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Community Development Specialist 4

Category: Classified/Excluded
Pay Grade: C31
Job Code: 06126

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

JOB SUMMARY

This is a professional position managing and supervising community development and housing initiatives.  Employees lead and guide others in planning, implementation and administration of grant funded housing and neighborhood improvement projects and programs.  A high degree of technical knowledge is required and the incumbent performs with considerable independence and initiative.  Employees in this class conduct research to determine community development needs, establish plans and strategies for implementation, develop and secure sources of funding, coordinate financial and construction policy and generally control comprehensive projects and activities from start to finish. This class encompasses a high degree of technical, creative and organizational responsibility as well as the exercise of considerable independence in the performance of complex studies, coordination of projects, providing technical assistance to a wide range of citizens’ groups and for developing solutions to individual or community problems.  Employees may direct activities of personnel and staff.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (examples, not all inclusive)

• Supervises or manages a major administrative function such as a Neighborhood Revitalization Area, neighborhood outreach center, real estate development projects, housing assistance program or loan portfolio management;
• Develops, documents, presents, and implements long and short-term strategies in the redevelopment of neighborhoods and other community development areas;
• Identifies and documents community development needs, plans, projects, or strategies to address those needs, and effectively utilizes the talents of other staff and available local resources for successful project implementation and control;
• Provides direct outreach to a wide range of citizens or citizens’ associations, service groups, professional organizations and multiple governmental entities to inform them about neighborhood outreach centers and activities sponsored by the County;
• Reviews complex proposals and assistance requests with citizens or local organizations at meetings with County and non-county agencies or organizations to coordinate service delivery programs, analyzes public policy gaps, proposes new directions and action plans to produce an improved community;
• Implements neighborhood development programs and initiatives;
• Coordinates and plans activities with other governments, departments, citizen groups, and agencies to promote, plan, and implement program and development projects;
• Researches housing, community, and economic development problems, regulations, programs, and grants to assist the department and County in determining the viability of housing and community development activities;
• Participates in the evaluation, planning and development of grant applications, annual plans and neighborhood improvements;
• Analyzes and reports on proposed projects for feasibility, site development locations, acquisition and other community needs;
• Plans and executes real property acquisitions, provides technical assistance to subgrantee agencies or developers and coordinates projects requiring coordination between multiple departments;
• Performs related work as assigned or required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree with major course work in social services, business, finance, housing administration, public administration, urban planning, government, law, engineering, design, economics geography, statistics or a related field plus four (4) years of advanced technical and professional experience in affordable housing, grant administration, real estate finance, mortgage lending, construction management or community development work as described that includes supervision or supervisory training; or a Master’s degree plus  three (3) years’ experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.

Special Qualifications (May be required depending on area of assignment):

• Florida Driver’s License or Florida Commercial Driver’s License and endorsement, if any.
• Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
• Other highly desirable knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required for a specific position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles, practices and methods of community development, community planning, project management and public relations;
• Knowledge of regulations governing programmatic functions, such as neighborhood organization, real property acquisition, development, finance, and underwriting or economic development;
• Knowledge of basic civil engineering or architecture principles as applied to community planning and development;
• Knowledge of the structure, organization and functions assigned to Federal, state and county government organizations implementing community development programs;
• Skill in writing technical information, program reports, correspondence, newsletters, and other publications for various audiences;
• Skill in planning and controlling complex assignments;
• Skill in public speaking and making effective oral and written presentations;
• Skill in the use of personal computers in accomplishing daily tasks;
• Ability to analyze service delivery problems, conduct feasibility studies, and make effective recommendations to enhance community services;
• Ability to investigate and participate in formulation of effective changes to influence others to implement substantive recommendations to improve the community;
• Ability to interpret laws, rules and regulations in community development or government planning;
• Ability to direct work efforts of others plus resolve citizens’ community problems by presenting information clearly and concisely in written, oral or graphic form;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships addressing complex neighborhood issues revising complex community development initiatives with other County officials and public stakeholder interests.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

The work is light work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
• Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Mental acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual acuity: Have close visual acuity such as color differentiation, depth perception, and adequate field vision.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is typically performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to changing goals, priorities, and needs.