Disaster Recovery Specialist III

IEM; Guaynabo (PR); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

10 paid holidays

Vacation Pay

Sick Pay

401 (K) plan with matching

STD and LTD

Job summary

IEM seeks a Full Time Disaster Recovery Specialist III to support the State and Local Disaster Response and Recovery Team in FEMA disaster recovery efforts. The role will work with government and non-profits to guide applicants through the Public Assistance process.

The position requires a Bachelor’s degree and at least five years of experience with FEMA HMGP/PA programs, strong grant management knowledge, and bilingual English/Spanish communication. Travel to PR may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field.
• Five (5) years of experience supporting FEMA HMGP, PA, CDBG-DR, or similar programs.
• Experience reviewing design submissions, engineering reports, and cost estimates.
• Experience with federal, state, or local government agencies.

Responsibilities

• Provide programmatic assistance to applicants and ensure compliance with grant policies.
• Identify impacts of policy changes to programs.
• Perform damage assessments, develop cost estimates, and establish eligibility for FEMA funding.
• Conduct project validation reviews and address inconsistencies.
• Plan meetings with applicants to discuss the program.

Skills

FEMA HMGP experience

Grant management

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Architecture

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences

Job description

IEM is looking to bring on a Full Time - Disaster Recovery Specialist III who will support IEM’s State and Local Disaster Response and Recovery Team with its FEMA disaster recovery efforts, working hand-in-hand with the state/local government and private non‑profit representatives to guide them through the Public Assistance process.

Primary Location:

• Live within a commutable distance to Guaynabo and San Juan, PR.
• Work in an Office Environment with a team.

Travel Requirements

• This position may require travel to complete work assignments or attend meetings.

Essential Functions

• Provide general programmatic assistance to applicants and maintain currency of and compliance with applicable state and federal grant management policies and procedures relating to the Public Assistance Grant Program.
• Identify potential impacts / implications of policy changes to Federal/State/local programs.
• Perform damage assessments, develop damage inventories, develop scopes of work, compile cost documentation, upload project documentation, and develop detailed cost estimates to establish potential eligibility for FEMA funding and extent of applicable damages.
• Perform project validation reviews and address any inconsistencies, special considerations, and compliance issues with management.
• Plan and conduct meetings and briefing for applicants regarding the program.
• Develop 406 Hazard Mitigation Proposals including benefit cost analyses and recommendations to reduce or eliminate the chance of damage occurring in the future.
• Review supporting documentation for the assigned subawards to ensure that each subrecipient receives appropriate reimbursements.
• Develop, maintain, and implement plans and procedures associated with the effective and efficient delivery and monitoring of grant performance of the Public Assistance Grant Program.
• Works closely with Federal, State and local representatives and must be able to clearly communicate aspects of the FEMA PA program.
• Perform quality control review procedures over work performed by other Disaster Recovery Specialists and Grants Management Specialists.
• Collaborate with IEM’s Disaster Recovery Grants Management Specialists to identify and elevate financial or administrative issues for resolution, including responding to Federal Awarding Agency or Recipient Request for Information.

Minimum Qualifications

• Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Emergency Management, Public Administration, Environmental Sciences, or a related field.
• Experience: Five (5) years of experience supporting FEMA HMGP, PA, CDBG-DR, CDBG-MIT, or a similar federally funded recovery program.
• Advanced knowledge of FEMA HMGP (Section 404), PA (Sections 406 and 428), and applicable federal grant regulations.
• Experience and Degree Substitution: An equivalent combination of education, experience and training that demonstrate the required knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to effectively perform the duties and functions of this position may be considered.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing and validating design submissions, engineering reports, construction scopes, technical packages, and cost estimates for disaster recovery or mitigation projects.
• Experience supporting project formulation, grant compliance, reimbursement reviews, monitoring, and closeout activities.
• Experience working with federal, state, territorial, or local government agencies.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE), Registered Architect (RA), PMP, CCM, or other relevant professional certification.
• Experience supporting large-scale infrastructure, utility, housing, transportation, flood control, coastal protection, or public facility mitigation programs.
• Experience with FEMA-funded mitigation and resilience projects in Puerto Rico or other federally declared disaster areas.
• Experience reviewing construction documents, design submissions, value engineering analyses, and cost estimating for federally funded projects.

Additional Information

• Office Locations: Often, these offices are either owned by the client we work with or by IEM. All candidates are expected to follow any rules and regulations of the office in which they are required to work for that project.

Benefits And More

• 10 paid holidays
• Vacation Pay
• Sick Pay
• 401 (K) plan with matching
• Company paid STD and LTD

Equal Employment Opportunity.

All IEM employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment, if necessary, are made without regard to an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

Reasonable Accommodation.

IEM is committed to providing reasonable workplace accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or reasonable accommodation during any part of the application or employment process, please email [e-mail] with specific details about the requested accommodation. All accommodation requests are reviewed case‑by‑case in compliance with applicable law.