HJF is seeking a Disaster Exercise Planner

Join the HJF Team!

HJF is seeking a Disaster Exercise Planner to support the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH or “National Center”), a center of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) located in Rockville, MD. HJF provides scientific, technical and programmatic support services to NCDMPH and USUHS.

This role is responsible for providing DoD, federal interagency and civilian tabletop exercise planning, execution, evaluation and oversight. Specific areas include: supporting the NCDMPH Director, project lead/director, program managers, subject matter experts, subawardees, and interagency technical experts; drafting and finalizing exercise evaluation guides, inputting data, drafting technical reports, drafting/reviewing exercise after action reviews.

The project this role will support is one in which the NCDMPH will assist the DoD in conducting a research pilot study to enhance interoperability and medical surge capability and capacity of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). DoD, with support from NCDMPH, in collaboration with the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs (VA), Health and Human Services (HHS), Homeland Security (DHS), and Transportation (DoT) will assess the capacity and deficiencies of the Military Health System (MHS), VA, and civilian health system in receiving and treating a large number of military and civilian casualties with both conventional and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) injuries. The research pilot study will assess strengths and gaps in staffing, specialty training, patient movement tracking and logistics, and surge capacity while growing partnerships and collaboration between agencies and civilian health entities. Improvements made to policies, agreements, and operational capability deficiencies as a result of the research pilot will serve to render the (NDMS) more robustly capable of managing mass casualty scenarios of all types that may occur domestically or overseas.

This two-year research pilot project (and role, with the potential to be extended an additional 3 years) is intended to identify immediate and long-term changes needed to improve our Nation’s regional health care response to CONUS and OCONUS large mass casualty events. The unifying scenario for this research will be a large-scale OCONUS conflict requiring care for thousands of U.S. military casualties.

The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health was established under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD 21) in October 2007 to be “…an academic center of excellence in disaster medicine and public health….” The mission of the National Center is to improve the Nation’s disaster health readiness through education and science. National Center is a unique organization with five Federal agency founding partners: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The National Center’s existence as a Federal organization, but located within an academic institution, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), positions it as a bridge between these spheres. The unique structure and position makes the National Center especially suited to meet its critical readiness mission.

Responsibilities: 

1. Provides guidance, consultation, and facilitation for NCDMPH and project team by planning, developing and executing multi-stakeholder activities in the areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HA/DR), medical operations and/or exercise planning and conduct.
2. Assists the planning and design phases of multi-level, multi-audience tabletop exercises and facilitated discussions by preparing and disseminating products such as exercise plan, controller/evaluator handbook, scenario events list, player briefings, and After Action reports/Corrective Action Plans (AAR/CAP) in DoD or requested format.
3. Develops, coordinates, and assists in the implementation of 6 + facilitated meetings or tabletop exercises over two years locally and other locations domestically. Schedules and coordinates required travel for exercise players as requested.
4. Develops schedules, timelines, monitors budget, and assists in the execution of all levels of exercise administration.
5. May represent NCDMPH at Joint Command and Service military meetings and exercises to provide input on the NCDMPH and project’s role and advisory capacity during disaster response.
6. Monitors progress to meet logistical needs; evaluates plans for feasibility, effectiveness, efficiency and economy; develops alternative methods to achieve goals in a wide variety of work operations.
7. This role will plan the work, develop recommendations and refine methods and techniques to be used. Employee takes action involving the interpretation of considerable data and application of established planning methods, resources, techniques and objectives to a variety of situations.
8. Plans, conducts, and completes assigned projects, to include such activities as development of a project plan and milestones, data collection and organization, interpretation of findings, development of recommendations, and drafting of associated technical reports and presentations.
9. Collaboratively develops a project plan but executes the plan with a high degree of independence.
10. Updates documents and verifies accuracy of information with excellent attention to detail.
11. Supports senior staff in project quality control and trouble shooting.
12. Leads project team meetings and keeps the team on schedule and on task.
13. Communications/Communicates results.
14. Creates PowerPoint briefings and other formats to convey investigation(s) to professional interagency and DoD audiences.
15. Assists in preparation and editing of technical reports and manuscripts for peer reviewed publication.
16. Facilitates information flow between program members, directors, project stakeholders, USU and the Foundation.
17. Coordinates the decision-making process between all program staff.
18. Assists with the monitoring/tracking of exercise budgets.
19. Provides advice on manpower utilization, work flow, and operational procedures to increase efficiency, productivity, and make overall improvements for the project/program.
20. Assists with the preparation and monitoring of contract actions and proposals. Assists with execution, monitoring, documenting and closing out contract actions and proposals.
21. Provides written updates to senior staff.
22. Coordinates and approves the initiation and processing of purchase orders, supply sources, work orders and maintenance and renovation requests.
23. Performs other duties as needed.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Federal and Department of Defense medical and operational planning regulations, methods, and procedures to program, integrate, and execute life cycle management of disaster exercise and tabletop planning.
• Knowledge of pre-hospital and hospital care practices, procedures and techniques for both civilian and military application.
• Experience in management of disaster or humanitarian assistance related to programs and/or civilian disaster and military disaster environment.
• Technical writing skills sufficient to write clear and concise logistical procedures and policies.
• Interpersonal skills to include the ability to work with senior military and government officials.
• Skill and ability to develop and maintain strong personal and professional relationships.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate (verbal and written) effectively in English.
• Ability to work both completely independently and in a team environment.
• Ability to resolve problems independently.
• Ability to exercise sound independent judgment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google platforms.
• Ability to travel both domestically (up to 30%) and function in interagency settings to include civilian hospital environments.
• Knowledge of organizational objectives, the federal budget process, and office automation.
• Ability to coordinate many complex systems and programs at the same time.

Minimum Education:  Bachelor’s degree in specialized field required (including, but not limited to, emergency/disaster management, public health, planning, management, disaster response, medical operations, HA/DR and similar work experience).

Minimum Experience/Training Requirements:  0 to 2 years related experience in health systems or health program experience required. Five years’ experience in exercise planning or five years’ experience in disaster or healthcare management preferred. Experience in health systems, disaster preparedness and management, National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), and direct patient care (EMS, pre-hospital, nursing, etc.). *Strongly preferred experience includes prior active duty military service, including direct experience with DoD exercise planning. *

Work Environment:  Office setting.

Background/Security: Eligibility to obtain a Common Access Card (CAC); eligibility to obtain and hold a Public Trust background.

Employment with HJF is contingent upon successful completion of a background check, which may include, but is not limited to, contacting your professional references, verification of previous employment, addresses, education, and credentials, a criminal background check, drug screening, and a department of motor vehicle (DMV) check.  

HJF is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents, in lieu of stated minimums, require the prior approval of the Chief Human Resources Officer.