Statement of Duties:

Performs a variety of professional duties and responsibilities to administer and implement the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, projects, and activities. Manages other grant programs and funds. Ensuring that regulations governing the use of grant funds are adhered to. Meets the reporting requirements of both the city and the funding source. Authorizes the expenditure of grant funds.

Supervision
Works under the general direction of the Economic Development Director; generally, establishes own work plan and priorities in accordance with established policies and standards; only unusual cases are referred to supervisor.

Job Environment
Work is performed under typical office conditions. Employees are required to attend numerous regular evening meetings with various city boards and committees. Operates a computer and general office equipment, such as calculator, copier, facsimile machine, and telephone operates. Make frequent contact with municipal, regional, state and federal agencies, boards, and committees; and with the public. Contacts are in person, by phone, in writing and by e- mail and require explaining detailed and complex information. Has access to department-related confidential information, such as business and personal financial information, victim-witness advocacy program client information. Errors could result in recommendations adversely affecting the city’s development, as well as cause significant future funding or repayment of prior funding due to delays in processing important information or adverse legal repercussions.

Essential Functions

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Oversee the City of Rochester’s CDBG program in all aspects, including strategic plan preparation for HUD review and approval, management of payments to subgrantees, review of subgrantee progress reports, and preparation of program performance reports for HUD review and approval.
• Coordinates application process for CDBG and municipal funds. Completes and documents as assessment on each grant funding application to determine the eligibility, risk, and ranking of submitted projects.
• Prepares all agreements and memorandums of understanding between CDBG subrecipients and the city and interdepartmental subrecipients for execution.
• Provides technical assistance to organizations and grant subrecipients on CDBG process starting from the application through the project close out.
• Monitors all CDBG funded activities and ensures compliance with contracts, budgetary requirements, project deadlines, and other federal, state, and local regulations.
• Prepares federal environmental reviews for all CDBG-funded projects.
• Ensure grant recipients submit the required reporting information. Reviews these reports and enters the information into the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) and other necessary tracking software.
• Conducts site visits, inspections of projects, and regular monitoring on all city CDBG participants.
• Identifies and documents regulatory non-compliance issues and guides grant subrecipients to a successful compliance resolution.
• Reviews of invoices and project change requests. Submits expenditure of funds for authorization. Tracks activity balances.
• Monitors all CDBG funded activities and ensures compliance with contracts, budgetary requirements, environmental reviews, project deadlines, and other federal, state, and local regulations.
• Ensure grant recipients submit the required reporting information. Reviews these reports and enters the information into the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) and other necessary tracking software.
• Keeps up to date with new HUD policies, procedures, and annual funding allocations.
• Responds to all inquiries to grant-related questions based on federal, state, and local regulations through researching answers and providing technical assistance.
• Promotes and educates city staff, residents, and organizations on the City's CDBG program, fair housing, the housing needs assessments, and other related topics.
• Acts as the designated City staff representative on the Community Development Committee
• Manage competing priorities to meet grant deadlines.
• Produces the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, CAPER, and other related documents and amendments to these plans and reports.
• Helps identify community needs related to community development and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents. Evaluates current programs to determine whether the city is addressing the priority needs listed in the Consolidated Plan, Housing Needs Assessment, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing.
• Communicate information on grant programs, plans, and opportunities to local nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, city departments and Thornton residents.
• Encourages qualified organizations and city departments to apply for CDBG funding.
• Seeking federal, state, and private grant programs to meet the community development objectives of the city. Recommends projects for grant funding which meet a community need and are competitive according to funding source criteria.
• Performs similar or related work as required or as situation dictates.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in planning, Public Administration or a related field and three (3) to five (5) years of experience in program administration and evaluation, grant writing and/or management, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
 

Special Requirements

NH motor vehicle operator’s license is required.

Knowledge, Ability & Skills

Knowledge: Considerable knowledge of community development. Knowledge of federal and state grant administration. Working knowledge of housing market, municipal zoning, planning, and infrastructure. Working knowledge of planning programs and processes. Knowledge of the economic, sociological and environmental aspects of development. Knowledge of local and regional housing market and housing programs. Understanding of issues related to homelessness and housing insecurity. Knowledge of various Community Development computer applications.

Ability: Ability to plan, organize and direct the preparation of comprehensive research studies, analyze problems, prepare reports and formulate recommendations. Ability to speak at public meetings and write effectively. Ability to read and understand statutes and regulations. Ability to develop relationships with a diverse group of sub-grantees; City staff, boards & commissions.

Skills: Demonstrated grant writing, grant management and administration skills. Experience with research and writing. Strong organizational skills. Self-motivation and independent work skills required.

Physical Requirements

Minimal physical effort is generally required in performing duties under typical office conditions.