Disaster Response Team Lead

Job Summary: 

The Disaster Response Team Lead will lead and oversee all aspects of CORE's disaster response efforts, ensuring effective and timely support for communities impacted by wildfires and other disasters. This position requires a strong leader with a comprehensive understanding of community mobilization, relief coordination (Relief Compass), disaster case management (DCMP), benefits navigation, and capacity building for partner organizations. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in disaster response, a collaborative ethos, and a commitment to long-term recovery, particularly in post-fire response, remediation, and rebuilding efforts. The Team Lead will prioritize humility, transparency, and strong relationships with external stakeholders, including government agencies and partner organizations, to coordinate and implement a holistic recovery strategy. 

This position is a full-time ongoing contract.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all disaster response activities, ensuring effective integration across cash assistance, debris management, community mobilization, benefits navigation, DCMP, and support for partner organizations. 
• Supervise and guide the response team, ensuring that each program component is functioning smoothly and in alignment with the organization’s mission and response objectives. 
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as partner organizations, to ensure a unified and coordinated response. 
• Liaise effectively with government agencies to navigate post-fire regulations, compliance, and rebuilding processes, ensuring all recovery efforts are aligned with local, state, and federal guidelines. 
• Oversee the cash associate to design and implementation of cash assistance programs tailored to the needs of affected communities. 
• Lead the needs assessment process to identify vulnerable populations, and ensure appropriate distribution of cash and in-kind resources. 
• Establish and manage transparent and efficient cash distribution systems, both digital and in-person, ensuring accountability and preventing fraud. 
• Oversee and manage the debris manager to coordinate home cleaning from ash and smoke, allowing families to move back, as well as removal efforts, ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance with environmental regulations. 
• Collaborate with contractors, local authorities, and environmental agencies to expedite debris clearance and ensure safe repopulation processes for affected communities. 
• Develop timelines and criteria for repopulation, ensuring the provision of essential services such as water, sanitation, and power
• Lead community mobilization efforts to raise awareness of available services and engage local residents in the recovery process. 
• Organize and facilitate community meetings and engagement activities to ensure that recovery efforts reflect local priorities and needs. 
• Establish regular channels for community feedback, ensuring transparency and responsiveness to community concerns. 
• Oversee the integration and implementation of the Relief Compass program to help affected populations access critical services, including healthcare, housing, and financial support. 
• Develop and manage a benefits navigation system to assist individuals and families in navigating the complex landscape of disaster assistance programs. 
• Provide direct support and guidance to individuals in accessing long-term benefits and services for recovery. 
• Supervise the team lead in charge of the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP), coordinating support for individuals and families in crisis. 
• Ensure that case managers are effectively tracking and addressing the needs of disaster-impacted families, including housing, mental health, and other recovery services. 
• Provide guidance and support for individuals navigating complex recovery systems and coordinate with other agencies for comprehensive case management. 
• Lead efforts to build the capacity of partner organizations by providing training, resources, and technical assistance to strengthen their disaster response capabilities. 
• Collaborate with partners to improve coordination, enhance response effectiveness, and develop best practices for sustainable recovery. 
• Foster relationships with local, regional, and national partners to ensure long-term collaboration and capacity-building opportunities. 
• Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation tools to assess the impact of response programs. 
• Regularly collect and analyse data on the effectiveness of cash assistance, debris management, community mobilization, and other program components. 
• Prepare detailed reports for stakeholders, donors, and leadership on progress, challenges, and successes. 
• Supervise, mentor, and train staff across all areas of disaster response, ensuring that they are equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to perform effectively. 
• Foster a collaborative work environment and promote teamwork across departments and with external partners. 
• Represent CORE in coordination meetings, local government discussions, and broader recovery strategy forums, ensuring that the organization’s efforts align with the overall recovery framework. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, disaster management, public administration, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred. 
• At least 5 years of experience in disaster response, community-based recovery, or humanitarian assistance, with at least 2 years in a leadership or management capacity. 
• Strong knowledge of post-fire response, remediation, and rebuilding strategies. 
• Proven experience liaising with government agencies, local authorities, and other stakeholders in disaster recovery efforts. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-faceted programs, with experience in cash programming, debris management, community mobilization, and recovery operations. 
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and project management skills, with the ability to work under pressure in a dynamic environment. 
• A deep commitment to humility and collaboration, with an ability to work effectively with diverse organizations and communities. 
• Experience working in disaster-affected communities, with a focus on vulnerable populations and ensuring equity in recovery processes. 
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal disaster assistance programs and policies. 

CORE Values

• Commitment to humanitarian principles and CORE’s mission. 
• Dedication to promoting equity and serving the most vulnerable populations. 
• Humility, collaboration, and transparency in all external relationships. 
• A commitment to sustainable recovery through collaboration with other organizations and government agencies. 

Working Conditions

• Ability to work in both field and office environments, with occasional evening or weekend hours depending on the needs of the disaster response. 
• Flexibility and willingness to travel to affected areas, including remote or high-risk locations. 
• Ability to work in challenging conditions, including disaster-affected environments with fluctuating infrastructure and resources. 

Clear pre-employment background check requirements, including local, state, and national criminal records checks, sex offender registries, employment, education verifications and child abuse registry check (if required by state regulations) are required post job offer and prior to employment.

Safeguarding

CORE is committed to keeping children and vulnerable individuals safe and has a Zero Tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse. Every CORE employee, consultant and volunteer is bound by CORE’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Policy. By applying for this position, an applicant confirms that they have not previously violated an employer’s safeguarding, sexual misconduct, (child) sexual exploitation and abuse, or human trafficking policy.