reporting, plan updates, and implementation monitoring.
• Assist with stakeholder outreach, meeting coordination, workshop logistics, documentation, and follow-up activities associated with state and local hazard mitigation planning.
• Participate in planning meetings, workshops, working groups, public-engagement activities, and review sessions as a mitigation grant and project subject-matter resource.
• Support communication and coordination with state agencies, local jurisdictions, tribal governments, federal partners, and other stakeholders participating in mitigation planning activities.
• Assist with tracking progress on mitigation actions, grant-supported projects, resilience initiatives, and other implementation activities identified in approved plans.
• Provide information regarding available mitigation funding, project eligibility, application cycles, grant requirements, and implementation considerations to support planning decisions.
• Review draft planning materials, when requested, for consistency with current grant requirements, project information, and mitigation program operations.
• Support local and tribal jurisdictions by connecting mitigation planning priorities with potential funding opportunities and project-development resources.
• Maintain documentation of assigned planning-support activities and provide required information to the Emergency Management Planner or State Hazard Mitigation Officer.
• Assist with integration of relevant mitigation project information into preparedness, recovery, resilience, and continuity initiatives.
• Support, but do not independently direct, approve, maintain, or assume ownership of agency hazard mitigation plans or planning processes.

Disaster Operations and Emergency Response Support

Support emergency management operations and disaster-related activities during emergency events and activations.

• Support State Emergency Operations Center activities during emergency activations and disaster events as assigned
• Participate in disaster recovery coordination, field-support assignments, and operational response activities as needed
• Assist with disaster-related reporting, documentation, operational coordination, and information-management activities
• Support continuity of mitigation and resilience program operations during disaster events and recovery operations
• Gather, organize, validate, and communicate information regarding disaster impacts, damaged infrastructure, applicant needs, mitigation opportunities, and project status
• Coordinate with Operations, Recovery, Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, GIS, Finance, Grants, and other agency functions as assigned
• Support field assessments, applicant outreach, recovery briefings, and mitigation-related technical assistance following disaster events
• Maintain accurate and timely records of assigned operational activities, contacts, issues, decisions, and follow-up requirements
• Operate effectively in high-tempo and rapidly changing operational environments during emergency situations
• Perform duties within the assigned incident-management structure and comply with established reporting relationships and operational procedures

Program Improvement, Reporting and Organizational Support

Support continuous improvement of mitigation programs, operational workflows, applicant services, and organizational readiness.

• Assist with development and maintenance of reports, guidance documents, procedures, job aids, templates, and operational materials related to mitigation and resilience programs.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, applicant services, reporting processes, project monitoring, and operational efficiency.
• Maintain awareness of FEMA policy updates, Hazard Mitigation Assistance guidance changes, regulatory developments, and emerging resilience practices.
• Evaluate the effect of policy or guidance changes on assigned grant-administration and applicant-support activities.
• Support training activities and provide programmatic assistance to agency staff, applicants, and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with internal divisions and external partners to support statewide resilience and mitigation initiatives.
• Compile program data and prepare routine and special reports regarding applications, awards, expenditures, project status, applicant assistance, compliance issues, and program outcomes.
• Support implementation of approved corrective actions resulting from audits, monitoring, after-action reviews, program evaluations, or management direction.
• Maintain and improve tracking tools used to monitor applications, projects, deadlines, expenditures, compliance requirements, and applicant communications.
• Recommend updates to procedures, templates, guidance, and workflows based on recurring issues, applicant feedback, monitoring results, or federal policy changes.
• Provide grant and project information requested for agency planning, reporting, legislative inquiries, executive briefings, and performance measurement.
• Participate in training, exercises, workshops, and professional-development activities that strengthen mitigation and emergency-management capabilities.

Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a bachelor’s degree in business, public administration or urban planning plus one year of qualifying experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of experience in a technical capacity in emergency preparedness planning or emergency management operations, or in public assistance or disaster recovery operations at the local, state or federal level for each year of the required education plus one additional year of qualifying experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Emergency management, disaster recovery, hazard mitigation, and resilience principles and practices.
• FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs, grant-administration processes, project lifecycles, and resilience initiatives.
• State and federal laws, rules, regulations, and guidance related to disaster recovery, mitigation, grants management, and emergency assistance programs.
• FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis software and methodologies, including data inputs required for infrastructure and other mitigation projects.
• Financial management, reimbursement processing, grant monitoring, compliance review, and audit-readiness principles.
• Project development, project implementation, operational coordination, and public-administration practices.
• The role of hazard mitigation planning in establishing statewide and local risk-reduction priorities.
• The distinction between supporting hazard mitigation planning and holding formal responsibility for plan development, maintenance, approval, or compliance.
• Mitigation planning processes, resilience concepts, preparedness activities, and plan-implementation monitoring.
• Local, tribal, state, and federal stakeholder roles in mitigation planning and Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs.
• Environmental and historic preservation requirements applicable to federally funded mitigation projects.
• Federal procurement, documentation, record-retention, and grant-compliance requirements.
• Documentation management, operational reporting, data validation, and records-retention practices.
• Microsoft 365 and standard office productivity applications.

Skills in:

• Reviewing and organizing financial, operational, technical, planning-support, and grant-related documentation.
• Coordinating multiple projects, reporting deadlines, applicant needs, and operational priorities simultaneously.
• Providing applicant technical assistance and mitigation program support.
• Conducting compliance monitoring, reimbursement review, project tracking, and operational reporting activities.
• Compiling project, grant, and program data to support hazard mitigation planning and implementation monitoring.
• Preparing reports, correspondence, guidance materials, technical summaries, and operational documentation.
• Conducting meetings, workshops, applicant briefings, and stakeholder coordination activities.
• Identifying and communicating application, project, compliance, documentation, and coordination concerns.
• Maintaining accurate project records, grant files, tracking systems, and stakeholder communications.
• Supporting cross-functional planning and recovery activities without assuming authority assigned to designated program owners.

Ability to:

• Interpret and apply FEMA guidance, regulations, policies, and emergency-management procedures.
• Analyze grant documentation, reimbursement requests, project information, and supporting records to identify compliance concerns or deficiencies.
• Review and interpret engineering feasibility studies, watershed-flow simulations, geospatial risk data, and other technical information to assess consistency with federal eligibility standards.
• Compile and present grant, project, implementation, and stakeholder information in support of hazard mitigation planning activities.
• Communicate effectively with applicants, public officials, tribal governments, stakeholders, contractors, and partner agencies in written and verbal formats.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with applicants, FEMA personnel, agency staff, and partner organizations.
• Coordinate and support mitigation, preparedness, recovery, resilience, and planning-related activities within assigned authority.
• Work collaboratively with the Emergency Management Planner and State Hazard Mitigation Officer while respecting established program ownership and decision-making responsibilities.
• Anticipate, identify, and address operational, compliance, documentation, and coordination issues.
• Prepare and review complex reports, grant documentation, project records, and operational materials.
• Prioritize assignments and maintain accurate work while managing multiple concurrent projects and deadlines.
• Recognize matters requiring policy interpretation, planning authority, management direction, or formal approval and elevate them appropriately.
• Operate effectively under pressure and adapt to rapidly changing priorities and operational conditions during disaster events.

Emergency Response Role

Provide operational support during emergency management activations, disaster recovery activities, and resilience coordination efforts.

• Support State Emergency Operations Center operations and disaster-related coordination during emergency activations and disaster events
• Participate in field deployments, operational coordination assignments, mitigation-support activities, and disaster recovery operations as assigned
• Assist with disaster-related reporting, documentation, field information, and operational information-management activities
• Support continuity of mitigation and resilience program operations during high-tempo disaster events
• Provide grant, project, applicant, and mitigation information needed to support operational and recovery decision-making
• Assist with identification and documentation of potential hazard mitigation opportunities following disaster events
• Coordinate assigned activities with the established incident-management structure and appropriate program owners
• Operate effectively in rapidly changing operational environments involving extended hours and emergency-response conditions

Systems and Tools

Mitigation & Grant Management Systems

• FEMA GO
• FEMA Grants Portal
• Hazard mitigation grant tracking systems
• Grant reimbursement and reporting systems
• Benefit-Cost Analysis tools and supporting technical resources

Documentation & Reporting Tools

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Teams
• SharePoint
• ArcGIS Pro / GIS Mapping Software
• Document management and operational reporting systems
• Project, action, milestone, and planning-support tracking tools

Operational Coordination Tools

• WebEOC or comparable situational awareness and emergency management coordination systems
• Virtual meeting and stakeholder coordination platforms
• Field data-collection and operational communication tools

Requirements and Work Conditions

Travel: Frequent in-state travel and occasional out-of-state travel may be required in support of mitigation coordination activities, applicant meetings, trainings, disaster operations, field assignments, or emergency deployments. Travel may approach 50% during disaster operations or high-volume grant cycles.

Working Conditions:

• Standard office environment during normal operations
• Frequent computer-based work involving grant review, reporting, documentation management, and operational coordination activities
• Frequent interaction with applicants, local officials, tribal governments, FEMA personnel, contractors, and partner agencies
• May require participation in SEOC operations, field assignments, meetings, workshops, or disaster-related deployments
• Work may involve extended hours, rapidly changing priorities, and high-volume workloads during grant cycles or disaster operations
• Duties may require balancing applicant-service needs, federal deadlines, project requirements, and emergency assignments
• Work is performed within established program authorities, policies, planning responsibilities, and supervisory direction

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to travel to meetings, field locations, applicant sites, and disaster-affected areas as needed
• Ability to conduct field coordination activities in varying environmental conditions
• Prolonged periods of sitting and computer-based work
• Ability to inspect or observe project locations and damaged areas when assigned
• Ability to carry routine field materials, records, and equipment consistent with assigned duties

Special Requirements:

• Must possess a valid Oklahoma driver license at the time of appointment and be willing and able to perform all job-related travel associated with the position.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain required FEMA Independent Study and NIMS/ICS training.
• Must maintain confidentiality of sensitive grant, applicant, planning, financial, and operational information.
• Must be able to work effectively under pressure and manage multiple concurrent projects, deadlines, and operational priorities.
• Must be willing and able to work extended or irregular hours during emergency activations and disaster operations.

Preferences

Preference may be given to candidates who possess:

• Experience supporting FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA), disaster recovery, resilience, or grants management programs
• Experience working within emergency management, public safety, government, environmental planning, or disaster recovery environments
• Experience reviewing reimbursement requests, procurement documentation, grant applications, or compliance documentation
• Experience supporting mitigation planning, resilience initiatives, or hazard reduction programs
• Experience conducting stakeholder coordination, workshops, trainings, or applicant assistance activities
• FEMA Professional Development Series (PDS) completion or related FEMA mitigation and emergency management training
• Active pursuit or possession of Associate Emergency Manager (AEM), Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), or Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) designation, or documented completion of FEMA Advanced Benefit-Cost Analysis or HMA Progress Report training courses

Other Relevant Information

OEM follows a monthly payroll schedule in accordance with the State of Oklahoma payroll system.  Employees of OEM are paid once per month.

Reasonable Accommodation

OEM is committed to ensuring that the application and hiring process is accessible to all qualified individuals.  If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any phase of the application process due to a disability or other protected need, please contact OEM’s Human Resources at HR@oem.ok.gov before the application deadline. Reasonable accommodations may include adjustments to application materials, interview settings, or other components of the process to ensure equitable access. This agency complies with applicable federal and state laws regarding reasonable accommodation. The decision to provide or modify an accommodation will be evaluated on an individualized basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We are committed to fair employment practices without regard to any protected characteristic. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

Current active State of Oklahoma employees must apply for open positions internally through the Workday Jobs Hub.

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