Program Specialist

Job Description

The US Forest Service will soon be posting two Program Specialist positions.

This position is located in the Office of the Chief, International Programs, Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP), USDA, and Forest Service. The DASP is a cooperative program between the USDA Forest Service and the US Agency for International Development, Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA). The DASP provides international disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response systems, planning, training, and support to USAID headquarters and overseas Missions as well as to US Embassies, United Nations agencies, affected countries and cooperating partners. The incumbent of this position serves as a technical expert, leader, and resource for Disaster Operations and is responsible for coordinating international humanitarian assistance operations and/or technical programs for a region, country, or technical area within USAID/BHA, including disaster response and food assistance that predicts, prevents and responds to hunger overseas. Working title for this position is Disaster Operations Specialist.

Monitors incipient and current disasters in assigned region, country, or technical area, and responds to disaster declarations from U.S. Ambassadors and Chiefs of Mission worldwide.

Serves on USAID/BHA’s response teams in leadership roles, well versed in BHA’s Response Management Systems, response structure, chain of command, and protocols. Provides oversight, guidance, and direction to staff on response teams in the field as well as at HQ.

Coordinates with USAID/BHA Regional Advisors and Mission Disaster Relief Officers (MDROs) to provide advice and guidance to U.S. Embassies, USAID Missions, and other relevant contacts with USAID and the Department of State.

1. Response Operations Team Leader:

• Coordinate the readiness, activation, and maintenance of BHA Response Operations Centers.
• Manage resources and equipment for agency staff, to include Remote Location Kits, Uniform items, Personal Tracking Locators, and Personal Protective Equipment.
• Oversee continuous needs assessment to best meet the headquarters and field resource needs of BHA response practitioners
• Provides guidance and support to BHA on Information Technology, classified material handling, and physical security.
• Represents BHA as a subject matter expert through formal and informal presentations and tours for visiting guests, dignitaries and as an international advisor.

2. Response Staffing Support Team Leader

• Employ organizational readiness systems, practices, and methodologies to support disaster response activation and deployment activities. This includes PETER, Staffing Alerts, and Monthly Readiness Dashboards.
• Support the innovation, design, testing, and development of new tools and technologies to improve response readiness and readiness monitoring.
• Manage alert systems, strategies, and processes to support appropriate staffing levels across the organization such as RU-RAN, PETER Blast notifications.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on readiness programs and principles as well as BHA’s deployment database and application
• Conduct analysis of response readiness and staffing requests, based on historical trends, projected operational requirements, and knowledge of priorities, as needed.

About the Organization

This position is located in the Office of the Chief, International Programs, Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP), USDA, and Forest Service. The DASP is a cooperative program between the USDA Forest Service and the US Agency for International Development, Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA). The DASP provides international disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response systems, planning, training, and support to USAID headquarters and overseas Missions as well as to US Embassies, United Nations agencies, affected countries and cooperating partners. The incumbent of this position serves as a technical expert, leader, and resource for Disaster Operations and is responsible for coordinating international humanitarian assistance operations and/or technical programs for a region, country, or technical area within USAID/BHA, including disaster response and food assistance that predicts, prevents and responds to hunger overseas. Working title for this position is Disaster Operations Specialist.