Description
DIRECTOR OF DISASTER OPERATIONS
NECHAMA – Jewish Response to Disaster is the only national Jewish organization providing sustained direct response and recovery services to U.S. communities affected by natural disasters. Founded in 1993 and rooted in Jewish values, including tikkun olam (repair of the world), NECHAMA helps communities recover from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and other disasters through hands-on service, volunteer engagement, and long-term recovery support.
NECHAMA's work advances three core priorities:
Providing comfort, hope, and practical assistance to individuals and communities affected by disaster.
Demonstrating Jewish values through meaningful service to communities of all backgrounds.
Creating opportunities for volunteers of all faiths to engage in service, build relationships, and explore purpose through disaster response and recovery work.
For more information, visit www.nechama.org.
Job Parameters: This is a full-time remote position that may be performed anywhere in the United States with convenient access to a major airport. Significant travel, including extended deployments to disaster-affected communities, is required.
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Supervises: Manager for Disaster Operations, Senior Team Leader, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, and temporary program staff hired during major deployments.
POSITION SUMMARY
NECHAMA seeks an experienced and mission-driven Director of Disaster Operations to provide leadership for the organization's disaster preparedness, assessment, response, recovery, preparation and mitigation activities nationwide.
The Director of Disaster Operations is responsible for assessing disaster impacts, leading deployment planning and implementation, supervising operational staff, managing field operations, maintaining key disaster response partnerships, and ensuring organizational readiness for future disasters. The Director serves as a key member of NECHAMA's leadership team and works closely with the CEO to shape operational strategy, deployment decisions, staffing plans, and organizational growth.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Disaster Assessment & Response
- Coordinate with the CEO to evaluate potential disaster responses and determine deployment recommendations.
- Travel to disaster-affected communities to conduct on-the-ground assessments of damage, community needs, and operational feasibility.
- Determine potential worksites, volunteer opportunities, lodging options, and deployment logistics.
- Engage in immediate response activities as appropriate.
- Build relationships with local officials, community organizations, faith-based partners, and disaster response stakeholders.
- Assess both immediate and long-term needs of local Jewish communities affected by disasters.
Deployment Leadership & Program Management
- Lead planning and implementation of disaster response and recovery deployments.
- Develop deployment budgets and operational plans.
- Identify, establish, and manage worksites and recovery projects.
- Determine equipment, supply, and staffing needs for deployments.
- Recruit, hire, supervise, and evaluate temporary deployment staff.
- Develop and oversee volunteer training and deployment systems.
- Coordinate with the Communications Director to identify stories, photos, videos, and media opportunities that highlight NECHAMA's impact.
- Work with Development staff to support fundraising efforts connected to disaster response and recovery activities.
- Prepare deployment summaries, evaluations, and after-action reports.
- Operations Leadership & Organizational Readiness
- Provide strategic and operational guidance to the CEO regarding deployment readiness, disaster response strategy, staffing, operational capacity, and organizational growth.
- Supervise, mentor, train, and support members of the Operations Team.
- Develop and oversee field operations budgets.
- Establish systems, protocols, and best practices for disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
- Create procedures for managing multiple simultaneous assessments and deployments.
- Monitor disaster activity nationwide and maintain situational awareness through weather, emergency management, and industry information sources.
- Develop and share organizational best practices and operational resources.
- Track operational metrics and program outcomes for reporting and evaluation purposes.
- Conduct annual reviews of operational effectiveness and recommend improvements.
- Partnerships & External Relations
- Maintain strong relationships with NECHAMA partners, including NVOAD, state and local VOADs, emergency management agencies, and community organizations.
- Serve as a liaison with FEMA and relevant state and local emergency management agencies.
- Represent NECHAMA at conferences, meetings, community events, fundraisers, and speaking engagements.
- Support recruitment and engagement of volunteer groups interested in serving with NECHAMA.
- Explore and develop opportunities for engaging skilled volunteers in rebuilding and recovery projects.
- Collaborate with Development and Communications staff to share information regarding significant domestic and international disasters.
- Provide operational input on relevant grant applications and funding opportunities.
- Fleet, Equipment & Resource Management
- In partnership with the Manager for Disaster Operations, oversee NECHAMA's fleet, equipment, tools, supplies, and warehouse resources.
- Develop replacement schedules and long-term capital planning recommendations.
- Ensure operational assets remain deployment-ready and compliant with applicable safety standards.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Salary Range: $90,000-$110,000 annually, depending on experience.
Benefits include:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Workers' compensation coverage
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Fifteen (15) vacation days annually
- Ten (10) sick days annually
- Most federal and Jewish holidays
ELIGIBILITY
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and must not now or in the future require sponsorship for employment authorization.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
NECHAMA is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, sex, age, gender identity or expression, or any other status protected by applicable law.
HOW TO APPLY
Please email the following to jobs@nechama.org:
- Cover letter addressing your interest and qualifications
- Resume
- Three professional references
- Salary expectations
- Where you saw this position posted
- Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
While no candidate will possess every qualification listed below, strong candidates will demonstrate many of the following:
Required Qualifications
- Commitment to NECHAMA's mission and values.
- Bachelor's degree required; relevant advanced degree preferred.
- Minimum nine years of experience in nonprofit, disaster response, emergency management, recovery, construction, humanitarian assistance, or related fields.
- Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience leading disaster response, recovery, or emergency management programs.
- Experience supervising and developing high-performing teams.
- Knowledge of disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation practices.
- Experience using hand and power tools and knowledge of appropriate safety procedures.
- Excellent interpersonal, leadership, organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
- Strong project management and problem-solving abilities.
- Comfort working in a remote environment and managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Proficiency with Google Workspace and common cloud-based technologies.
- Ability to travel extensively and deploy for multiple weeks at a time as operational needs require.
- Valid U.S. driver's license and ability to pass a motor vehicle records review consistent with organizational insurance requirements.
- Ability to drive vans, pickup trucks, trailers, and larger vehicles over long distances.
Preferred Qualifications
- Formal education or certifications in disaster preparedness, emergency management, recovery, logistics, or related disciplines.
- Knowledge of the Jewish community and Jewish communal organizations.
- Experience working with volunteers and volunteer-driven organizations.
- Experience working with FEMA, VOADs, long-term recovery groups, or related disaster response networks.
