SENIOR ATTORNEY - 31001829

My Florida CFO; Tallahassee (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Division of Emergency Management in Tallahassee seeks a Senior Attorney to support the Office of General Counsel, focusing on the Bureau of Mitigation. The role involves drafting policies, reviewing contracts, and ensuring compliance with federal and state grant funds.

The position requires Florida Bar eligibility, strong legal writing, and experience in public sector law, with readiness for irregular hours and travel to support emergency response and recovery.

Qualifications

• Member of the Florida Bar in good standing.
• Juris Doctor (or equivalent) and admission to the Florida Bar.

Responsibilities

• Review, revise, and draft DEM policies, procedures, contracts, and procurement documents.
• Assist with DEM rulemaking and related policy work.
• Provide guidance to DEM bureaus, especially the Bureau of Mitigation, on policies and compliance.
• Perform legal reviews of grant/subgrant agreements, contracts, MOUs and MOAs.
• Ensure compliance with federal/state grant funds and reporting requirements.
• Develop monitoring tools to ensure state/federal compliance and track deadlines.
• Support audits and prepare audit responses; maintain audit logs and deadlines.
• Coordinate with other DEM attorneys on legal matters and provide training as needed.
• Travel as necessary to support emergency response and recovery efforts.

Skills

Legal knowledge

Legal writing

Policy analysis

Communication

Public sector law

Legal research

Education

Florida Bar admission in good standing

Tools

Westlaw/LexisNexis

Job description

The State Personnel System is an E-Verify employer. For more information click on our E-Verify Website.

Florida Division of Emergency Management

This position is located in Tallahassee, FL

Working Title: SENIOR ATTORNEY - 31001829

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) plans for and responds to both natural and man-made disasters. These range from floods and hurricanes to incidents involving hazardous materials or nuclear power. FDEM is the liaison between federal, state, and local agencies. FDEM prepares and implements a statewide Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, routinely conducts extensive exercises to test state and county emergency response capabilities, provides technical assistance to local governments as they prepare emergency plans and procedures, as well as conducts emergency operations trainings for state and local government agencies.

FDEM serves as the lead agency for the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), whose primary goal is the coordination of the state’s efforts during disaster response and recovery. This coordination is conducted within the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee. Additionally, FDEM manages the State Watch Office; the 24-hour a day operation tasked with providing situational awareness to stakeholders statewide. After a disaster, FDEM conducts damage assessment surveys and advises the Governor of the State of Florida on whether to declare an emergency and seek federal relief funds. It is against this backdrop that FDEM strives to demonstrate its mission of, “Coordinate, collaborate, and communicate with our community stakeholders for a resilient Florida”, along with our vision of “Leading the Profession in building prepared and resilient communities”.

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

This position serves as a Senior Attorney position within the Office of General Counsel is responsible for providing general legal and policy work in support of various Division of Emergency Management (DEM) functions and operations but specifically focusing on the Bureau of Mitigation, including reviewing, revising, and/or drafting DEM policies, procedures, contracts and procurement documents; assisting with DEM rulemaking; and performing other tasks as assigned by the General Counsel/Deputy General Counsel. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Providing guidance and technical assistance to DEM bureaus, specifically the Bureau of Mitigation, in developing, adopting, and/or updating policies and procedures as well as in promulgating administrative rules pursuant to chapter 120, Florida Statutes.
• Preparing and/or reviewing correspondence, summaries, reports, and memoranda for internal and external audiences.
• Performing legal reviews of various types of written agreements, including grant and subgrant agreements, contractual service agreements, memoranda of understanding, memoranda of agreement, and other contracts.
• Providing compliance support relating to the receipt and use of federal and state emergency management grant funds disbursed pursuant to contracts awarded by the DEM.
• Developing, reviewing, and implementing policies and procedures related to appeals, contract development & management, and compliance.
• Assisting in promoting DEM-wide awareness of and compliance with public records retention and management requirements.
• Developing, reviewing, and implementing monitoring tools to ensure compliance with state and federal standards and requirements.
• Assisting DEM personnel in monitoring ongoing audits, including maintaining a log of all active audits and deadlines for responses and other action, as well as assisting in researching and preparing audit responses, as needed.
• Tracking deadlines to ensure timely submission of rule changes, audit responses, contract reviews, and/or other technical reviews.
• Assisting and coordinating with other attorneys within DEM as needed relating to legal or policy matters,
• Performing other related duties, and traveling as necessary, including assisting DEM response and recovery efforts regarding emergency and disaster events wherever and whenever they may occur within the State of Florida.

In response to emergency events, FDEM employees may be required to work irregular hours, to work more than 8 hours per day, to work extended periods (including weekends and holidays), to work at locations other than their official headquarters, and to perform duties in addition to those outlined in the employee’s position description. Employees must be able to deploy to emergency sites with limited advance notice.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of Chapter 112, Florida Statutes, (PART III CODE OF ETHICS FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES), as applicable to the employees of DEM.
• Knowledge of legal terminology, Florida laws, legal procedure, Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, etc.
• Skill in reading comprehension, analysis, research, and organization.
• Ability to provide legal counsel.
• Ability to interpret state and federal legislation, laws, and rules.
• Ability to employ legal reasoning and to foresee possible legal problems.
• Ability to communicate effectively and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to take action in situations which lack clear direction.
• Ability to take initiative on independent research projects.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to use independent judgment when releasing information to the public.
• Ability to collect and analyze data.
• Ability to conduct meetings and to make presentations.
• Ability to perform legal writing and prepare various legal documents. Ability to conduct effective legal research on Westlaw and/or LexisNexis.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Member of the Florida Bar in good standing

Special Notes:

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

FDEM is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. FDEM appreciates the service and sacrifices made by veterans and their family members and recognizes the immeasurable value veterans bring to the workplace and is committed to increasing the number of veterans that serve in its workforce.

FDEM is committed to increasing recruitment and hiring of individuals with disabilities and improving employment outcomes. An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job-related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the FDEM Human Resources Office at [phone]. FDEM requests applicants notify the Human Resources Office in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

Successful completion of background screening will be required for this position.

The State of Florida and FDEM participate in E-Verify. This federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

In response to emergency events, FDEM employees may be required to work irregular hours, to work more than 8 hours per day, to work extended periods (including nights, weekends, and holidays), to work at locations other than their official headquarters, and to perform duties in addition to those outlined in the employee’s position description. Employees must be able to deploy to emergency sites with limited advance notice.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

For assistance, call the People First Service Center at [phone] Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time. Pursuant to Florida Law, 110.211 F. S., the State of Florida is an EEO employer.