Deputy General Counsel - 31001704

Requisition No: 843490 

Agency: Division of Emergency Management

Working Title: Deputy General Counsel - 31001704

 Pay Plan: SMS

Position Number: 31001704 

Salary:  $105,000.00 - $115,776.48 annually 

Posting Closing Date: 12/31/2024 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Deputy General Counsel

Office of General Counsel

State of Florida Division of Emergency Management

This position is located in Tallahassee, FL

The Florida Division of Emergency Management plans for and responds to both natural and man-made disasters. These range from floods and hurricanes to incidents involving hazardous materials or nuclear power. The Division of Emergency Management (FDEM or Division) is the liaison between federal, state, and local agencies. FDEM prepares and implements a statewide Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, routinely conducts extensive exercises to test state and county emergency response capabilities, provides technical assistance to local governments as they prepare emergency plans and procedures, as well as conducts emergency operations trainings for state and local government agencies.

The Division serves as the lead agency for the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), whose primary goal is the coordination of the state’s efforts during disaster response and recovery. This coordination is conducted within the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee. Additionally, the Division manages the State Watch Office; the 24-hours a day operation tasked with providing situational awareness to stakeholders statewide. After a disaster, FDEM conducts damage assessment surveys and advises the Governor of the state of Florida on whether to declare an emergency and seek federal relief funds. It is against this backdrop that FDEM strives to demonstrate its mission of, “Coordinate, collaborate and communicate with our community stakeholders for a resilient Florida” along with our vision of, “Leading the Profession in building prepared and resilient communities”.

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

In support of and at the direction of the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel performs the following duties:

• Provides legal assistance, representation, research for the Division and its staff, including the Executive Director, Deputy Directors, Bureau Chiefs, and other Division managers.

• Provides guidance, counsel, and assistance to external stakeholders, including but not limited to State Emergency Response Commission, Local Emergency Planning Committee, other local and state governmental entities as       well as the public in relation to chapter 252, Florida Statute.

• Represents the Division in judicial and administrative proceedings and appeals.

• Provides legal assistance, coordination, support, and research to the Division as well as the Executive Office of the Governor and other state agencies during emergency operations and activations of the State Emergency Operations Center.

• Reviews and provides legal guidance on Division procurements, grants, subgrants, contractual service agreements, general contracts, and agreements to ensure compliance with procurement and contracting procedures, federal and state statutes, federal and state regulations, rulemaking, and decisions determining the interests of third parties.

• Provides supervision and management of staff within the Office of the General Counsel to include senior attorneys, law clerks, and other staff.

• Guides FDEM staff in the adherence to the Division's Code of Ethics.

• Assists the General Counsel in providing review, investigation, and action related to compliance, non-discrimination, and complaints received regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act, outside/dual employment requests, reports of ethics violations, employee reports of gifts received, and reports of racial, sexual, and disability discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

• Drafts documents related to declared states of emergencies to include Division Emergency Orders, the Governor’s Executive Orders, and requests for disaster declarations under the Stafford Act and presents same to the Executive Office of the Governor for review and approval/execution.

• Serves as the General Counsel for the Division in the absence of the General Counsel, as needed.

• Skilled in the use of personal computers, Microsoft Office products (PowerPoint, Excel, and Word), the Internet and related technologies, and web-based applications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of and/or interest in emergency management.

• Knowledge of public contracting and procurement requirements set forth in chapter 287, F.S., and Rule 60A-1.002, F.A.C.

• Knowledge of the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 120, F.S.

• Knowledge of grant management in compliance with section 215.97, F.S., and section 215.971, F.S.

• Ability to assist in developing clear, high-quality contractual documents and exhibits, including scope of work, deliverables directly related to the scope of work, performance criteria for each deliverable, and financial or other consequences for non-compliance with contractual requirements.

• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques.

• Ability to plan, organize, coordinate, and complete work assignments in a timely manner.

• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

• Ability to develop extensive knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local government entities in response to public emergencies and disasters.

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and/or individually, whether with internal or external stakeholders, on programmatic issues and/or principles.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

• Ability to monitor contractor/recipient/sub-recipient compliance with program requirements through review, analysis, and processing of financial and program deliverables, including expenditure, budgeting, staffing and progress reports, audits, and requests for payment.

• Skilled in reading comprehension, legal analysis, writing and research, and oral and written communication.

Minimum Qualifications:

• An attorney in good standing with the Florida Bar.

• At least three years of legal experience in the practice of law.

Special Notes:

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

The Division of Emergency Management is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. The Division appreciates the service and sacrifices made by veterans and their family members. Further, FDEM recognizes the immeasurable value veterans bring to the workplace and is committed to increasing the number of veterans that serve in its workforce.

The Division of Emergency Management is committed to increasing recruitment and hiring of individuals with disabilities and improving employment outcomes. An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job-related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the FDEM Human Resources Office at (850) 815-4177. FDEM requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

Successful completion of background screening will be required for this position.

The State of Florida and the Division of Emergency Management participate in E-Verify. This federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

In response to emergency events, Division of Emergency Management employees may be required to work irregular hours, to work more than 8 hours per day, to work extended periods (including weekends and holidays), to work at locations other than their official headquarters, and to perform duties in addition to those outlined in the employee’s position description. Employees must be able to deploy to emergency sites with limited advance notice.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.