Public Assistance Program (PAP) Specialist - Apollo Technology Solutions LLC
Indianapolis, IN
About the Job
Job Title: Public Assistance Program (PAP) Specialist
Location: Indianapolis, IN-Hybrid
Duration: 6 Months
Interview Type: Webcam
Note:
Public Assistance Program (PAP) Specialist is to assist the program, the program director, and the grant applicants through consistent communication and organization.
Working under the guidance of the Recovery Director, the objective of the Public Assistance Program Specialist is to assist the program, the program director, and the grant applicants through consistent communication and organization. The PAP Specialist will accomplish this by working within the FEMA Grants Portal. Tasks include registering new applicant organizations in the system, review and approve/deny RPA (Request for Public Assistance) submissions to make sure the registering organization is eligilble under Public Assistant program guidelines. The position will have a minimum of a 6-month contract with the potential of it being extended.
Location:
The mission of Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program is to provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments, and private non-profit organizations so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from man-made or natural disasters or emergencies declared by the President of the United States.
Below is a breakdown of the regular tasks the position will be involved in:
Disaster project closeout In addition to the work done with disaster projects in the Grants Portal, there are several tasks that program specialists are responsible for outside of that system, which usually come up when a project is ready to be closed out. Below are some of the major tasks that have to be addressed away from the Grants Portal:
General Programmatic Responsibilities
Away from the work in the Grants Portal, regular correspondence with FEMA, and the work associated with project closeouts, there are other general programmatic tasks that have to be addressed. Below is a breakdown of the more common items that have to be considered:
A basic knowledge of local, state and federal government programs and procedures. General knowledge of the administrative requirements of state and federal governments as well as a general knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of all state and federal emergency response agencies/departments. Experience working with state and federal grants and grant program management. Ability to multi-task, and work in high pressure situations and environments. In addition to having a background in emergency management, it is recommended that a candidate for PA program specialist have some background in financial bookkeeping, as this experience may prove to be useful during the closeout of a project. The candidate will also need to have or develop an understanding of the various legal codes/statutes/guidance that serves as the framework of the PA program, which includes but is not limited to the following:
Difficulty of Work:
The position requires, at certain times, long hours and the ability to work under adverse and stressful conditions for extended periods. The position requires you to be available for duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Personal Work Relationships:
In order to function efficiently, the position requires the ability to work with a number of personnel with various backgrounds and abilities. The position requires you work with other Federal/State/Local Personnel from various departments and divisions. A professional attitude as well as a courteous relationship is needed to foster a spirit of unity of purpose toward all public assistance goals. The PA program specialist may also be asked to address other IDHS response and recovery tasks as assigned.
Working Conditions:
The position would normally be stationed in an office environment. However, there will be times in which the duties of the position require travel to communities throughout the state. These duties include meetings, seminars, site inspections, and trainings. Agency requirements could include working under emergency/disaster field conditions, in field office locations throughout the state for extended periods of time. This may include a requirement to depart upon short notice from home to the site of an incident or disaster.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.
The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.
Required/Desired Skills:
Location: Indianapolis, IN-Hybrid
Duration: 6 Months
Interview Type: Webcam
Note:
- Position is located on-site in the downtown Indianapolis Office. Potential for hybrid remote work after a 30-day period of employment.
- Initial contract term is expected to be 6 months with the likelihood of renewal.
- Position requires candidate to be available for emergency response situations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with prior notice for personal commitments which would not allow emergency response required.
Public Assistance Program (PAP) Specialist is to assist the program, the program director, and the grant applicants through consistent communication and organization.
Working under the guidance of the Recovery Director, the objective of the Public Assistance Program Specialist is to assist the program, the program director, and the grant applicants through consistent communication and organization. The PAP Specialist will accomplish this by working within the FEMA Grants Portal. Tasks include registering new applicant organizations in the system, review and approve/deny RPA (Request for Public Assistance) submissions to make sure the registering organization is eligilble under Public Assistant program guidelines. The position will have a minimum of a 6-month contract with the potential of it being extended.
Location:
- This position is located in Downtown Indianapolis at the Indiana Government Center South building. There is free parking for most positions. Has potential for flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees after a 30-day period of employment.
The mission of Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program is to provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments, and private non-profit organizations so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from man-made or natural disasters or emergencies declared by the President of the United States.
- Through the PA Program, FEMA provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance to account for various disaster recovery activities including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned/eligible private non-profit facilities. The PA Program also encourages the protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.
- After a Presidential Disaster is declared, the program specialist will spend a considerable amount of time working in the FEMA Grants Portal system, which is a website where all PA grants are tracked and administered. This is a system that is used by the state, FEMA, and local applicants alike.
- Register new applicant organizations in the Grants Portal system
- Review and approve/deny RPA submissions to make sure the registering organization is eligible under PA program guidelines.
- Review and approve/deny project applications associated with a disaster event
- Update contact information listed in the Grants Portal
- Assist applicants in the upload of disaster-related documentation
- Assist with system access issues
- Pull disaster data from Portal to build reports for agency leadership In addition to the items listed above, the program specialist also has to remain available for questions that come from applicants. PA staff will regularly receive phone calls and emails from applicants who have questions ranging from profile creation issues all the way down to the steps needed to update a contact phone number in the Portal. Most often, we receive questions about the status of submitted project applications and their ongoing reviews. This task is multiplied by the number of applicants and the number of projects each applicant has. In a "normal” disaster declaration, IN/FEMA Public Assistance Program can have up to 600 applicants and each applicant has up to 10 or more projects.
Below is a breakdown of the regular tasks the position will be involved in:
- Participate in a weekly call with FEMA staff related to an open disaster event
- Participate in a monthly call with FEMAs closeout team related to past disasters
- Update/submit quarterly report documentation to FEMA staff
- Discuss any significant applicant project issues with appropriate FEMA staff
- Communicate all relevant policy/programmatic updates with relevant stakeholders
Disaster project closeout In addition to the work done with disaster projects in the Grants Portal, there are several tasks that program specialists are responsible for outside of that system, which usually come up when a project is ready to be closed out. Below are some of the major tasks that have to be addressed away from the Grants Portal:
- Closeout document review
- In-person project site visits
- Assembling/sending the closeout packet
- Work with fiscal to make sure the applicant is reimbursed
General Programmatic Responsibilities
Away from the work in the Grants Portal, regular correspondence with FEMA, and the work associated with project closeouts, there are other general programmatic tasks that have to be addressed. Below is a breakdown of the more common items that have to be considered:
- Keeping the PA webpage up to date
- Collect applicant quarterly report data
- Contributing to/participating in recovery training sessions
- Assisting in response activities
- Assist with state-level exercises
- Assist in the revision/maintenance of the State PA Administrative Plan and Task Book
- Assists in the collection of data to be included in FFATA reporting
A basic knowledge of local, state and federal government programs and procedures. General knowledge of the administrative requirements of state and federal governments as well as a general knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of all state and federal emergency response agencies/departments. Experience working with state and federal grants and grant program management. Ability to multi-task, and work in high pressure situations and environments. In addition to having a background in emergency management, it is recommended that a candidate for PA program specialist have some background in financial bookkeeping, as this experience may prove to be useful during the closeout of a project. The candidate will also need to have or develop an understanding of the various legal codes/statutes/guidance that serves as the framework of the PA program, which includes but is not limited to the following:
- The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act)
- The current and disaster-specific versions of the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG)
- Code of Federal Regulations, Stafford Act Title 44, Chapter 1, Part 201 (44 CFR Part 201)
- Other state and federal policies may be implemented as time passes, and the program specialist will be expected to keep up to date on all relevant changes. Must have proficient knowledge of Microsoft Suite programs.
- A bachelor's degree is preferred.
Difficulty of Work:
The position requires, at certain times, long hours and the ability to work under adverse and stressful conditions for extended periods. The position requires you to be available for duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Personal Work Relationships:
In order to function efficiently, the position requires the ability to work with a number of personnel with various backgrounds and abilities. The position requires you work with other Federal/State/Local Personnel from various departments and divisions. A professional attitude as well as a courteous relationship is needed to foster a spirit of unity of purpose toward all public assistance goals. The PA program specialist may also be asked to address other IDHS response and recovery tasks as assigned.
Working Conditions:
The position would normally be stationed in an office environment. However, there will be times in which the duties of the position require travel to communities throughout the state. These duties include meetings, seminars, site inspections, and trainings. Agency requirements could include working under emergency/disaster field conditions, in field office locations throughout the state for extended periods of time. This may include a requirement to depart upon short notice from home to the site of an incident or disaster.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.
The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.
Required/Desired Skills:
- Working knowledge of FEMAs Public Assistance Grant Program.
- Experience working with state & federal grants and grant program management.
- Background in emergency management.
- Program financial experience.
- Basic knowledge of local, state and federal government programs & procedures.
- General knowledge of duties & responsibilities of state & federal emergency response agencies/departments.
- Bachelor's degree.
- Project management experience.
Source : Apollo Technology Solutions LLC
