Federal Position Descriptions
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Administrator

Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security
Responsibility
Management Scope

Key organizational elements of FEMA include the Office of the FEMA Administrator, Office of National Capital Region Coordination (ONCRC), Protection and National Preparedness (PNP), Mission Support, U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) and Office Response and Recovery (ORR).
• In addition to its headquarters in Washington, D.C., FEMA has ten permanent regional offices, three permanent area offices, and various temporary disaster-related sites that carry out its operations throughout the United States and its territories. In fiscal 2020, FEMA had 11,333 full-time equivalent employees and an enacted budget of $27 billion.

Primary Responsibilities
  • Ensures that FEMA carries out its mission of:
    • Reducing the loss of life and property.
    • Protecting communities nationwide from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters.
    • Providing survivor assistance.
  • Ensuring emergency response and recovery.
Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Experience and expertise with crisis management and disaster response.
• Extensive leadership and management experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in administering large federal programs serving a broad range of homeland security and national security stakeholders.

Competencies

• Strong communications and media skills, as he/she is viewed as the face of the president’s administration during national emergencies.
• Strategic Orientation: Demonstrates complex thinking abilities, incorporating both analytical and conceptual abilities to manage and develop plans and strategies.
• Results Orientation: Drive for improvement of results demonstrated by a track record of substantially enhancing performance or organizations.
• Team Leadership: Can focus, align and build effective groups.
• Collaboration & Influencing: Works effectively with peers, partners and others who are not in the line of command, particularly with members of the interagency and local and state officials.

Past Appointments
  • Peter Gaynor (2020 to 2021) – Director of Rhode Island’s Emergency Management Agency; Policy Advisor to Governor Gina Raimondo; Commissioner for the Emergency Management Accreditation Program
  • Brock Long (2017 to 2019) – Executive Vice President at Hagerty Consulting; Director of Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency; Southeast Regional Director of Beck Disaster Recovery Inc
  • William Craig Fugate (2009 to 2017): Director of Florida’s Emergency Management Agency
AGENCY

Department of Homeland Security

Mission: To ensure that homeland is safe, secure and resilient against terrorism and other potential threats

COMPENSATION

Level II $183,100 (5 U.S.C. § 5313)1

REPORTS TO

Secretary of Homeland Security

SENATE COMMITTEE

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

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Footnote
  1. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260, December 27 ,2020), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials through January 1, 2022. The compensation information is based on guidance from the Office of Personnel Management and can be accessed here. If you are selected for this position, please consult the agency’ HR representative for further guidance on compensation.
This position description was created with the help of Egon Zehnder, a global executive search firm.
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