Maritime Planning Specialist

Global Support and Development is seeking to welcome a Maritime Planning Specialist to the Maritime department. This is a full-time role based at HQ in Charlotte, N.C., with frequent travel to GSD's humanitarian vessel located within the Caribbean region.

Reporting to the Director of Maritime, the Maritime Planning Specialist will support operational procedures, processes, and oversee the planning of maritime engagements, to include coordination of engagements onboard GSD's Humanitarian Vessel (HV).

The Maritime Planning Specialist will work closely with the Maritime, Partnerships, Field Operations, and Operations and Planning Departments in transitioning engagement proposals and concepts into actionable operational plans.

GSD offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:

• Up to 25 days of accrued vacation


• Up to 80 hours of annual sick leave


• Up to 80 hours of Military Pay and 30 Days Differential


• Medical, Dental and Vision (GSD covers monthly premium)


• Group Life and AD&D Coverage (GSD covers monthly premium)


• Retirement (Pre and Post Tax Options) and a Company Match


• Matches on Qualified 529 Plans


• Up to 14 Paid Holidays 

Want to know more?  Read below to learn more about the day-to-day and position requirements.

• Support a high-performing and matrixed team with planning and long-term coordination of disaster response, information management, and community resilience activities for the HV;


• Assist in the development of the HV program engagement strategy and supporting documentation to align maritime engagements  with broader GSD strategies and policies; 


• Support engagements with close coordination with GSD Partnerships department to generate medium and long term maritime tasking;


• Work with the Maritime Department’s leadership to plan effective maritime engagements, training, and partnerships strategies aligned with maritime scheduling priorities;


• Develop procedures, processes, and policies to support the effective engagement and management of HV resources;


• Ensure planned maritime activities (response, partner engagements, trainings) align with GSD’s strategic priorities;


• Understand needs and planning constraints of key partners and planned activities and be prepared to step in as needed to support;


• Work closely with GSD’s Maritime Operations Specialists to oversee the delivery and execution of maritime plans;


• Maintain awareness of training requirements and curriculum for HV maritime crew, GSD mission crew, and partners;


• During Rapid Response operations, support HQ response planning staff and/or act as the primary Maritime Coordination element of the Disaster Response Team;


• Ensure all HV activities are in accordance with GSD’s core values and mission and, when appropriate, the Humanitarian SPHERE principles;


• Engage on the subject of humanitarian impact;


• Prompt and action GSD’s core values of accountability, humility, and integrity in all work we conduct;


• Promote good stewardship of financial and other resources to achieve maximum benefit to those impacted by disaster or at risk of impact; and


• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Required Experience 

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in planning, process, or program management; 


• Five (5) years developing operational and strategic planning initiatives; and


• Five (5) years of cultivating high-level strategic partnerships.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree; or


• Equivalent practical experience and education; and


• Master’s degree in emergency management or equivalent practical experience preferred.

Professional Licenses/Certifications

• N/A

Knowledge/Skills 

• Strong organizational and systems management skills;


• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and analytical skills;


• Proficient in Google workspaces;


• Ability to understand and adapt to dynamic operational environments


• Basic familiarity with maritime operations;

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to rapidly shift tasks;


• Experience working and/or traveling domestically and internationally; and


• Working knowledge of Spanish and/or French desired. 

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• At this time, GSD is not offering sponsorship and is only accepting applications from persons eligible to work in the United States; and


• Expect to travel to the HV to support mission activity for prolonged periods (approximately 2 weeks at a time); 30% annual travel expected.

GSD prioritizes the safety, security, and well-being of all of our staff members. All employees are expected to follow strict safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required and adherence to safety regulations (maritime, and other), to mitigate risks. 

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and North Carolina state law, GSD will provide reasonable accommodation for a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship
or a direct threat to the health and/or safety of the individual or others. 

These working conditions and physical demands are described to provide a clear understanding of the nature of the role, including the essential deployment responsibilities that may be necessary, to ensure that potential candidates are well-prepared for the challenging and demanding nature of the duties and realities of disaster response work. GSD is not able to reasonably predict when or whether it will become necessary to deploy an employee in this position for disaster response work.  Such decisions are made as circumstances arise to meet organizational needs, and employees in this role are therefore expected to be able to fulfill disaster response work responsibilities. 

Working Conditions During Non-Deployment Periods

• Work is performed in an office setting and is generally sedentary, but may involve movement (e.g., walking, standing or otherwise being mobile throughout the office) for brief periods of time;


• Ability to use hands, reach, and independently lift and move items weighing up to 20 pounds, carry, push, and pull or otherwise move objects;


• Ability to bend and stoop;


• Ability to sit and view a computer screen for extended periods of time;


• Ability to demonstrate manual dexterity to operate computer and other office equipment;


• Ability to communicate effectively with others.

Working Conditions During Deployment Periods (Including Rapid Response)

• May be regularly exposed to and required to work in varying outdoor weather conditions, including extreme heat or cold, heavy rainfall, and other extreme weather events; 


• May be required to engage in irregular travel and / or work schedules, which may include extended hours exceeding 8 or 12 hours in a day for prolonged periods outside of the control of the individual;


• While wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) which is required and provided by GSD: 
  
  
  
  • Work may be conducted near moving mechanical parts, which could include exposure to loud noises;
  
  
  • Work may be conducted near and include potential exposure to fumes, airborne particles, and toxic or caustic chemicals; or 
  
  
  • Work may be conducted in areas that include exposure to the risk of electrical shock or vibration.
  
  
  
  


• Ability to obtain necessary travel documents and fulfill any other travel requirements (including an active passport, visa requirements, vaccinations, etc.);


• This role may include deployments to support natural disaster response efforts within hazardous, dynamic, and unstable environments (economically/environmentally) in pre- and post- disaster scenarios, which could include, among other conditions: lack of access to medical care, exposure to critical incidents (including severe injury, death, traumatic encounters, and/or mental strain), and uncommon sleeping arrangements (i.e. not in a hotel, could include close living quarters and cohabitation);  


• GSD’s nutritional environment contains milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat products. Ability to make dietary accommodations may be limited. Potential exposure to food borne allergens; and


• Employees may be required for this role to work upon our Humanitarian Vessel for up to 30 consecutive days. The vessel’s working environment entails performing in conditions inherent to vessel travel, including but not limited to: steep and narrow stairs and living spaces, close quarters including cohabitation, sharp surfaces, metal gangways and ladders, heavy doors, European-type plugs and wiring (220-240v, 60Hz) which cannot support all American appliances, in addition to bright and flashing lights, loud noises, nuts and shellfish exposure, poor weather, movements which can trigger motion sickness, and / or limited access to hospital / definitive care. This setting involves various sea conditions, including but not limited to rough seas, adverse weather, and potential for sea sickness.

Physical Demands During Non-Deployment Periods

• Ability to perform work indoors in an office environment;


• Ability to work a varied schedule to complete projects and meet deadlines in response to changing demands;


• Ability to travel to attend meetings, industry or professional association conferences and stay overnight as required.

Physical Demands During Deployment Periods

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for up to 50% of the time;


• Ability to regularly engage in manual dexterity; 


• [FOR VESSEL] Essential physical requirements (depending on job description requirements) may also include climbing, balancing, reaching or stretching, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling; 


• Ability to frequently move lift, push, pull, carry  items weighing up to 20 pounds for various needs;


• Ability to observe details at a close range (within a few feet of the observer), and the ability to communicate information and ideas so that others will understand (must also be able to exchange accurate information in these situations); 


• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

This job description reflects an assignment of essential functions.  It does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.  Other duties and tasks may be assigned to this job at GSD’s discretion.

Work Authorization Requirements: GSD participates in E-verify, an internet-based system that allows employers to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. E-Verify is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. Our participation in E-Verify is in compliance with federal law and is limited to the use of E-Verify for employment eligibility verification only. We do not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants or to re-verify current employees and may not limit or influence the choice of documents presented for use on the Form I-9. 

This job description is a summary rather than a detailed list of the duties performed.  The essential functions, knowledge, skills, and working conditions may change along with business needs.  This job description does not constitute a contract between employer and employee as employment is at will.  Global Support and Development provides reasonable accommodations to assist qualified individuals in order to perform the essential functions their job requires.

GSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and embraces all candidates regardless of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), nation of origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military/veteran status or any other basis prohibited by law. 

GSD promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in all candidate selections.