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ublic Assistance (PA) Program Specialist

Date Posted: Jan 16, 2026

Requisition ID: 471127

Location:

Indianapolis, IN, US, 46204

Work for Indiana

Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.

About the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) :

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) leads Indiana's emergency planning and operations, first responder training, and fire and building safety. The Indiana State Fire Marshal leads the Division of Fire and Building Safety (within IDHS), which oversees the enforcement of building codes and includes a fire investigations unit. The agency certifies and trains thousands of first responders and also hosts state-level exercises each year. IDHS also supports the state Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which leads response and coordination efforts for large-magnitude incidents.

Role Overview:

The mission of Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program is to provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments, and private non-profit organizations so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from man-made or natural disasters or emergencies declared by the President of the United States. Through the PA Program, FEMA provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance to account for various disaster recovery activities including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned/eligible private non-profit facilities.

The PA Program also encourages the protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process. Reimbursements through the PA Program are subject to a cost share; 75 percent of eligible costs are reimbursed, and the remaining 25 percent is to be covered by the applicant, though FEMA may choose to issue 100% funding to applicants for eligible costs during specific disaster events.

After a Presidential Disaster is declared, the program specialist will spend a considerable amount of time working in the FEMA Grants Portal system, which is a website where all PA grants are tracked and administered. This is a system that is used by the state, FEMA, and local applicants alike. Below is a list of common tasks associated with this system:

FEMA Grants Portal Tasks

+ Register new applicant organizations in the Grants Portal system - Entails the creation of a new organizational profile and/or submitting a request for public assistance (RPA) on their behalf.

+ Review and approve/deny RPA submissions to make sure the registering organization is eligible under PA program guidelines - Entails reviewing any uploaded organizational documents such as bylaws/charters. It also entails researching the organization online for organization legitimacy, and oftentimes reaching out directly to their point-of-contact to verify other organizational details.

+ Review and approve/deny project applications associated with a disaster event – This entails reviewing the specific expenses that applicants submit for possible reimbursement. A single project review takes anywhere from 10 minutes to multiple days at a time, depending on the size of the project and the amount of documentation that is submitted for review. The State of Indiana will typically see several hundreds of project application submissions associated with a single disaster event, all of which must be reviewed and approved/denied by PA program staff. Each project application also needs to account for every single expense that is listed, down to the penny. If something is not accounted for, we then have to work with the applicant and with FEMA to address the issue.

+ Update contact information listed in the Grants Portal – It is the responsibility of the program specialist to help make sure that contact information listed in the system is kept up to date. Not just for our own staff on the program side, but for our applicants. This often means keeping in regular contact with applicant points-of-contact to make sure the most up-to-date information is listed on each individual profile.

+ Assist applicants in the upload of disaster-related documentation – In instances where an applicant cannot upload organizational or project documentation themselves, it is left to our staff to upload it for them. This may come up if the applicant is having technical issues.

+ Assist with system access issues – In the event an applicant or colleague loses their access to the system or gets locked out, it falls to the program specialist to help unlock their accounts or request password resets. This may entail working with the Grants Portal helpline staff in order to fully address these issues.

+ Pull disaster data from Portal to build reports for agency leadership – The Program Specialist may be asked to retrieve data specific to a disaster event to provide status updates for agency leadership; sometimes this data may be specific to a certain county, sometimes specific to certain applicants. The person pulling this data will need to know how to effectively navigate the system and know how to pull certain types of data.

In addition to the items listed above, the program specialist also has to remain available for questions that come from applicants. PA staff will regularly receive phone calls and emails from applicants who have questions ranging from profile creation issues all the way down to the steps needed to update a contact phone number in the Portal. Most often, we receive questions about the status of a submitted project applications and their ongoing reviews. This task is multiplied by the number of applicants and the number of projects each applicant has. In a “normal” disaster declaration, IN/FEMA Public Assistance Program can have up to 600 applicants and each applicant have up to 10 or more projects.

Working with FEMA

PA Program Specialists must work with FEMA to accomplish a variety of tasks associated with the PA program. Below is a breakdown of the regular tasks the position will be involved in:

+ Participate in a weekly call with FEMA staff related to an open disaster event – There are weekly conference calls conducted between our state program staff and FEMA’s team of Program Delivery Managers (PDMGs). FEMA provides updates to disaster numbers (number of total applicants, number of submitted projects, etc.) and the state staff is given an opportunity to ask questions, either that we have ourselves, or on behalf of applicants. FEMA provides state staff with any relevant programmatic updates, such as the implementation of a new policy from FEMA headquarters.

+ Participate in a monthly call with FEMAs closeout team related to past disasters – There is a monthly call that state PA staff must participate in with FEMA’s closeout team to address open projects from past disaster events. FEMA helps establish what open projects are a priority or overdue for closure. We discuss any outstanding documentation needs associated with these projects. We, the state, must return to the applicant and find the missing documents to ensure the applicant receives requested reimbursement for their accrued expenditures. The back and forth between FEMA and Applicant can become very in-depth and a lot of time and work is spent on just one applicant on one of their projects. As stated above, this task multiplies based on how many applicants are involved in a given disaster event; the more applicants are involved, the more projects there will be to review.

+ Update/submit quarterly report documentation to FEMA staff – for every disaster declaration the state must continuously update quarterly report documentation that tracks the progress of all open projects from all open disaster events. The program specialist must track large projects ($1M and greater) and small projects ($3,800 and up to $1M) separately. In order to build/update these two documents, we have to collect individual reports from all applicants responsible for these open projects (more can be found on this process down below in the General Programmatic section), and from our fiscal department, then use their data to build our reports. This process often takes weeks at a time and takes a great deal of foresight. This is vitally important to our program, as a failure to report this information could mean the state falling out of compliance with FEMA, which could lead to a loss of programmatic funding, both for our applicants and for our agency.

+ Discuss any significant applicant project issues with appropriate FEMA staff – in the event an applicant’s project sees significant changes, such as a possible diversion to the agreed-upon scope of work, it is the responsibility of our PA staff to communicate this with FEMA, and to make sure that any future work on the project is approved ahead of time. This means not only keeping in regular contact with FEMA, but also with the applicant to make sure nothing is being overlooked.

+ Communicate all relevant policy/programmatic updates with relevant stakeholders – in the event FEMA implements a new policy that affects the PA program, we have to make sure we review information from FEMA specific to these changes, and make sure they’re passed along to stakeholders across the state. This may entail working with our agency’s Public Information Office (PIO) to help send it to as many state contacts as possible and making sure all relevant programmatic information is shared on our agency’s PA webpage. PA staff members also need to make sure they’re informed on the basics related to these changes, as applicants will likely reach out to us with questions.

In addition to the items listed above, the program specialist also has to be available to answer any questions that may come from our FEMA contacts, as we often see issues come up with project applications or RPA submissions from applicants. It is the specialist’s responsibility to address these issues on behalf of the state. Not doing so could mean an applicant missing out on possible funding.

Disaster project closeout

In addition to the work done with disaster projects in the Grants Portal, there are several tasks that program specialists are responsible for outside of that system, which usually come up when a project is ready to be closed out. Below are some of the major tasks that have to be addressed away from the Grants Portal:

+ Closeout document review - When working to close out a project, it is the responsibility of the program specialist to review all relevant project documentation (purchase invoices, labor records, materials/inventory records, etc.) associated with costs claimed in the project. While much of this information may have been uploaded into the Grants Portal, some of the work may have not been completed when the project was first submitted in the Portal, meaning that we have to establish contact with the applicant and review any new documentation related to the extra work that was needed to complete the project. This can be a very lengthy process, as there may have been necessary changes in the applicant’s project worksheet’s scope-of-work.

+ In-person project site visits - Specialists also have to help conduct in-person reviews of all large projects and some small projects to ensure work was done, and that work was consistent with the established scope-of-work. While on site, specialists will take photos of the work that was done, and sometimes visit with the applicant point-of-contact to collect any additional documents that may not have been previously provided. Conducting these visits will mean traveling, occasionally with an overnight stay that will need to be booked in advance. PA staff will then take this information and add it into a project closeout packet, which is then sent to FEMA for their review.

+ Assembling/sending the closeout packet – When all relevant documentation has been reviewed and approved by state staff, specialists then assist in the final project closeout process by sending a packet of this information to FEMA, most often by uploading these items into FEMA’s EMMIE system, a website that’s used by FEMA and the states to administer various PA responsibilities regarding closeout. Among the items in this packet is a project completion certification document, also referred to as a P4 form, which is signed by both the applicant and the designated Governor’s Authorized Representative (GAR) or Deputy GAR, most often the IDHS recovery director. The amount of documentation that will be included in these closeout packets will vary considerably from project to project.

+ Work with fiscal to make sure the applicant is reimbursed – While the program director most often coordinates with our program accountant and fiscal to reimburse applicants for projects, specialists are often asked to review final invoices and make sure nothing has been overlooked. In addition, specialists also need to make sure that all relevant state vendor data is on file for the applicant being reimbursed, otherwise they would never receive their funding. This may mean working with fiscal or the State Auditor’s Office to make sure all proper vendor ID paperwork has been completed for the applicant in question.

The added challenge is that many projects take months, if not years, to complete given the complex nature of the work that is required. In that time, staff turnover on all sides (applicant, state, and FEMA) may delay some of this work being completed.

General Programmatic Responsibilities

Away from the work in the Grants Portal, regular correspondence with FEMA, and the work associated with project closeouts, there are other general programmatic tasks that have to be addressed. Below is a breakdown of the more common items that have to be considered:

+ Keeping the PA webpage up to date – This may entail the addition/removal of various programmatic documents to our webpage beyond the FEMA items referenced above. PA staff has to be mindful of any state-specific policies that are enacted, as well as any PA-specific training material that may be necessary for future program applicants. Time permitting, we conduct a review of our webpage content on a weekly basis to make sure that nothing out-of-date remains on the site. We stay in communication with our agency’s website manager to make sure all necessary changes are made.

+ Collect applicant quarterly report data – When building the quarterly report documents for FEMA that were referenced above, we first have to collect the specific data that we report from the applicants themselves. In advance of each quarter’s end, specialists have to send out reminder messages to all applicants who have open projects, prompting them to send us their project data. Specifically, we need the completion percentage, dollar amount spent to-date, estimated date of completion, and project numbers for each open project. In the reminder message we send, we include a template form for them to complete that includes completion instructions for those who have never filled out the form previously. Once we receive the forms, we save them in specific locations in the R-drive. When reviewing documents, we also have to identify applicants who did not send a form and contact them again. An applicant not reporting their data may mean them falling out of compliance with FEMA, and potentially losing funding.

+ Contributing to/participating in recovery training sessions – throughout the year, recovery staff sets time aside to either participate in training sessions as students or conduct program-specific training courses as instructors. When planning and preparing these courses, PA staff tries to work with county EMA personnel in the areas in which classes are being conducted. Program specialists work to make sure all class materials (the presentation itself, programmatic pamphlets, tests, FEMA handouts, etc.) are all ready and available for students in attendance. Much of this work involves travel away from the government center, sometimes overnight stays that have to be booked in advance. PA staff may also need to coordinate all of this with other sections of the agency, namely our Training staff and our PIO, in addition to other organizations outside of IDHS that may have a role in the course being taught.

+ Assisting in response activities – When a disaster event occurs, recovery staff are often requested to assist in various response efforts. This may entail staffing a variety of positions in the State EOC, though this is most often done in the planning or logistics sections. PA staff may also be asked to assist in other logistics activities, such as the distribution of emergency supplies. This is often done at a location away from the government center, meaning that some travel may be necessary.

+ Contributing to/participating in external conferences/conventions – As a way to connect with the public and share more information about our program, specialists are often tasked with contributing to conferences that are specific to our program’s stakeholders. In the past, we have presented or had a convention table at conventions for Indiana schoolteachers, Indiana school principals and superintendents, as well as county emergency managers. When preparing for these events, it is up to the specialist to prepare any relevant deliverable materials to either be passed out to attendees or made available for the conference table hosted by PA/recovery staff. This includes programmatic pamphlets, fact sheets, and other items commonly provided at these events. We also have to work with conference/convention staff to make sure we have a table reserved, and that all appropriate dues are paid, if applicable.

+ Assist with state-level exercises – Occasionally recovery staff, most often program specialists, will be asked to take part in the state level exercise that the exercise section of our agency is planning. This is most often the case when the exercise is recovery oriented. The specific role that the program specialist will fill varies with each exercise. Accomplishing this task will likely mean traveling, usually with overnight stays for two or three nights, often at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in southern Indiana. If the exercise is a tabletop, it may be conducted in the government center, removing any need for overnight travel.

+ Assist in the revision/maintenance of the State PA Administrative Plan and Task Book – The program specialist will often be asked to make sure that our State Admin Plan is up-to-date and follows FEMAs regulations. This document is updated annually and helps to govern the PA program at the state level. Additionally, the State PA Task Book must also be kept up to date. The maintenance of these documents requires review of their contents and making sure that all necessary changes have been accounted for. The review and revision process can be lengthy, especially if significant changes have been made to FEMAs programmatic guidelines.

+ Assists in the collection of data to be included in FFATA reporting – The program specialist is expected to assist recovery staff in their efforts to fulfill reporting requirements associated with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA). All obligated grants above $30,000 must be federally reported; while other staff in recovery will be submitting the reports, the program specialist will be asked to collect data associated with new obligations, which will then be shared with the staff responsible for the reports.

In addition to having a background in emergency management, it is recommended that a candidate for PA program specialist have some background in financial bookkeeping, as this experience may prove to be useful during the closeout of a project. The candidate will also need to have or develop an understanding of the various legal codes/statutes/guidance that serves as the framework of the PA program, which includes but is not limited to the following:

+ The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act)

+ The current and disaster-specific versions of the Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG)

+ Code of Federal Regulations, Stafford Act Title 44, Chapter 1, Part 201 (44 CFR Part 201)

Other state and federal policies may be implemented as time passes, and the program specialist will be expected to keep up to date on all relevant changes. The PA program specialist may also be asked to address other IDHS response and recovery tasks as assigned.

Salary Statement:

The salary for this position traditionally starts at $47,320.00, but may be commensurate with education or work experience.

A Day in the Life:

The essential functions of this role are as follows:

+ Develop comprehensive emergency tactical and operational plans, statewide analyses, and evaluations.

+ Coordinate with local, state, and federal partners to ensure consistency, feasibility, flexibility and interoperability of all operational or tactical plans.

+ Coordinate with the timetable and execution of tabletop, functional and full-scale exercises for the emergency plans.

+ Provide guidance to political sub-divisions of the state to enable each jurisdiction to develop area plans.

+ Head planning teams to meet the requirements.

+ Coordinate, promote and manage district level training and exercise training programs.

+ Assist local, state, and federal partners in developing and conducting training exercises at the state and regional level.

+ Prepare short and long-range training plans for state and local responders.

+ Act as an exercise facilitator, controller, or evaluator during scheduled exercises.

The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

This position is exempt from overtime compensation for additional work hours which may be required to complete essential functions or other assigned work. Exempt employees may work more than 75 hours in a pay period without additional compensation and must report a minimum of 75 hours per pay period of work hours and/or paid leave taken to receive their base biweekly salary.

What You'll Need for Success:

You must meet the following requirement to be considered for employment:

+ Specialized knowledge of planning techniques and procedures.

+ Specialized knowledge of urban planning, transportation planning and state and local economic and industrial development.

+ Working knowledge of emergency disaster, emergency cause and effect and procedures and methodology to minimize adverse effects.

+ Ability to use the techniques of fact-finding and analysis to interpret statistical information and trends concerning the physical, social, and economic aspects of population centers.

+ Ability to explain the programs and secure cooperation between local, state, and federal government and private executives.

+ Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing and through structured media.

+ Ability to develop plans and feasible techniques and methods to achieve plan solutions.

+ Ability to comprehend and interpret federal and state laws, guidelines, and regulations relative to disaster planning and operations.

+ Position requires travel to scheduled exercise sites to act as facilitator, controller, or evaluator.

+ Able to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:

This role may be utilized in a supervisory capacity based on agency needs.

Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:

The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:

+ Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans

+ Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards

+ Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution

+ Deferred compensation 457(b) account (similar to 401(k) plan) with employer match

+ Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options

+ A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:

+ 150 hours of paid New Parent Leave and up to eight weeks of paid Childbirth Recovery Leave for eligible mothers

+ Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave

+ Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off

+ 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years

+ Education Reimbursement Program

+ Group life insurance

+ Referral Bonus program

+ Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits

+ Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

+ Free Parking for most positions

+ Free LinkedIn Learning access

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role. If you require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at [email protected].

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