Public Assistance Program Specialist

About the job

Job Posting Title
Public Assistance 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 $62,000.00, 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 Public Assistance Program Specialist providing support to our Recovery 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 Recovery Director, this position performs professional-level emergency management work supporting State Disaster assistance, FEMA Public Assistance (PA), and statewide disaster recovery operations. The Public Assistance Program Specialist provides technical assistance, project coordination, damage documentation review, and applicant support for federally declared disasters and recovery operations.

This position serves as a liaison between applicants, state personnel, and federal partners to support compliance with FEMA Public Assistance policies, regulations, and grant requirements. Responsibilities include project development, eligibility review, reimbursement coordination, and operational support activities related to disaster recovery and resilience efforts.

• Core Work Responsibilities
• Public Assistance Program Administration
• Coordinate and support administration of FEMA Public Assistance recovery programs in accordance with state and federal requirements.
• Assist in the implementation and administration of FEMA Public Assistance program activities for federally declared disasters
• Support applicant coordination efforts throughout disaster recovery operations
• Interpret and apply FEMA Public Assistance policies, guidance, and eligibility requirements
• Maintain program documentation and ensure compliance with applicable regulations and procedures
• Support recovery operations by coordinating with internal divisions, applicants, contractors, and FEMA personnel
• Support processing and administration of State Disaster assistance activities, including required documentation, applicant coordination, tracking, reporting, and other assigned program requirements
• Coordinate with applicants and agency personnel to support timely processing of State Disaster assistance from initial request through completion

• Project Development & Eligibility Review
• Support development, review, and management of FEMA Public Assistance projects and documentation.
• Review damage documentation, project information, and supporting records for completeness and eligibility
• Assist applicants with development and submission of project documentation and reimbursement requests
• Support project formulation activities, including scope of work review, cost documentation, and damage validation
• Coordinate with FEMA personnel regarding project development questions, requests for information, and eligibility determinations
• Monitor project progress and support timely completion of recovery milestones

• Applicant Technical Assistance & Coordination
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to disaster applicants throughout the recovery process.
• Serve as a point of contact for applicants regarding Public Assistance program requirements and procedures
• Provide guidance related to documentation standards, procurement compliance, cost eligibility, and project administration
• Conduct meetings, briefings, and applicant coordination activities
• Assist applicants in resolving programmatic issues or documentation concerns
• Maintain professional working relationships with local, tribal, state, and federal stakeholders

• Disaster Recovery Operations & Field Support
• Support disaster recovery field operations and emergency management activities.
• Participate in recovery operations associated with federally declared disasters and emergency events
• Conduct field visits, applicant site inspections, and damage validation activities as required
• Support deployment activities associated with Joint Field Offices (JFOs), recovery centers, or field operations
• Assist with coordination of recovery data, operational reporting, and situational awareness activities
• Support continuity of recovery operations during high-volume disaster periods
• Support State Emergency Operations Center operations during activations and perform assigned SEOC functions in accordance with incident priorities
• Maintain situational awareness of Public Assistance and recovery-related activities and provide operational information, coordination, and reporting through established SEOC processes

• Compliance, Documentation & Grant Management
• Support compliance monitoring and grant management activities associated with FEMA Public Assistance funding.
• Maintain organized records and documentation in accordance with state and federal retention requirements
• Assist with compliance reviews, audits, and monitoring activities
• Support tracking of project obligations, expenditures, deadlines, and closeout activities
• Identify and escalate potential compliance concerns or documentation deficiencies
• Assist with implementation of corrective actions and process improvements

• Program Improvement & Organizational Support
• Support continuous improvement of recovery operations, processes, and applicant services.
• Identify opportunities to improve recovery workflows and operational efficiency
• Assist with development of training materials, guidance documents, and process improvements
• Support data collection, reporting, and program analysis activities
• Maintain awareness of changes to FEMA guidance, policy updates, and emerging recovery best practices
• Contribute to agency recovery readiness and resilience initiatives

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, and emergency response principles and practices
• FEMA Public Assistance policies, procedures, grant administration requirements, and disaster recovery assistance programs
• Principles and practices of program planning, project implementation, and operational coordination
• State and federal laws, rules, regulations, and guidance pertaining to disaster recovery, reimbursement, procurement, and emergency assistance programs
• Disaster preparedness, recovery operations, and coordination of state, federal, tribal, local, military, and civilian emergency response resources
• Public administration principles and practices
• Documentation management, operational reporting, charting, and records retention practices
• Training techniques and applicant technical assistance methods
• Local and county concerns associated with emergency planning, disaster recovery, and infrastructure restoration
• Microsoft 365 and standard office productivity applications

• Skills in:
• Reviewing and organizing technical, operational, financial, and project documentation
• Coordinating multiple recovery projects, deadlines, and operational priorities simultaneously
• Providing applicant technical assistance and disaster recovery program support
• Conducting operational tracking, reporting, compliance monitoring, and reimbursement coordination activities
• Researching and resolving documentation discrepancies, eligibility concerns, and compliance issues
• Preparing reports, correspondence, guidance materials, and operational documentation
• Presenting information and conducting meetings or trainings with applicants, stakeholders, and partner agencies

• Abilities to:
• Evaluate emergency situations and adopt effective courses of action within disaster recovery and emergency management environments
• Interpret and apply FEMA guidance, regulations, policies, and emergency management procedures
• Analyze and communicate disaster recovery and emergency response information to applicants, officials, stakeholders, and partner agencies
• Encourage applicant compliance with state and federal emergency management and disaster recovery requirements
• Gather, analyze, and organize information from printed, electronic, financial, operational, and recorded sources
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with applicants, FEMA personnel, partner agencies, and staff
• Present ideas, operational information, and technical guidance clearly and concisely in both written and verbal formats
• Plan, coordinate, and support disaster recovery operations, applicant coordination efforts, and emergency management activities
• Anticipate, identify, and resolve operational, compliance, documentation, and coordination issues
• Prepare and review complex reports, reimbursement documentation, and recovery-related records
• Operate effectively under pressure and adapt to rapidly changing priorities and operational conditions during disaster recovery activities

• Emergency Response Role
• Provide operational support during State Emergency Operations Center activations, emergency incidents, State Disaster operations, federally declared disasters, and disaster recovery operations:
• Support agency recovery operations during emergency activations and disaster recovery missions
• Participate in field deployments, Joint Field Office operations, applicant coordination activities, and recovery support assignments as needed
• Assist with operational reporting, disaster coordination, and recovery-related information management activities
• Support continuity of recovery operations during high-tempo and high-volume disaster events
• Operate effectively in high-stress environments involving rapidly changing priorities and operational demands
• Staff assigned SEOC positions during activations and perform operational coordination, information management, reporting, and other incident-specific responsibilities as assigned
• Support State Disaster activities, including coordination, documentation, tracking, and processing responsibilities associated with assigned recovery functions

• Systems and Tools
• Recovery & Grant Management Systems
• FEMA Grants Portal
• OKEMGrants
• Grant reimbursement and recovery reporting systems

• Documentation & Reporting Tools
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Teams
• SharePoint
• Document management and records retention systems

• Operational Coordination Tools
• Virtual meeting and applicant coordination platforms
• Disaster recovery reporting and situational awareness systems

Requirements and Work Conditions
Travel: Frequent in-state travel and occasional out-of-state travel may be required in support of disaster recovery operations, applicant coordination, field inspections, training, emergency deployments, or Joint Field Office assignments.

• Working Conditions:
• Standard office environment during normal operations
• May require deployment to Joint Field Offices (JFOs), disaster recovery locations, applicant sites, or field environments
• Frequent interaction with applicants, partner agencies, FEMA personnel, and recovery stakeholders
• Work may involve extended hours, rapidly changing priorities, and high-volume workloads during disaster recovery operations
• Frequent computer-based work involving documentation review, operational tracking, reporting, and coordination activities

• Physical Requirements:
• Ability to travel to disaster-affected areas and field locations
• Ability to conduct field visits and site inspections in varying environmental conditions
• Prolonged periods of sitting and computer-based work

• Special Requirements:
• Ability to obtain and maintain required FEMA Independent Study (IS) and NIMS/ICS training
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive applicant and disaster recovery information
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines
• Must possess a valid Oklahoma driver license at the time of appointment and be willing and able to perform all job-related in-state and out-of-state travel associated with the position
• Must maintain the physical and mental stamina necessary to perform disaster recovery and emergency management work, including work under conditions involving heavy workloads, physical exertion, extreme heat, smoke, dust, or other adverse environmental conditions
• Ability to lift and carry equipment, records, or other materials associated with disaster recovery operations and field deployments
• Must be willing and able to participate in twenty-four-hour duty officer rotations and emergency response assignments as required

• Preferences
• Preference may be given to candidates who possess:
• Experience supporting FEMA Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation, or other federal disaster recovery programs
• Experience working within emergency management, public safety, government, grant administration, or disaster recovery environments
• Experience with procurement compliance, reimbursement processing, grants management, contracts, or project documentation review
• Experience conducting applicant coordination, field inspections, operational reporting, or disaster recovery activities
• Experience developing or maintaining standard operating procedures, guidance documents, reports, or training materials
• FEMA Professional Development Series (PDS) completion or related FEMA training
• Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) or Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) designation, or active pursuit of emergency management certification
• Degree conferred by an accredited institution of higher education in Emergency Management

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 .
If you are needing any extra assistance or have any questions relating to a job you have applied for, please click the link below and find the agency for which you applied for additional information:

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