Deputy State Hazard Mitigation Officer

Why You’ll Love This Position

This position serves as the back up, principal financial advisor, and program assistant to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer for SEMA's mitigation section. This position is administrative only and does not require an active or specialized field role. Responsible for highly complex mitigation grant programs including the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, and Flood Mitigation Assistance Program. Assists local governments and other eligible entities in project administration and management (determining eligibility, monitoring activities, procuring services, and managing financial transactions), and in developing Hazard Mitigation Plans (providing technical assistance).

Supervises two Planner II positions.

• Program/Project Development and Management:
  Serves as principal financial advisor and program assistant to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) for mitigation programs and project duties. Advises and assists local governments and other eligible entities with the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, and Flood Mitigation Assistance Program. Provides advice of a very complex and highly technical nature, with many local, state, and federal laws, directives, and regulations that must be followed concerning floodplain management, building codes, procurement, planning, grant management, and internal controls.
  
  Coordinates extensively with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), other state agencies, local governments, private associations, businesses, and the general public to plan, organize, host, or attend public meetings as the SHMO’s acting representative, or as a program or project manager to discuss projects. Researches state and federal legislation and regulations to help keep self and mitigation section apprised of changes and provide information regarding new developments.
  
  Develops and manages mitigation projects such as flood property buyouts, ice storm utility line burials, community tornado safe rooms, National Weather Service emergency transmitters and mitigation plans. Revises SEMA’s Local Officials’ Guidebooks that provide technical advice for grant management, project procurements, and management documentation for mitigation projects and planning. Helps identify and plan potentially cost-effective mitigation projects. Reviews plan and project applications to ensure consistency with official agency policies, objectives, priorities, and requirements.
  
  Ensures grant applications are complete and appropriate and enters into NEMIS. Monitors project progression from beginning to completion to ensure compliance with rules and regulations. Develops GIS/HAZUS assessments and Open Space GIS documentation, maps, and reports pertaining to properties acquired in buyout projects, answers questions about Open Space deed restrictions and assists local governments develop Open Space monitoring programs. Prepares, coordinates, and submits Final Performance Reports to FEMA in order to close out projects.
• Financial/Grant Management:
  Principal benefit-cost analyst responsible for determining cost-effectiveness and eligibility of mitigation projects. Researches various demographic and economic data to prioritize future project and planning efforts. Notifies local governments and other eligible entities of grant program availability. Evaluates proposed projects for funding assistance, making recommendations to the SHMO for ongoing and future actions. Compiles the best available information and uses it to analyze key financial data to help prepare applications and plans and to develop project reports.
  
  Interprets state and federal rules and requirements and provides financial grant management technical assistance to local governments and other eligible applicants. Continuously monitors, tracks, and reviews project expenditures for program consistency and eligibility. Receives Requests for Funds and invoices, reviews them for accuracy, processes them for payment and follows up with local officials and contractors to ensure they are received and documented for audit.
  
  Acknowledges financial…