Public Assistance Specialists - Multiple Levels

AC Disaster Consulting; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 48,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

AC Disaster Consulting (ACDC) seeks experienced EM Public Assistance Specialists to support disaster recovery for public and private clients. This role involves debriefing and guiding clients through FEMA processes, with flexibility for travel and field deployment as needed.

Positions are temporary, non-exempt, hourly, and may require up to 100% travel. Local candidates may have preference; compensation ranges from $35 to $50 per hour depending on location and level.

Qualifications

• 3-7+ years of FEMA public assistance and grant experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of FEMA categories A, B and E.
• Experience with two or more major disaster recovery efforts.
• Experience in Emergency Operations Center support.
• Strong MS Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance and guide clients through the disaster recovery process.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of FEMA Public Assistance policies and evaluation protocols.
• Evaluate project applications, supporting docs and inspection reports for accuracy and compliance.
• Ensure quality, completeness, and on-time delivery of tasks.
• Utilize grants portal systems to track client information.

Job description

AC Disaster Consulting (ACDC) offers full-spectrum emergency management services to public and private clients. Our experienced professionals have been a part of the growth and modernization of emergency management for nearly 30 years, proudly supporting programs for some of the most challenging natural disasters and catastrophic events under our mission of staying competent, caring, and connected.

MISSION

Driven by compassion. Defined by expertise. Strengthened by collaboration. We empower communities to improve disaster outcomes and build lasting resilience.

VISION

In the true spirit of emergency management - ACDC seeks to solve crises, both for the communities and individuals affected by disasters as well as for the clients we serve. Our team brings a whole community approach, compassionate guidance and decades of hands-on experience to best embody our core values: competent, caring, and connected. The position will be guided by ACDC's Corporate Values Platform in all activities.

Position Summary

• Job Title: EM Public Assistance Specialist, Multiple Levels (Mid and Senior levels)
• Full Time/Part Time/PRN: Full time
• Exempt/Non-Exempt: Non-exempt
• Temporary/Seasonal/Regular: Temporary
• Hourly/Salary: Hourly
• Compensation: $35-50 depending on location and job level
• Travel/Location: On-site in various areas of the country as needed, with up to 100% travel required. Must be able to travel/deploy for extended time period. Preference may be given to candidates local to the worksite areas

Mission of Role/Position Summary

Be part of a team of knowledgeable, compassionate, and helpful allies for our clients. The Public Assistance Program Manager for Disaster Recovery Services will play an integral part of helping citizens and communities recover from natural disasters. In addition, this role will be providing general recover assistance for emergency operations. Applicants should be passionate about making a difference in the world, and interested in supporting local, state, and federal jurisdictions prepare for and recover from disasters.

Tasks, Duties, and Responsibilities

• Provides Technical Assistance and expertise help clients through the recovery process
• Maintains a complete understanding of all applicable Public Assistance Policies, requirements, and evaluation protocols
• Analyze and evaluate selected project applications, supporting documentation and inspection reports for accuracy and compliance with applicable FEMA policies and procedures
• Ensures quality, completeness, and on-time delivery of all assigned tasks
• Utilizes grant portal system to track and evaluate client information
• Maintains and utilized knowledge of procurement and contracting requirements
• Works through all phases of the grant lifecycle

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge in categories A, B, and E
• Experience with at least two major Disaster Recovery efforts
• Experience working and supporting in an Emergency Operations Center
• Able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Strong interpersonal and active listening skills
• Strong time management skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Customer service oriented Technical Skills
• The ability to be flexible in a dynamic environment and outstanding written and verbal communication skills

Expected Hours of Work

Schedule may vary. Work on evenings and weekends may be required. Dependability and punctuality are paramount.

Travel Requirements

• Travel to onsite work is expected for this position
• Must be willing to travel and deploy to client sites for extended periods of time

Physical Demands

• Mobility required on-site with clients
• Sitting or standing for hours at a time
• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time if needed
• Ability to manipulate up to 25 lbs. repetitively throughout the day and as needed

Working Environment

• Emergency management personnel may work in an office or home environment or be deployed to the field which may require working outdoors in adverse weather conditions
• Work may be on-site with clients ex: EOC, hospital, debris sites or local government buildings
• All AC Disaster Consulting (ACDC) positions are remote work site positions with the home location agreed upon at time of hire
• If the remote work site locations change, ACDC Human Resources must be made aware, and leadership needs to approve any site changes for business registration and payroll tax purposes

Workplace Health & Safety

We are committed to fostering a safe and healthy workplace. Employees are expected to champion a culture of safety by complying with all health and safety policies and procedures, completing required training, identifying and reporting hazards, exercising sound judgment, and taking reasonable care to protect the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues, clients, and the communities we serve.

Requirements

Experience/Education Required

• 3-7+ years of FEMA public assistance and grant experience (Mid-level 3-5 years, Senior-level 5-7 years)
• Demonstrated practical knowledge of categories A, B, and E
• Demonstrated experience in at least 2 major disaster recovery efforts
• Demonstrated experience writing project worksheets (PWs)
• Demonstrated experience using database software to work with project eligibility, scope of work, and estimating costs to repair or replace facility or structure to it's pre-disaster design
• Experience working in and supporting an Emergency Operations Center
• Experience with grants portal, EMMIE, or any state specific grants systems
• Strong proficiency in MS Excel

Experience/Education Preferred

• A Bachelors degree in Emergency Management is preferred. Years of experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year for year basis, in addition to the minimum requirements
• Experience conducting preliminary damage assessments (PDAs in the field with Federal, State, and local officials
• Financial compliance experience

Additional Qualifications

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Eligibility to work in the United States without employer sponsored visa is required. We are not able to employ those located outside of the US
• Must pass company and any applicable client background check and reference check upon offer of employment

Benefits

• Temporary positions are not benefits eligible except where required by law.

EEO Statement

AC Disaster Consulting is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. AC Disaster Consulting will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any protected characteristic.

Disability Accommodations

Please redact or remove information that identifies applicant's age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at (or graduation from) an educational institution from the resume or other application documents prior to submitting the application.

Disability Accommodation Contact

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting AC Disaster Consulting Human Resources team at [e-mail].

Verification

We use E-Verify for all candidates who are offered and accept a position with us. Please visit this link to the E-Verify Website and this link to view the E-Verify rights poster to understand your rights in this process.

Recruitment Process

As part of our recruitment process, we may use technology-assisted tools, including AI-enabled systems, to support application review and candidate evaluation. Hiring decisions are made with human oversight and consideration.