Description:
The Disaster After-Action Review (AAR) Lead provides leadership and oversight for disaster after-action review activities performed under the GSA Multiple Award Schedule Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Continuous Improvement Division (CID). The AAR Lead is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing after-action reviews for disaster response, recovery, and readiness operations, ensuring lessons learned are accurately captured, analyzed, and translated into actionable improvements.
This role serves as the primary delivery lead for AAR efforts, coordinating analysts, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to support FEMA’s continuous improvement objectives and strengthen operational effectiveness across disaster operations.
The Disaster AAR Lead manages day-to-day execution of after-action review activities across BPA call orders. Responsibilities include planning AAR activities, defining review scope, coordinating resources, and ensuring timely delivery of AAR products in accordance with approved call-order requirements.
The role oversees AAR efforts following disaster operations, exercises, and readiness activities, ensuring reviews are conducted using consistent methodologies and aligned with FEMA continuous improvement frameworks.
The Disaster AAR Lead leads data collection efforts to support after-action reviews, including interviews, surveys, workshops, document reviews, and operational data analysis. Responsibilities include ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and traceability across all AAR activities.
The role supports qualitative and quantitative analysis to identify strengths, gaps, trends, and systemic issues impacting disaster operations. The Disaster AAR Lead ensures analytical findings are supported by evidence and aligned with operational realities.
The Disaster AAR Lead oversees development of AAR deliverables, including after-action reports, improvement plans, executive summaries, and briefing materials. Responsibilities include ensuring reports are clear, well-structured, and actionable for leadership and stakeholders.
The role ensures that recommendations are practical, prioritized, and aligned with FEMA operational capabilities, policies, and resource constraints.
The Disaster AAR Lead supports integration of lessons learned into continuous improvement initiatives. Responsibilities include coordinating with program leadership and other BPA resources to support tracking of corrective actions and implementation of improvement recommendations.
The role supports development of tools, templates, and methodologies to strengthen FEMA’s approach to capturing and institutionalizing lessons learned from disaster operations.
The Disaster AAR Lead supports engagement with FEMA leadership, regional staff, program offices, and external stakeholders as required. Responsibilities include facilitating workshops, debriefs, and meetings to support after-action review activities.
The role ensures effective communication of findings, risks, and recommendations and supports collaboration across organizations to drive improvement outcomes.
The Disaster AAR Lead supports quality assurance activities by ensuring AAR deliverables meet defined quality standards and performance expectations. The role supports internal reviews, inspections, and corrective actions to address identified issues or deficiencies.
Responsibilities include ensuring all AAR activities are performed in compliance with BPA terms and conditions, approved call-order scope, and applicable federal requirements.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, Public Administration, Business, Social Science, or a related field
- Ten to twelve years of experience supporting disaster response, emergency management, or after-action review activities
- Demonstrated experience leading after-action reviews, evaluations, or assessments for federal programs
- Strong analytical and writing skills, including experience producing after-action reports and improvement plans
- Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and facilitating stakeholder engagements
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Experience supporting FEMA, DHS, or other federal emergency management organizations
- Experience with disaster readiness, response, recovery, or operational assessment programs
- Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies and lessons-learned frameworks
- Experience working in surge or disaster response environments
