Senior Planner - Livable Communities Act (LCA) Program Officer

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Senior Planner - Livable Communities Act (LCA) Program Officer

Salary

$78,000.00 - $117,728.00 Annually

Location

390 Robert St. N St. Paul, MN

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

2024-00181

Division

Community Development

Department

Livable Comm Unit Management

Opening Date

05/17/2024

Closing Date

6/5/2024 11:59 PM Central

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

WHO WE ARE

This position is eligible for a hybrid (a combination of remote and onsite) telework arrangement. The candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website. (https://metrocouncil.org/About-Us/The-Council-Who-We-Are.aspx)

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

TheCommunity Development Division is responsible for the Council’s regional long-range planning efforts; planning and technical assistance to local governments; planning for and funding the regional parks and open space system; delivering rent assistance through the Metropolitan Housing and Redevelopment Authority; and delivering the Livable Communities Act grant programs.

In Community Development,we have set the following goals to guide our work:

• Our division builds competency, takes meaningful actions, and creates the necessary infrastructure to advance racial equity.

• Our division’s workplace culture is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

TheLivable Communities Act (https://metrocouncil.org/Communities/Services/Livable-Communities-Grants.aspx) (LCA) team provides funding to help communities achieve development goals that create more housing choices, support living wage job creation, and connect jobs, housing, and regional amenities to create a more equitable region. The work unit also includesregional housing policy (https://metrocouncil.org/Housing/Planning/Housing-Policy-Plan.aspx) planning, which works with local governments to identify and plan for their future housing needs.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Senior Plannerwill join a collaborative Housing and Livable Communities team of 8 people from planning, policy, and related backgrounds, with values centered on equity, service, relationships, innovation, and accountability.

The person in this position will:

• Serve as lead staff for two or more Livable Communities Act grant solicitation rounds each year.

• Apply their knowledge of housing policy, community economic development, and land use and planning, to help communities achieve development goals that support the regional Thrive 2040 and Imagine 2050 plans.

• Advance outreach, technical assistance, public engagement, policy analysis, and program evaluation projects to improve the delivery and impact of grant programs.

• Ensure a high level of customer service with local governments, development team partners, and other key stakeholders.

• Deliver consistent, fair, accurate, and equitable grantmaking processes.

  This recruitment may establish a six (6) month eligibility list for current and future vacancies if we have multiple qualified candidates. Placement on the eligible list does not guarantee you a job with the Council.

What you would do in this job

• Implement and improve grant programs as a senior-level individual contributor within the Livable Communities Act (LCA) team.

• Develop and implement grant application criteria and review, evaluation, and award processes for LCA programs, within statutory and policy guidelines.

• Serve as lead staff (program coordinator) for two or more grant solicitation rounds each year.

• Develop and implement outreach and technical assistance strategies, tools, materials, and events to communicate availability and expectations of LCA programs to program applicants and recipients

• Provide technical assistance, give advice, and develop tools to support local governments to implement regional housing and land use/development policies through grant programs

• Present grant information and recommendations to the Council, its Community Development Committee, and other advisory committees and stakeholders as applicable.

• Coordinate with funding partners and related public, nonprofit, and professional organizations.

• Proficiently use program information, databases, and other technologies to produce reports and respond to internal and external inquiries and requests for information as well as to evaluate programs.

• Work with finance and grants administration colleagues to ensure a seamless, integrated process for grant recipients.

• Serve as project manager and/or contributor to public engagement, policy analysis, and program evaluation projects.

• Articulate and represent the Council's regional policy in internal and external discussions, including internal and external committees and workgroups.

• Advance racial equity through knowledge of how the history of housing and land use policy has contributed to the region's racial disparities, the consideration of racial equity outcomes in the administration of LCA programs, and the implementation and updating of the Regional Development Guide.

• Contribute to intra-division and cross-Council working teams to advance regional policy goals and promote an equitable, positive, and respectful professional environment that values culture and diversity among all stakeholders and colleagues.

What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications)

Any of the following combinations of professional experience in grant coordination, land use planning, housing policy, economic development, or related fieldANDcompleted education or major coursework in social sciences, housing studies, public policy, urban planning, or related.

• Master's degreeANDtwo (2) years of experience.

• Bachelor's degreeANDfour (4) years of experience.

• Associate's degreeANDsix (6) years of experience.

• H.S. diploma/GED/ANDeight (8) years of experience.

  What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Demonstrated knowledge of the real estate development/redevelopment process

• Subject matter expertise in one or more of equitable transit-oriented development, affordable housing development, urban design, community economic development finance, placemaking, brownfield development, shared equity models, affordable homeownership, workforce development, climate-resilient development, infill development, community engagement, grantmaking, and related topics.

• Experience in implementing or developing technical assistance and training tools

• Experience in implementing or developing grantmaking or lending programs

• Experience in implementing or developing planning documents or policies for municipalities, to advance goals related to job creation, housing, connected communities, and equitable development.

• Ability to communicate tactfully and clearly to a diverse audience of stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.

• Advanced skills in MS Word, Excel, GIS, and project management tools

• Demonstrated experience in advocating for or incorporating equity into projects, processes, or decision-making.

• Experience working with diverse populations of internal and external customers.

What knowledge, skills and abilities you should have within the first six months on the job:

• Extensive knowledge of the purposes, objectives, guidelines, criteria, and processes of the Livable Communities Act grant processes.

• Ability to articulate the impacts of systemic racism on development in a variety of settings.

• Knowledge of the real estate development processes and the funding resources that support community economic development, transit-oriented development, and affordable housing development in the region.

• Basic knowledge of the governmental environment in which the Metropolitan Council works as it applies to the Livable Communities programs and local and regional housing policy.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with local governments and their development partners even when delivering unwelcome news.

• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment and consistently and effectively apply the Metropolitan Council's principles of Integration, Collaboration, and Accountability.

• Ability to analyze and interpret Metropolitan Council's desired outcomes of Stewardship, Prosperity, Equity, Livability, and Sustainability and apply them effectively in the project analysis or development process.

Additional information

Union/Grade: American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)/GradeH

FLSA Status: Exempt

Safety Sensitive: No

What your work environment would be:

You would perform your work in a standard office setting. Work may sometimes require travel between your primary work site and other sites.

What steps the recruitment process involve:

• We review your minimum qualifications.

• We rate your education and experience.

• We conduct a structured panel interview.

• We conduct a selection interview.

  Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:

  If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety-sensitive positions only), and a background check which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.

  If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (if moving from a non-safety sensitive position to a safety-sensitive position) and criminal background check if the job you're applying for is safety-sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers or transit fare cards. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position

We believe our employees are a key to our agency's success! In order to attract and retain high quality employees, the Council provides a highly competitive benefits package both in choice and coverage levels. Some highlights about our benefits are listed below:

• Guaranteed monthly retirement income through Minnesota State Retirement System pension fund

• Opportunity to save additional funds for retirement on a tax-deferred basis through a voluntary deferred compensation (457) plan

• Two or more medical plans from which to choose, with employer contribution towards premiums over 80%

• Dental insurance, life insurance and vision insurance

The following benefits are provided to all employees as part of working for the Council. You will have access to free:

• Well@Work clinic

• bus/rail pass valued at over $1200 per year

• parking at many job locations

• fitness centers at many job locations

• Employee Assistance Program

• extensive health and wellness programs and resources

  01

  Applicant Instructions: The supplemental questions listed below are to further evaluate your education and experience and to determine your eligibility for this position. Answer each question completely, and please do not type "see resume" otherwise your application will be considered incomplete, and you will not receive further consideration for this position. The experience you indicate in your responses should also be consistent with the Work History section of this application. If you attach a resume and/or cover letter to your application, it will be reviewed at the education and experience review step. I have read and understand the above instructions regarding supplemental questions.

• Yes

• No

  02

  How did youfirsthear about this job opening?

• CareerForce Center

• Community Event/Organization

• Employee Referral

• Facebook

• Glassdoor

• Indeed

• Job Fair

• LinkedIn

• Metro Transit Bus Advertisement

• Twitter

• Website: governmentjobs.com

• Website: metrocouncil.org

• Website: metrotransit.org

• Website: minnesotajobnetwork.com

• Other

  03

  If you selected 'Other', please describe where you first heard about this job. If you selected 'Employee Referral' please enter the employee's first and last name, ID number (if known), and job title. Type N/A if not applicable.

  04

  Please select the option below that reflects your education and experience level.

• Master's degree or higher in the social sciences, housing studies, public policy, urban planning or related field and at least two (2) years of applicable experience.

• Bachelor's degree in the social sciences, housing studies, public policy, urban planning or related field AND at least four (4) years of applicable experience.

• Associate's degree in the social sciences, housing studies, public policy, urban planning, or related and at least six (6) years of applicable experience.

• Some coursework in city, urban, land use or housing planning; community development; economic development; or related field AND at least six (6) years of applicable experience.

• None of the above

  05

  Please describe your experience in implementing, developing, and/or evaluating grantmaking or lending programs. Include your role, the type of work, and the location and duration of your experience. If you type "See Resume" you will not be given credit for your response. If this does not apply, type "N/A."

  06

  Please describe your experience in assessing, implementing, or advocating for racial equity policies or programs in a housing-related, community development, or grant program context. Please provide context for your experience including your role, your approach, the issue(s) you addressed, how you brought others along with you, where the experience took place, and for how long. If you type "See Resume" you will not be given credit for your response. If this does not apply, type "N/A."

  07

  Please describe your experience with and knowledge of affordable housing and/or commercial development and development finance, including any related formal education and on-the-job experience, and how you have cultivated your knowledge over your career. Please provide context for your experience including your role, the work that you were responsible for, and the location and duration of your experience. If you type "See Resume" you will not be given credit for your response. If this does not apply, type "N/A."

  08

  Please describe your experience in outreach, technical assistance, and/or communication. Please provide context for your experience including your role, the work that you were responsible for, and the location and duration of your experience. If you type "See Resume" you will not be given credit for your response. If this does not apply, type "N/A."

  Required Question

Agency

Metropolitan Council

Address

390 Robert St. N.St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101

Website

https://metrocouncil.org

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