Senior Director, Regional Disaster Programs

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Job Description:
WHY CHOOSE US?
Joining the American Red Cross is like nothing else – it’s as much something you feel as something you do. You become a vital part of the world’s largest humanitarian network. Joining a team of welcoming individuals who are exceptional, yet unassuming. Diverse, yet uncompromising in unity. You grow your career within a movement that matters, where success is measured in people helped, communities made whole, and individuals equipped to never stop changing lives and situations for the better.
When you choose to be a force for good, you’ll have mentors who empower your growth along a purposeful career path. You align your life’s work with an ongoing mission that’s bigger than all of us. As you care for others, you’re cared for with competitive compensation and benefits. You join a community that respects who you are away from work as much as what you do while at work.
We are seeking a Regional Disaster Officer for the Central & South Texas Region - American Red Cross Central and South Texas Region
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW (Job Overview):
The Regional Disaster Officer (RDO) , a member of the Regional Leadership Team, serves as the senior disaster services executive for the Central & South Texas Region and is responsible for the strategic leadership, operational readiness, and effective delivery of disaster services across the region. Working in close partnership with the Regional Chief Executive Officer and Regional Leadership Team, the RDO serves as a strategic thought partner, helping to assess regional risks, establish priorities, develop strategies, and execute plans that strengthen disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and community resilience. The RDO oversees the implementation of disaster services through a team that includes directors, employees, and volunteers. This position is accountable for ensuring that regional programs are executed consistently, efficiently, and in alignment with organizational standards, established performance metrics, and the evolving needs of the communities served. The RDO ensures that employees and volunteers are assigned specific relationship management responsibilities with key emergency management officials, governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations, community partners, and corporations that support disaster services. This includes developing and maintaining an effective account management approach to external partnerships.
During disasters, the Regional Disaster Officer serves in a senior operational leadership role for events of any scale and may participate in or lead larger operations at the regional, divisional, or national level.
The position is responsible for government partnerships, program management, measurement and evaluation, operational readiness, information management, preparedness, response management, and continuous improvement. The scope and complexity of the position are influenced by factors including the number of municipalities served, regional geography, population, disaster risk, frequency and scale of events, program activity, regional structure, and the presence of significant grant funding. The RDO provides leadership, guidance, development, and support to employees and volunteers, with a particular focus on building leadership capacity, elevating team performance, empowering decision-making, and strengthening the volunteer workforce.
All duties and responsibilities must be performed in compliance with applicable American Red Cross standard operating procedures and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
WHERE YOUR CAREER IS A FORCE FOR GOOD: Key Responsibilities:
1. Strategic Thought Leadership and Partnership with the Regional CEO
Serve as the region’s senior leader and thought leader in emergency services, disaster policy, disaster operations, preparedness, recovery, and community resilience.
Act as a trusted strategic thought partner to the Regional CEO, providing informed counsel regarding disaster risk, operational readiness, community needs, emerging issues, program performance, and opportunities to strengthen the region’s impact.
Collaborate with the Regional CEO and Regional Leadership Team to translate organizational priorities into a clear and actionable regional disaster services strategy.
Bring forward data-driven insights, informed recommendations, constructive challenges, and innovative solutions that strengthen organizational performance and advance the mission.
2. Strategy Development and Strategic Execution
Lead the development, communication, and execution of a comprehensive regional disaster services strategy aligned with national, divisional, and regional priorities.
Translate strategy into measurable goals, implementation plans, accountabilities, timelines, and performance indicators.
Maintain a strong focus on disciplined execution by regularly evaluating progress, identifying barriers, managing risk, allocating resources, and adjusting plans when necessary.
Ensure that regional strategies account for community vulnerability, population trends, geographic complexity, disaster risk, operational capacity, volunteer readiness, and the frequency and severity of disaster events.
3. Disaster Program Management
Provide executive oversight for the implementation of disaster services programs throughout the region.
Apply strong program management practices to ensure that initiatives are appropriately scoped, resourced, coordinated, implemented, measured, and continuously improved.
Establish clear priorities, project plans, milestones, ownership, and accountability across the disaster services portfolio.
Ensure that regional disaster programs are delivered consistently and in alignment with organizational guidance, standards, policies, and established performance metrics.
Use data, program evaluations, operational reviews, and stakeholder feedback to assess outcomes, identify trends, address performance gaps, and improve service delivery.
4. Disaster Response and Operational Leadership
Ensure that the region is prepared to execute a comprehensive and coordinated disaster response whenever required.
Serve as the senior operational leader for the region during disasters of any scale, providing clear direction, sound judgment, timely decision-making, and effective coordination across functions and jurisdictions.
Participate in leadership roles on larger disaster operations at the regional, divisional, or national level.
Ensure that disaster services are delivered rapidly, equitably, consistently, and accessibly to meet the urgent and evolving needs of clients and impacted communities.
Promote a culture of preparedness, readiness, accountability, learning, and continuous operational improvement.
5. Team Leadership, Development, and Empowerment
Lead a high-performing regional disaster services team through subordinate directors and other staff.
Responsibilities may include hiring, assigning work, establishing priorities, coordinating activities, training, coaching, developing talent, evaluating performance, and addressing performance concerns.
Set clear expectations and create an environment in which employees are trusted, empowered, supported, and held accountable for delivering results.
Develop the strategic, operational, and leadership capabilities of direct reports and emerging leaders.
Build appropriate bench strength and succession plans to ensure continuity of leadership and operational readiness.
Encourage candid dialogue, cross-functional problem-solving, innovation, and thoughtful decision-making at the appropriate organizational level.
Oversight may include Service to the Armed Forces and International Services programs, depending on the structure of the region.
6. Volunteer Workforce Leadership
Develop, engage, and support disaster volunteers, who represent the primary workforce for disaster service delivery.
Provide strategic leadership for volunteer recruitment, onboarding, training, engagement, development, deployment, recognition, retention, and succession planning.
Ensure that employees create a positive and inclusive volunteer experience characterized by meaningful work, clear expectations, appropriate support, and opportunities for leadership.
Drive the development of Disaster Leadership Volunteers capable of meeting the current and f