STATE OF LOUISIANA DOTD PROGRAM SPECIALIST 4 Salary in the United States

79/DPS4/39731/3.6.24-MV
Section 79 – Floodplain Management

 
About this position:
This position provide son-site technical assistance to Louisiana communities that already participate, and that wish to participate in the NFIP’s Community Rating System (CRS).  This involves assessing effectiveness of existing floodplain management programs, assisting community officials in designing advanced floodplain management programs that will exceed NFIP standards; while also addressing site-specific flood hazards, which will result in reducing insurance premiums (5% - 45%) for its residents.  Please see the Examples of Work below for the complete position description. 
  
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
 
To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process.
 
Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.
 
*Resumes WILL NOT be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.*
 
If using education from a foreign university to qualify for this position, applicants must attach a statement of educational equivalency from one of the evaluation services accepted by the Department of Civil Service. A list of the accepted evaluation services can be found on the NACES website.
 
For further information about this vacancy contact:
Susan Veillon, Statewide Program Manager
1201 Capitol Access Rd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 379-3017
 
"The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is an equal employment opportunity employer and serves as a model employer for individuals with disabilities.  DOTD does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, disability, age, or pregnancy, and prohibits harassment of any type."    

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

A baccalaureate degree plus two years of professional level experience in accounting; administrative services; architecture; budgeting; economics; engineering; geography; human resources; information technology; landscape architecture; loss prevention; management analysis; policy planning; purchasing; risk analysis; project management for transportation/public works structures; in the development and implementation of a safety program to include safety education, teaching, training, facility inspection and/or accident investigation; or in the development, implementation, administration of a transportation program such as: urban/regional planning, compliance, program management or facility management in one of the following types of programs or systems: aviation, rail, marine or public transportation.

 

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Six years of full-time work experience in any field may be substituted for the required baccalaureate degree.

 

Candidates without a baccalaureate degree may combine work experience and college credit to substitute for the baccalaureate degree as follows:

 

A maximum of 120 semester hours may be combined with experience to substitute for the baccalaureate degree.

 

30 to 59 semester hours credit will substitute for one year of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

60 to 89 semester hours credit will substitute for two years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

90 to 119 semester hours credit will substitute for three years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

120 or more semester hours credit will substitute for four years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

 

College credit earned without obtaining a baccalaureate degree may be substituted for a maximum of four years full-time work experience towards the baccalaureate degree. Candidates with 120 or more semester hours of credit, but without a degree, must also have at least two years of full-time work experience to substitute for the baccalaureate degree.

Paraprofessional experience in technical areas at a governmental highway/transportation agency will substitute for the professional level experience in the development, implementation, administration of a transportation program, on the basis of one year of paraprofessional level experience will substitute for six months of the professional level experience, for a maximum of three years.

NOTE:

Paraprofessional experience in technical areas at a governmental highway/transportation agency is defined as substantial duties performed at a public (State/Federal) transportation organization in practical or mechanical training in a highly technical engineering specialty; complex interpretation, selection, adaption and application of engineering guidelines/principles; and/or technical consultation in a highly technical engineering specialty or program function, at a pay level equivalent to or higher than the state classified TS 311.

NOTE:

Any college hours or degree must be from an accredited college or university.

FUNCTION OF WORK:
To perform specialized duties and/or serve as a technical specialist for a program specific to DOTD.

LEVEL OF WORK:
Advanced.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Broad from higher-level personnel.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
May provide functional supervision over one or multiple DOTD Program Specialists.

LOCATION OF WORK:
Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD); may be used statewide as deemed appropriate by the Department of Civil Service.

JOB DISTINCTIONS:
Differs from DOTD Program Specialist 3 by performing specialized duties or serving as a technical specialist over an assigned program.

Differs from DOTD Program Specialist 5 by the lack of program management responsibility for a specific DOTD program.

Differs from DOTD Program Supervisor by the absence of supervisory responsibilities.

35%        Travels statewide in order to provide on-site technical assistance to Louisiana communities that already participate, and that wish to participate in the NFIP’s Community Rating System (CRS).  This involves assessing effectiveness of existing floodplain management programs, assisting community officials in designing advanced floodplain management programs that will exceed NFIP standards; while also addressing site-specific flood hazards, which will result in reducing insurance premiums (5% - 45%) for its residents.  Requires knowledge of FEMA requirements for mapping techniques, watershed planning, code enforcement, drafting of regulatory standards, retrofitting or relocation of flood-prone structures, land use planning, drainage system maintenance, flood warning systems, and levee safety requirements. This position will use the State CRS Strategy Plan, which is an Appendix of the State Hazard Mitigation Plan to guide efforts in finding possible credits for CRS communities. One class, or a 5% difference in classification, can mean significant loss or gain to local economies.   Currently participation in the CRS saves Louisiana citizens over $38 million in flood Insurance premiums annually.
 
                Participate and contribute to the four regional CRS Users’ Groups in Louisiana.
                Participate and contribute to community CRS Verification Visits with FEMA.
 
30%        Travels statewide in order to perform Community Assessment Visits.  Performs field inspections of Special Flood Hazard Areas statewide.  Reads and interprets Flood Insurance Studies and Profiles in order to meet with and advise Mayors, Councilmen, Police Jury Presidents, engineers, consultants, building inspectors, city planners and emergency managers on matters pertaining to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  Also reviews ordinances, permits and certifications procedures, notes deficiencies and makes recommendations for improvement.  Acts as liaison between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and 318 communities in Louisiana.  Advises local government officials on designing, coordinating an implementing a comprehensive Floodplain Management Program and building permit process.  To accomplish this objective, it requires an in depth knowledge and interpretation of the NFIP which consists of Federal Code of Regulations, Title 44, Emergency Management and Assistance, Parts 59-79, specifically Part 59, General Provisions; Part 60, Criteria for Land Management and Use; Part 65, Identification and Mapping Special Hazard Areas; Part 70, Procedures for Map Corrections; Part 72, Procedure and Fees for Obtaining Conditional Approval of Map Changes; and Part 77, Acquisition of Flood Damaged Structures including Presidential Executive Order 11988 and pertinent regulations in the Louisiana Revised Statutes.  Independently prepares and edits reports to forward to FEMA regarding community compliance.   Provides technical assistance to bring deficient programs up to the minimum standards of the NFIP.   Non-compliant programs may result in the loss of flood insurance and federal funds availability, such as VA, FHA& SBA loans, Community Development Grant (CDBG) funds and federal disaster assistance.  Performance of this task often requires considerable tact, diplomacy, persuasiveness and negotiating ability, as well as map interpretation and map reading skills.
 
5%          Respond to inquiries from Federal, State and local agencies, engineers, surveyors, realtors, lending institutions, insurance agents and the general public in relation to general information on the NFIP and Louisiana Floodplain Management Program.  
 
5%          Plans, prepares, analyzes and delivers information to be used in presentations, handbooks, workshops, status reports, annual reports, newsletters, and conferences, statewide.  Compose, edit and generate the quarterly newsletter (600 recipients, which includes community officials, real estate agents, insurance agents, lenders, engineers, surveyors, consultants and the legislature).  Requires knowledge of research materials, data sources and research techniques, and ability to compiles and synthesize information in readily comprehensible form. This includes making oral presentations at seminars and conferences, before various audiences, including scientists, public officials (federal, state and local), engineers, members of the press and the general public.  Also includes participating in organizing conferences, planning agendas and assisting in general organizational and logistical activities.
5%          Maintains technical assistance resource library.  Organizes, complies and reproduces bound copies of manuals and distributes same statewide.  Assists department personnel and the public to research original, revised and current Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) and Flood Insurance Studies (FIS).   Participates in FEMA public outreach programs, which create public awareness for the new FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMS).  This involves assisting the communities with the implementation and educating the public about the NFIP regulations that mitigate the effects of flooding on new and substantially damaged/improved structures.  
 
5%          Designs and maintains database system for collecting, storing, editing and retrieving data for the statewide NFIP.  Coordinates with the Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) concerning updating and retrieving floodplain management data.  Maintains security clearance from FEMA’s Information Technology Directorate to enter FEMA’s nationwide WEB-CIS database in order to analyze, edit and update detailed community data. Develops and maintains statewide databases to analyze NFIP progress and status.
 
5%          Reviews and analyzes projects, proposals and technical reports submitted by engineering firms for local, state, and Federal agencies for consistency with NFIP guidelines.  
 
5%          Trains lower-level Flood Insurance Program Coordinators and fulfills the Flood Insurance Program Manager’s requirements in their absence.
 
5%          Respond to Presidentially declared disaster in coordination with other State and Federal agencies.  Participates in analysis of disasters and preparation of relevant reports as follow-up, along with providing technical assistance pertaining to, but no limited to, substantial damage, repetitive loss, mitigation, etc.  Maybe required to perform other duties as necessary including but not limited to emergency disaster support activities. ***