Important Recruitment Information for this vacancy
- Public Assistance Officer
- Posted until 1 position is filled
Agency Information :
Adjutant General Department
2722 SW Topeka Blvd
Topeka, Ks 66611
About the Position
Who can apply : All who meet the criteria
Classified / Unclassified Service : Unclassified
Full-Time / Part-Time : Full-Time
Regular / Temporary : Regular
Work Schedule : 8 : 00 am to 5 : 00 pm Monday thru Friday may vary
Eligible to Receive Benefits : YES
Veterans' Preference Eligible : YES
Compensation : $29.73 per hr.
Salary can vary depending upon education, experience, or qualifications.Employment Benefits
Comprehensive medical, mental, dental, vision, and additional coverage
Sick & Vacation leave
Work-Life Balance programs : parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave
Paid State Holidays (designated by the Governor annually)
Fitness Centers in select locations
Employee discounts with the STAR Program
Retirement and deferred compensation programs
Visit the Employee Benefits page for more information...
Position Summary & Responsibilities
a) Works under the administrative direction of the Recovery Section Chief and State Coordinating Officer for disasters. Employee is free to plan, develop, and organize procedures and methods that are within state guidelines to accomplish the work necessary for the successful fulfillment of the Division's mission. Employee may be involved in emergencies or negotiations with officials requiring actions and decisions without prior approval of supervisor. Work status and progress is reported by occasional conferences with and reports to the Response & Recovery Bureau Director.b) Guidelines are broadly defined requiring careful analysis and interpretation by the employee. Instructions and methods of performing the required work are given under administrative direction.c) The work is of a highly diverse and complex nature characterized by a broad range of activities and frequently changing conditions, situations, and problems. Because this position supervises the administration of the Public Assistance Program for the State, work requires the exercise of unusual managerial and administrative skills. Employee experiences a high degree of responsibility for independent judgment and participates in major program changes and policy decisions.State Emergency Operations Center Support :
Supports the state emergency operations center during real world activations and / or exercises by serving in a major management function or subordinate position within a major management function.May deploy to areas impacted by a natural, man-made, or technological hazard during disastersto coordinate recovery activities with local levels of government.
Special Projects and Other Duties (E)Performs special projects as assigned in order to assist the division and branch meet its mission and response to special requirements. This requires the ability to independently perform various assignments with minimum instruction, determine the most effective approach for each project, and to manage the time to meet short-term and long-term deadlines. Performs other related duties as assigned.Staff Duty Officer :
Serves as a staff duty officer for both technological hazards and natural hazards. This position is required to provide advice on an ongoing basis and in emergency situations on coping with natural emergencies / disasters and accidental releases of any of the more than 600 materials classified by the EPA as hazardous or extremely hazardous substances as well as radiological materials. This requires basic scientific knowledge and the ability to analyze chemical hazards (identify hazards, probability, consequence, risk analysis and appropriate containment procedures); knowledge of appropriate alert and notification procedures required by regulation or law; the ability to provide information in layman's terms regarding chemistry, toxicology, immunology, microbiology, radiology, agronomy, and water supplies; and providing an immediate response to emergency calls regarding containment of spills, releases, possible contamination, and natural hazards. This requires serving as the staffduty officer on a stand-by status at least once a month; ability to remain calm and provide accurate understandable recommendations and assistance.Incumbent may be subject to call-in / call-back outside of regular working hours to support state response and recovery actions, staffing the state emergency operations center, or deployments to areas impacted by an emergency or disaster.Incumbent is required to remain knowledge of current agency plans and procedures and maintain a working knowledge of NIMS and related state emergency operations center interfaces in addition to supporting any training and / or documentation requirements as needed.Military Augmentees :
During disaster incidents, employee is required to provide direction, review performance, and elicit the voluntary cooperation of state, county, tribal nation levels of government, and volunteer organizations. Employee will be required to supervise and coordinate the activities of personnel from other state agencies operating in support of KDEM's administrative responsibilities according to the Kansas Response Plan.Errors in coordination during an emergency or disaster could produce significant consequences, resulting in loss of life, property, and financial reimbursement. Errors in judgment or poor decisions in emergency / disaster situations could lead to a high degree of confusion at critical times, producing a loss of confidence in state government during periods when such confidence is most essential. Failure to properly plan and justify state and local disaster response requirements could result in a major impact in terms of a loss of federal program support and local or delay of outside resources / assistance during disaster. It is generally not possible to review the work during emergencies, placing almost total reliance on employee's judgment / abilityThe employee frequently deals with entirely new situations that require immediate and innovative solutions, especially in the development of plans and in resolving differences within and between various factions.Employee establishes and maintains effective working relationship with all levels of governmental officials including the Governor and staff, senate, and congressional members at both the state and national level, directorate level contacts with various federal and state agencies, and local county politicians. Employee provides training and information to emergency management coordinators from 105 Kansas counties. Employee makes formal presentations to professional groups, to explain state and federal programs in order to achieve common understanding and solutions to problems. Communication techniques and well-developed communication skills are required in these dealings with others. Daily contacts and interpersonal dealings are with managers, supervisors, technical personnel, engineers, staff, and clerical personnel. Incumbent will participate in meetings and workshops attended by all levels of personnel with varying background and specialties. The purpose of contacts is to justify, defend, negotiate, persuade, or interrogate to settle matters, maintain good will, gain cooperation, or reach compromises when the information is controversial, or the individuals or groups have strong differences of opinions or diverse viewpoints.Program Management and Administration (E)
Directs and manages a federal grant program responsible for the implementation and administration of the State of Kansas Public Assistance Program, in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations.Supervises administrative and technical staff in program implementation and operation of the various Public Assistance programs in coordination with FEMA. Makes recommendations to section chief and bureau director regarding staffing patterns and additional personnel needs.Provides Public Assistance Program goals, objectives, and plans for implementation to the Recovery Section Chief.Reviews and updates Public Assistance Program plans, position descriptions, and job aids annually, incorporating new federal and / or state requirements and analyzes each implementation stage.Interprets federal and state policies, plans, and regulations.Develops documents relevant to the public assistance program for stakeholders internal and external to the agency.Recommends program and policy changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and National Emergency Management Association (NEMA).Establishes and reviews operating procedures and technical guidelines.Develops and delivers training relevant to the Public Assistance Program.Coordinates applicant briefings and prepares appeal recommendations as the grantee in the Public Assistance Program.Represents KDEM at official public meetings and hearings; makes presentations to elected officials and other emergency management stakeholders.Prepares reports and briefings for and on behalf of section, bureau, and agency leadership.Coordinates all disaster related Public Assistance Program activities to include damage assessments, project worksheet development, and project monitoring.Analyzes disaster assessment data and present reports and recommendations to agency leadership for the Governor.Provides operational oversight and direction of the disaster on behalf of the Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR) / Alternate Governor's Authorized Representative (AGAR) at an Area Field Office or Joint Field Office.Converts the State Coordinating Officer's (SCOs) strategic guidance into tactical plans, executes them on behalf of the state and respond to the direction of the Governor.
May interface with the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) designated by the President.Directs the activities of state departments and agencies.Integrates state, federal, local, and voluntary agencies' actions.Coordinates response and recovery operations.Establishes priorities for respond and recovery operations.Maintains a daily working knowledge of the plans, current laws and authorities, and requirements and regulations of public assistance programs, National Flood Insurance Program, and other relevant federal programs.Coordination (E)
May represent the Recovery Section Chief, Response & Recovery Bureau Director, or KDEM Deputy Director on committees, working groups, and boards focusing on the public assistance program and issues (debris management, levee, fire management assistance, etc.).Establishes and maintains working partnerships with all levels of government and emergency management stakeholdersthat focus on public infrastructure, private-non-profit groups, and tribal nations regarding disaster response and recovery activities.
Attends and participates in various conference calls, webinars, and meetings.Provides public assistance expertise to officials at the state, local, and tribal nation levels of government.Works with community groups and elected officials to plan for effective disaster recovery immediately following an event and effective long-term recovery as outlined in the National Response Framework (NRF) infrastructure branch.Budget (E)
Develops and administers the Public Assistance program annual budget and manages / monitors expenditures for compliance.Budget will vary from $3 million to over $100 million or greater, depending upon the number and severity of disasters.
Authorizes expenditures, approves federal / state grants, and ensures program staff keep records of expenditures in accordance with grant guidelines and federal and state laws.Responsible for grant reporting, tracking and acknowledgement of the grant award for the Public Assistance Program.Develops and administers the Public Assistance Program's annual budget and manages / monitors expenditures for compliance prior to closeout.Qualifications
Education : Two years of position related experience in planning, organizing, and directing the work of a department, program, or agency. Education may be substituted for experience as determined relevant by the agency. Leadership ability at the supervisory level.Licensing & Certification :
To fulfill requirements of this position travel throughout the State of Kansas is required.Must have and maintain a valid driver's license from the state where you live and work as a condition of continuing employment.Special Knowledge, skills and abilities :
Knowledge of the organization and operations of the agency assigned program, and related programs.Knowledge of government functions.Knowledge of the principles of organizational behavior, and management tools applicable to public administration.Knowledge of total quality management methods of analyzing processes and directing continuously improvement.Ability to identify and analyze problems and to select, implement and evaluate solutions.Ability to establish and maintain satisfactory working relationships with administrative official's other employees, community organizations and the public.Recruiter Contact Information
Name : Angelina Farias
Email : angelina.farias@ks.gov
Phone : 785-646-2263
Mailing Address : 2722 SW Topeka Blvd
Topeka, Ks 66611
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College TranscriptsDD214 (if you are claiming Veteran's Preference)Veterans VerificationDisability VerificationUpload these on the Attachments step in your Job Application
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How to Claim Veterans Preference
Veterans' Preference Eligible (VPE) : Former military personnel or their spouse that have been verified as a "veteran"; under K.S.A. 73-201 will receive an interview if they meet the minimum competency factors of the position. The veterans' preference laws do not guarantee the veteran a job. Positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determine by the hiring manager.
Learn more about claiming Veteran's Preference
How to Claim Disability Hiring Preference
Applicants that have physical, cognitive and / or mental disabilities may claim an employment preference when applying for positions. If they are qualified to meet the performance standards of the position, with or without a reasonable accommodation, they will receive an interview for the position. The preference does not guarantee an applicant the job, as positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determined by the hiring manager.
Learn more about claiming Disability Hiring Preference
PLEASE NOTE : The documentation verifying a person's eligibility for use of this preference should not be sent along with other application materials to the hiring agency but should be sent directly to OPS. These documents should be sent either by fax to (785)296-7712, scanned and emailed to Gustavo.Victoriano@ks.gov , or can be mailed / delivered in person to :
ATTN : Disability Hiring Preference Coordinator
Office of Personnel Services
Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson, Rm 401
Topeka, KS 66612
Equal Employment Opportunity
The State of Kansas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential elements that create and foster a welcoming workplace. All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, political affiliation, disability or any other factor unrelated to the essential functions of the job.
If you wish to identify yourself as a qualified person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and would like to request an accommodation, please address the request to the agency recruiter.
Salary : $30
