VSF 05.01: NET Team Leader

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A Volunteer Support Function (VSF) is a functional area under which volunteers carry out their responsibilities. Each VSF is broken into position assignments. VSF 05.01 is the position assigned to NET Team Leaders (NET TL). TLs are Blue Skies volunteer leaders, as distinguished from Incident Team Leaders (ITLs). However, a TL can, and often does, simultaneously accept responsibilities as their team's ITL.

Summary

NET volunteers are organized into teams and every team is required to have a Team Leader. A Team Leader is a coach, convener, and community organizer. Team Leaders interface directly with, and represent their community to, PBEM staff. They may also act as the team's "resident trainer", though that responsibility can be delegated to others on the team. In short, Team Leaders prepare and develop their Team Members towards conducting operations in their community immediately following a disaster.

The guidelines for Team Leader election or appointment appear in the NETwiki section titled Volunteer Leadership. NET Team Leader is also the only PBEM volunteer position with their own section of Portland City Code: Chapter 3.124.090.

Blue Skies/Grey Skies Summary
During Blue Skies, these volunteers...	During Grey Skies, these volunteers...
...are responsible for the organization, ongoing training, communication with and operational safety of the NET members assigned to their teams.	..have no assigned role. However, may shift into the role of the Team's Incident Team Leader (ITL).

Related Volunteer Positions

VSF 05.02: NET Volunteer

VSF 05.03: Incident Team Leader

Responsibilities

• Convening a team meeting at least once every three months (virtual or in person).
• Attend no fewer than two Team Leader meetings each calendar year, if regularly offered by PBEM.
• Serving as the team's liaison to PBEM and Portland Fire & Rescue, particularly to the NET's local fire station.
• Leading NET volunteer recruitment for his/her team, particularly to populations underserved by the NET program.
• Managing team dynamics and resolving conflict between team volunteers as needed.
• Providing PBEM staff with program feedback and recommendations.
• Leading their team through the creation and maintenance of a Team Operations Plan.
• Ensuring that their team is prepared for a disaster by reviewing deployment/field operations plans, and inspecting NET volunteer equipment to verify that minimum PPE requirements are met.
• Ensuring that NET volunteers are managing their online volunteer profiles (e.g. keeping contact information and personal information current) and logging service hours into PBEM's volunteer management system.
• Sending meeting attendance and minutes to PBEM staff, or delegating to another volunteer to do so.
• Informing PBEM staff and their team if leaving Portland for more than a week and appointing an Assistant Team Leader as the team contact during the absence.
• Participate in scheduled training, drills, and activation exercises to maintain operational competence.
• Represent PBEM professionally and follow safety and operational guidelines at all times.
• Log all volunteer hours.

Position ID

VSF 05.01: NET Team Leader

Mission Area

Preparedness

Response

Recovery

Lead Agency	Portland Bureau of Emergency Management
Active NET Required?	No; this position is available to ATVs.
Structure	NET Team Leaders report to the PBEM staff person who is their District's representative. NET Team Leaders may have several direct reports, such as Assistant Team Leaders.
Relevant Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Licenses and Certifications	None required.
Currency	Required to complete a criminal background check at PBEM's expense every three years.
Physical Requirements	None.
Task Book	None at this time.
PPE and Recommended Equipment	PPE: As this is a Blue Skies position, no PPE is needed.
Forms	TBA
Updated	2025.07.24
Released	2013.11.19

Training for VSF 05.01: NET Team Leader

Important note: ONLY the trainings listed as REQUIRED are required! Optional training and supplemental resources are presented as a path for a volunteer to increase their knowledge and confidence carrying out their volunteer responsibilities. However, no volunteer's Active status depends on completing training marked as "Optional" or "Supplemental". For more information, please visit the article on Position Descriptions: Training Section.

Since Team Leaders are elected, any training marked as "Required" should be completed within six months of election; a new Team Leader is not required to possess required certifications before election.

Training or Resource	Type	Delivery	Duration	Learning Objective
NET Team Leader Training	Required	Online		Instructs volunteers on the basics of what they need to know as a new NET Team Leader.
Basic BEECN training	Required	Online	1.5 hours
IS-240.C: Leadership and Influence	Required	Online	3.0 hours
IS-241.C: Decision Making and Problem Solving	Required	Online	2.0 hours
IS-244.B: Developing and Managing Volunteers	Required	Online	4.0 hours
IS-242.C: Effective Communication	Optional	Online	8.0 hours
PBEM Speakers' Bureau Training	Optional

VSF 05.01: NET Team Leader Knowledge Base

File/Resource	Description	Author	Publish Date
NET Guidelines on NETwiki		PBEM	2013.11.19