OCC’s ADR Division seeks new FEMA Ombuds!
The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Division, Office of the Chief Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) seeks a CORE IC-301-13/14 ADR-Advisor who is an experienced ADR and Ombuds professional. The CORE IC-301-13/14 ADR-Advisor will serve as an Ombuds and be assigned to the ADR Division’s Mission and Programs Branch. This position is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund and is renewable for two-year terms. See https://careers.fema.gov/cadre-call-responserecovery for more details.
The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Division was established pursuant to the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1996 (ADRA), 5 U.S.C. §§ 571-83, to promote the use of ADR in the FEMA workplace and its programs. The ADR Division provides support to all FEMA employees.
The ADR Division’s goal is to help the Agency provide high-quality service to survivors and strengthen its collaboration with its partners. The ADR Division works to strengthen employee competency in communication, conflict management, and emotional intelligence. The ADR Division provides a wide range of dispute resolution processes that help staff prevent, recognize, manage, and resolve conflicts at the lowest level possible.
ADR tools, trainings, and services enhance the Agency’s workplace professionalism, and create greater civility, situational awareness, and mission focus. This proactive approach allows the Agency to reduce distractions and mistakes while fostering exemplary performance of FEMA employees.
The ADR Division’s Ombuds Program helps to resolve systemic issues at the lowest effective level involving FEMA policies, directives, instructions, guidance documents, and procedures. In addition, the Ombuds engages in ADR services as needed, including conflict coaching, facilitation, training, mediation, and other related ADR processes. The Ombuds position is neutral, independent, informal, impartial, and confidential. When appropriate the Ombuds elevates systemic issues and concerns to FEMA leaders and officials.
The Ombuds position will be based at FEMA HQ in Washington, D.C. FEMA promotes appropriate telework (also known as flexi-place, telecommuting, or work-from-home) as workplace flexibility for recruiting top talent, retaining current employees, reducing the cost of office space, absenteeism, and use of workers compensation, and to ensure continuity of essential governmental functions in the event of an emergency. Currently, FEMA encourages the maximum use of telework pursuant to COVID-19 protocols. This may change at any time.
Experience, Skills, and other Requirements: The successful candidate for this job will have significant experience and training in organizational ombuds, conflict management, conflict coaching, mediation, group facilitation, and conflict resolution training. The following skills are essential:
· excellent oral and written communication skills;
· the ability to synthesize and analyze information effectively;
· expertise in designing and facilitating a broad array of ADR interventions;
· attention to detail and strong organizational skills;
· strong emotional intelligence, non-judgmental, and empathic;
· the ability to work with diverse staff;
· agility in working on multiple projects and with many different clients concurrently;
· ability to handle and work in a fast-paced, stressful work-environment with a heavy caseload;
· ability to research Agency policies, directives, instructions, guidance documents, and procedures;
· ability to initiate conversations with Agency employees and officials to obtain information about matters related to cases; and
· the ability to work in teams and individually.
Preferred Experience: FEMA ADR disaster field experience.
Primary Responsibilities include:
· working with individuals and groups to address systemic issues and concerns;
· conducting mediations, facilitated conversations, and conflict coaching;
· conducting workplace assessments/listening sessions;
· helping to design and facilitate team interventions, offsites, retreats, trainings, meeting, strategic planning sessions, and team building events;
· manage a broad caseload;
· attending meetings with stakeholders;
· analyzing data;
· preparing briefings and reports for management and staff;
· making recommendations to address areas of concern;
· providing consultation to management officials to assist in the prevention, management, and resolution of organizational conflict;
· supporting ADR and Ombuds data collection and evaluation efforts;
· participating in divisional outreach opportunities and training programs; and
· assisting in the creation of standard operating procedures and policy development initiatives.
Certain projects may require the Ombuds to work with and travel to FEMA regional and field offices. Also, as a CORE employee there may be a need to deploy in support FEMA disaster relief efforts for a minimum of 30 days.
The successful candidate will be required to follow the organizational ombuds principles of neutrality, independence, impartiality, and confidentiality. In keeping with basic ADR principles, the successful candidate also will be required to uphold the Mediator Standards of Practice in conducting this work. Interviews and a writing sample will be required. An Ombuds presentation may be required before job offer.
This is a CORE position at the IC-13 or IC-14 level. An individual hired at the IC-13 level may later be promoted to the IC-14 level. Applicants must meet the requirements for the IC-13 level: At least five years of full-time professional experience as an ADR and/or Ombuds practitioner, and at least 300 hours of conflict resolution and/or organizational ombuds training. At least two years of the professional experience will include specialized experience that is directly related to the position being filled, and at least one of the two years of specialized experience must be at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that described above. Applicants must meet the requirements for the IC-14 level: At least seven years of full-time professional experience as an ADR and/or Ombuds practitioner, and at least 300 hours of conflict resolution and/or organizational ombuds training. At least two years of the professional experience will include specialized experience that is directly related to the position being filled, and at least one of the two years of specialized experience must be at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that described above.
To apply for this position, please submit a resume, writing sample, and cover letter (2 pages or less) describing your interest in the position and the skills that make you the ideal candidate to Matilda Brodnax, Deputy Director for Mission and Programs Branch, at Matilda.Brodnax@fema.dhs.gov by COB, Friday, March 19, 2021.
Federal Emergency Management Agency's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.
