Emergency Management Specialist

Summary This position is located at the Biloxi VA Medical Center in Biloxi, MS. The Emergency Management Specialist is responsible for assisting in preparing for, carrying out, or coordinating emergency functions to prevent, protect from, mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Major duties and responsibilities include: Provides support for the medical center emergency management assessments, operations, planning, liaison, mission activities and functions. Assists in the development and implementation of Emergency Management protocols and methods. Ensures that training and operations requirements are fully integrated, coordinated, and in compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements. Assists in implementing workforce goals. Coordinate's personnel resources, to include periods of activation. Prepares draft annual report and budgets for programs. Analyzes and evaluates, on a quantitative and qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs and operations in meeting established goals and objectives. Works with the Emergency Management manager to review, analyze and coordinate the implementation and evaluation of exercises to test and critique comprehensive emergency management plans and programs. Serves as a facility evaluator during emergency management exercise scenarios. Works with emergency management and community partners to perform hazard vulnerability analysis designed to assess the risks that have the potential to interrupt the continuity of critical operations. Assists in developing and implementing a variety of emergency management guidelines and structures for general and specific operations including contingency plans and the continuity of operations. In the absence of the Emergency Management manager, supports and provides advice and guidance on all aspects of emergency management. Maintains databases and resource requirements. Manages and coordinates the procurement, mobilization, utilization and demobilization of resources and assets. Provides assistance in coordination of various program offices, to include the Safety Officer, Industrial Hygienist, Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Coordinator, Decontamination Triage Leader, Decontamination Entry Team Leader, Decontamination Site Access Control Unit Leader and Decontamination Logistics Officer. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Fulltime, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad hoc telework. Ad hoc is defined as occasional, non-recurring telework. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristics basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration for this position. The Selective Placement Factor: Possess a current and valid state-issued driver's license. (NOTE: We cannot accept photographs. Therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide your driver's license for verification of required endorsements.) To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet Selective Placement Factor and one of the following requirements: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this Emergency Management Specialist, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: experience in emergency management where you applied your knowledge of the laws, guidelines and policies governing various emergency management programs and operations to assist in developing, executing, and analyzing a comprehensive emergency management program; applying data analytical and evaluation methods to determine program compliance with emergency preparedness and management rules and regulations; and applying a working knowledge of a variety of emergency, contingency and operations plans, policies, and directives to provide advice and assistance. NOTE: One (1) full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this Emergency Management Specialist. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education (above a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above, which meet the total requirements for this grade level. NOTE: One (1) full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Physical Requirements and Work Environment: The work is sedentary during non-emergency situations. However, participation in field exercises and operational support missions may require strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distance, climbing, working long hours, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. May include various housing and living conditions to include non-climate controlled, limited privacy sleeping facilities (for example, cots, tents, "hot-bunking", gymnasiums, or similar), limited shower and laundry facilities, and limited feeding options (such as shelf-stable meals, meals-ready-to-eat (MRE's), and field kitchens). The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. May be required to work in a warehouse and store emergency management equipment in outdoor storage facility and indoor storage rooms. Incumbent will support site visits to all outpatient clinics to perform hazard vulnerability analysis, conduct drills, conduct training and any other comprehensive emergency management implementation. Environment may be subject to adverse weather to include wind, precipitation, temperature and humidity extremes. Protective gear (gloves, hard hats, hearing protection, and similar) and adherence to safety precautions may be required. Travel within the United States may be required. Must be able to travel by motor vehicle, train, boat, and aircraft. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.