Director, CDBG- DR
Company Description
A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.
As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.
What we offer
- Impact - The work you do here matters to millions.
- Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it?
- Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
- Benefits - We care about your well-being.
Agency Description
The Office of Director of Finance was created by the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, adopted by the electors of the City on April 17, 1951, to give the Mayor and the City government a principal officer responsible for the financial, accounting, and budgeting functions of the executive branch. The Director of Finance is thus the chief financial officer of the City and all powers and duties concerning finances, accounting, and budgeting in the executive branch are directly or indirectly the Director's. The Director of Finance is also the Chairman of the Board of Pensions and Retirements and an ex-officio member of the board of various quasi-governmental agencies, including the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority. The City of Philadelphia operates on a fiscal year between July 1st and June 30th.
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The Budget Office within the Office of the Director of Finance ensures the City’s long-term fiscal health while allocating the resources necessary for City programs and services to operate efficiently and effectively and to serve all Philadelphians equitably. Budget oversees the preparation of the operating and capital budgets. The Budget Office also includes the City’s central Grants Office, which is responsible for the oversight of certain major federal and state funding, including funding to assist with its recovery from Hurricane Ida.
Job Description
This position administers the City of Philadelphia’s CDBG Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program grant allocations, including its $163.2M grant related to Hurricane Ida in 2021 and all associated projects, plans, and activities. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated this CDBG-DR funding to help the City recover from Hurricane Ida. HUD’s CDBG-DR grant program is designed to help communities address unmet needs resulting from Presidentially declared disasters while promoting long-term resiliency. This full-time grant funded position performs a variety of complex, high level program/project management, federal grant compliance and oversight tasks, convening and leading a cross-departmental team including direct reports.
This is a full-time, grant-funded position that is funded for approximately three years. Working hours are generally 37.5 hours per week.
Essential Functions
Oversee and manage expansive CDBG-DR project team, including direct reports, key stakeholders in other departments, and consultants, to achieve project goals.
Develop and lead diverse teams to facilitate and ensure the advancement and successful completion of all program components, projects and activities.
Oversee the work of consultants, contractors, and technical staff.
Provide leadership in development and maintenance of inter-team communication between City staff, consultant staff, and CDBG-DR partners and stakeholders.
Work collaboratively with all program partners and stakeholders to ensure program goals, timelines and performance measures are met.
Promote the CDBG-DR program by making presentations, writing reports and updates and conducting and coordinating meetings and other forums.
Alongside colleagues in City government, manage and coordinate correspondence with HUD including monitoring responses (both HUD and Office of Inspector General (OIG)).
Ensure that the City achieves its CDBG-DR-related requirements, including milestones established by HUD, along with any related audit and compliance requirements.
Develop project scopes, schedules, budgets, work breakdown structures and resourcing plans identifying critical paths and milestone objectives.
Manage and track program progress against its scope, schedule and budget and ensure goals, objectives and deliverables are met.
Develop and implement recovery plans for off-schedule and unanticipated eventualities.
Ensure program objectives, goals, and timelines are achieved and that regulatory requirements are met pursuant to specified federal grants’ requirements.
Prepare and coordinate undertaking CDBG-DR Action Plan Amendments with staff and consultant(s), assuring compliance with all HUD requirements.
Serve as administrator for specific activities set forth under federal rules related to CDBG-DR funding, including but not limited to acquisition of property.
Track CDBG-DR activities and report the data in the Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting (DRGR) system.
Establish and sustain robust City infrastructure for this and any future City CDBG-DR work.
Make recommendations to other senior leaders in Finance regarding strategic resourcing related to cross-departmental CDBG-DR work.
Assist in establishing, implementing, and monitoring organizational policies and procedures in an effective and efficient manner.
Work with staff to develop systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management.
Other related work as needed.
Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Experience with federal grants, grant audits, disaster recovery funding, and budgeting
Familiarity with government accounting and budgeting systems and processes preferred, but not required
Proficient in navigating complex systems, including government bureaucracy, procurement, contracts, and policy processes
Experience working within government and with elected officials, constituents, and advocacy organizations
Ability to work independently and with a team to achieve goals
Ability to problem-solve and think creatively to produce solutions
Proven track record in establishing and sustaining collaborative and effective working relationships with leadership, direct reports peers, staff, consultants, service providers, and vendors
Ability to communicate effectively – verbally and in writing – with a variety of stakeholders
Written Communication - write in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
Strong public presentation skills and experience, strategic thinking, and high professional ethics
Experience identifying relevant performance and outcome metrics and using the information for improvement and evaluation purposes
Strong interpersonal skills
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint) and Adobe Suite applications
Qualifications
Desired education and experience include: Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant public administration, public policy, business, or technical discipline; up to 10 years of experience successfully managing complex programs and/or projects; and up to 5 years of supervisory experience. Years of highly relevant experience may be substituted for the education requirement.
Experience and/or deep understanding of working with the City of Philadelphia, its neighborhoods, and governmental structure along with a background in government, the non-profit sector, or comparable settings.
Experience with HUD CDBG, CDBG-DR, and/or CDBG-MIT or FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (e.g. HMGP, FMA, BRIC) or related federal grant administration experience is highly desired for this position.
Additional Information
TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, resume and references.
Salary: $120,000
Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:
- Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
- Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
- We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
- Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
- Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
- Generous retirement savings options are available
- Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
- Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!
Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!
*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire
Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.
The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.
For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx
Perks and Benefits
Health and Wellness
Parental Benefits
Work Flexibility
Office Life and Perks
Vacation and Time Off
Financial and Retirement
Professional Development
Diversity and Inclusion