American Red Cross of Northern Utah

Position Description

Position Title: Disaster Director 

Reports To:     Executive Director

Partners With: Disaster Chair

Supervises:  Disaster Services Program Volunteers and Paid Staff

Job Summary:

With guidance from the Executive Director, incumbent works in partnership with leadership volunteers in the Disaster Services Department and is responsible for the Chapter’s disaster planning, disaster response, mitigation, and community preparedness education.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Included, but are not limited to:

Disaster Response, Mitigation and Community Preparedness Programs Management

• Accountable for ensuring adequate disaster planning and response efforts throughout the Chapter’s jurisdiction in Northern Utah, including ensuring identification, development and management of human, material and financial resources and the development of collaborative relationships needed to effectively and efficiently respond to disasters
• Ensures that Red Cross meets people’s immediate emergency disaster-caused needs by providing shelter, food, and mental health services to address basic human needs.  As the leader of Disaster Services department, the Disaster Service Director will also directly assist clients when necessary.  Although client assistance should typically be provided through trained volunteers, this may become the most urgent priority on any given day for the Director;
• Manages activities, volunteer staff and other resources for the Disaster Services programs to position the organization in a recognized disaster and social services leadership role in the counties it serves;
• Ensures that recurring and non-recurring disasters in the Chapter’s jurisdiction are responded to according to National ARC & Chapter guidelines;
• Ensures effective relationships with county and city governmental and community organizations responsible for disaster planning and response.  Ensures that trained Red Cross personnel respond to the local Emergency Operations Center(s) when activated;
• Organizes and supports all Disaster Services Committees;
• Proactively establishes and maintains operating procedures, approval authorities, staffing levels, work schedules and on-call notification systems to maintain 24-hour disaster response capability;
• Ensures local Community Disaster Education (CDE) efforts meet National and Chapter standards for excellence; Develops and implements a quarterly training calendar that includes basic, intermediate and advanced disaster courses; 
• Ensures that volunteers’ DSHR profiles remain current and performs DSHR call outs as requested;
• Serves on disaster assignments within the Chapter’s jurisdiction and occasionally on national disaster operations;
• Ensures completion of the Chapter’s annual Chapter Disaster Readiness Assessment;
• Ensures optimum allocation and tracking of local disaster response equipment, vehicles, and supplies (with assistance from the Disaster Services Specialist);
• Drives personal and/or chapter vehicles during inclement day/night weather conditions to attend meetings and/or respond to disasters;
• Works with Service Area staff to ensure strategic program development and coordinated response.

General Management/Other

• Proactively seeks ways to effectively utilize volunteers in all lines of service and provides volunteers with appropriate training, supervision and recognition;
• Ensures thorough knowledge of the American Red Cross mission, corporate and Chapter goals, objectives, policies, procedures and priorities.  Communicates these goals and priorities to employees, volunteers and the community;
• Ensures that excellent customer service is provided to internal and external colleagues, clients and the public;
• Ensures regular communication to all program volunteers via e-mails, phone calls, meetings, and/or newsletters to monitor volunteer satisfaction and career development;
• Ensures collection of client satisfaction surveys and works with Service Delivery Committee, leadership program volunteers and various program committees to analyze data and make program changes to meet client needs;
• Develops and manages program budget;
• Develops case statements and provides cost and program data to the Executive Director and Development staff for grant and other funding requests;
• Develops and implements the annual and long range plans for the Department’s programs and conducts periodic reviews of all activities to ensure their effectiveness;
• Ensures compliance with corporate and Chapter policies regarding delivery of preparedness and response services;
• Prepares reports as requested or required by Executive Director, program funders, the Service Area or National Headquarters;
• Demonstrates commitment to professional development for self and volunteer staff and maintains up-to-date knowledge of the general trends in emergency and social services;
• Contributes program-related content to Chapter’s publications and web site;
• Carries and responds to a cell phone during working and off-duty hours;
• Ensures that supervisor is informed of any recurring or significant problems in a timely manner;
• Performs other duties as requested or assigned.

Requirements:

Education:  Bachelors degree in social sciences, business or public administration or related field or a combination of training and experience in nonprofit management that would indicate the ability to successfully accomplish the duties and responsibilities.  

Experience:  Five years of successful leadership and program coordination/management experience working with volunteers in a non-profit agency preferred.  Significant experience with ARC disaster services also desired.  Familiarity with community based social services, emergency management/emergency response agencies preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Good casework skills and the ability to work effectively with clients in crisis;
• Goal-oriented with the ability to balance competing demands and quickly adjust to changing priorities and emergency needs;
• Superior volunteer management skills;
• Strong leadership and team building skills, including demonstrated ability to lead volunteer staff and achieve results though others;
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communications skills, including good public speaking skills;
• The ability to work effectively with diverse employees, volunteers, clients and members of the public;
• Ability to build and sustain effective relationships and interact effectively with government, community, and corporate partners;
• Excellent short-term and long-term planning and project management skills;
• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to multi-task and consistently meet deadlines;
• Ability to work effectively during periodically stressful conditions, including field conditions and long hours over several days during larger disaster response operations;
• Comfortable with and skilled in managing/implementing change;
• Knowledge of ARC  programs and services, local community and government resources;
• Proficiency with MS Office software, including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook and PowerPoint;
• Budget development and management skills;
• Willingness and availability to carry a cell phone/pager and respond during and after usual business hours;
• Availability for periodic evening and weekend work;
• A consistently positive and professional attitude and demeanor.

Other Requirements:

A valid Utah driver’s license and a clean driving record;

Ability to pass a criminal background check.

Salary Range:  $30,000–35,000 per year

FLSA Classification:  Exempt

Please send cover letter and resume to American Red Cross of Northern Utah,
 2955 Harrison Blvd., Suite 204, Ogden, Utah 84403 or email to humanresources@redcrossutah.org

This position will remain open until filled.

The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity Employer.