Public Assistance Compliance Specialist

About the role

AC Disaster Consulting (ACDC) offers full-spectrum emergency management services to public and private clients. Our experienced professionals have been a part of the growth and modernization of emergency management for nearly 30 years, proudly supporting programs for some of the most challenging natural disasters and catastrophic events under our mission of staying competent, caring, and connected.

Position Summary: The position will be guided by ACDC's Corporate Values Platform in all activities.

Responsibilities

• Conduct project-level validation of FEMA PA work across Categories A–G, with emphasis on emergency work, permanent work, and management costs (CAT-Z)
• Review PWs, versions, RFIs, and supporting documentation for completeness, eligibility, reasonable cost, and alignment with approved scope
• Evaluate applicant procurement and contracting files against 2 CFR 200 and FEMA PA procurement policy; document deficiencies and required corrective actions
• Perform or validate insurance reviews, duplication of benefits analysis, and force-account labor/equipment documentation
• Identify compliance risks (ineligible work, insufficient documentation, scope creep, cost reasonableness issues, time-limit concerns) and recommend risk-managed paths to resolution
• Support appeals, first/second appeals packages, and response to FEMA/state inquiries with policy citations and organized exhibits
• Track validation metrics (projects reviewed, findings closed, documentation gaps, closeout readiness) for weekly Project Management reporting
• Contribute to closeout SOP development and consistent application of quality standards across a multi-disaster portfolio
• Coordinate professionally with applicants/subrecipients, TEMA staff, FEMA counterparts, and internal project leadership
• Perform other duties related to the role as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge in categories A, B, and E
• Experience with at least two major Disaster Recovery efforts
• Experience working and supporting in an Emergency Operations Center
• Able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Strong interpersonal and active listening skills
• Strong time management skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Customer service oriented
• The ability to be flexible in a dynamic environment and outstanding written and verbal communication skills

Requirements

• 1–7+ years of FEMA public assistance and grant experience (Junior-level: 1–3 years, Mid-level 3–5 years, Senior-level 5–7 years)
• Demonstrated practical knowledge of categories A, B, and E
• Demonstrated experience in at least 2 major disaster recovery efforts
• Demonstrated experience writing project worksheets (PWs)
• Demonstrated experience using database software to work with project eligibility, scope of work, and estimating costs to repair or replace facility or structure to its pre-disaster design
• Experience working in and supporting an Emergency Operations Center
• Experience with grants portal, EMMIE, or any state specific grants systems
• Strong proficiency in MS Excel
• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Eligibility to work in the United States without employer sponsored visa is required
• Must pass company and any applicable client background check and reference check upon offer of employment

Travel

• Up to 25% travel is expected for this position
• Must be willing to travel and deploy to client sites for extended periods of time

Physical Demands

• Mobility required on-site with clients
• Sitting or standing for hours at a time
• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time if needed
• Ability to manipulate up to 25 lbs. repetitively throughout the day and as needed

Working Environment

• Emergency management personnel may work in an office or home environment or be deployed to the field which may require working outdoors in adverse weather conditions
• Work may be on-site with clients ex: EOC, hospital, debris sites or local government buildings
• All AC Disaster Consulting (ACDC) positions are remote work site positions with the home location agreed upon at time of hire; if the remote work site locations change, ACDC Human Resources must be made aware, and leadership needs to approve any site changes for business registration and payroll tax purposes

Workplace Health & Safety

We are committed to fostering a safe and healthy workplace. Employees are expected to champion a culture of safety by complying with all health and safety policies and procedures, completing required training, identifying and reporting hazards, exercising sound judgment, and taking reasonable care to protect the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues, clients, and the communities we serve.