Housing Specialist 2

The Department of Housing, strengthens and revitalizes communities by promoting affordable housing opportunities. The Department seeks to eliminate homelessness and to catalyze the creation and preservation of quality, affordable housing to meet the needs of all individuals and families statewide. Currently, the Department seeks to fill a Housing Specialist 2 to help ensure that Connecticut continues to be a great place to live and work. Located just outside of downtown Hartford at 505 Hudson Street, you will work full-time (40 hrs/week) Monday thru Friday. in this role, you will administer, review, analyze and prepare financial assitance applications while also providing technical assistance to local, state and/or federal government entities regarding housing and community development funding programs.

Interested applicants must include a resume within the "Resume Tab" of their application.

Applicants are also required to upload a cover letter. (In order to upload documents you must ensure that your internet browser's 'pop-up' blocker is off. Failure to do so may prevent you from being able to upload documentation and submit your application.)

Candidates who do not submit required documents listed above or do not submit their application accurately and on time, will not be considered for this employment opportunity.

NOTE: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation such as performance reviews, attendance, supervisory references, etc., to support their candidacy for this position.

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Irena Baj-Wright at Irena.Baj-Wright@ct.gov, or at (860) 713-5391.

In the Department of Housing, this class is accountable for acting as a working supervisor and performing the most complex duties related to housing and/or community development programs and/or projects.

Plans unit workflow and determines priorities; schedules, assigns, oversees, and reviews work; establishes and maintains unit procedures; provides technical assistance and reviews work of unit staff for consistency and conformity with unit policies; provides staff training; conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations; makes recommendations on policies or standards; reviews, analyzes and completes complex financial assistance applications, program plans, budgets, term sheets, contracts, and revisions to contracts to ensure accuracy and conformity with statutory and agency requirements; provides funding and other recommendations on financial applications; reviews and processes requests for disbursements, contract modifications and other program and project modifications requested by the financial assistance recipients and makes recommendations; provides technical assistance to state agencies and federal government entities relative to housing related programs; consults with local agencies and authorities in areas of program planning, design, operations and management; serves as liaison with agency administrative staff, state agencies and federal government entities, property managers, landlords, private consultants, advocates, service providers and attorneys on housing, housing related and community development matters including agency projects and programs; performs inspections, recertifications, reviews and evaluations to determine quality of program operations, conformance with program plan and other contractual requirements and effectiveness and makes recommendations; prepares comprehensive financial documents and other reports; maintains and monitors program budgets and completes related paperwork; monitors the status of payment requests; coordinates activities of agency with local, regional, state, and federal governmental entities and private organizations and individuals; meets with officials and others to explain agency programs and policies; may serve on committees, task forces and work groups; may develop new housing, housing related and community development programs; represents the agency in meetings with financial assistance recipients; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of local, state and federal governmental and private resources available in the areas of housing and community development; considerable knowledge of the challenges and programs related to the expansion of affordable housing, community revitalization and homelessness reduction and prevention; considerable knowledge of social and economic factors related to expansion of affordable housing, community revitalization and homelessness reduction and prevention; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable interpersonal skills, considerable ability to review, analyze or prepare financial assistance applications from local, state, or federal governmental entities; considerable ability to plan, analyze and evaluate housing programs and projects; some supervisory ability; ability to utilize computer software.

Seven (7) years of professional experience in the development and coordination of housing programs or projects or financial or technical advisory assistance to local, state, or federal government entities relative to housing or related housing matters.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been at the level of Housing Specialist 1.

1 College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's Degree.
2. A Master's Degree in housing and community development, housing studies, housing and human environments, urban planning, business administration, public administration or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

The preferred candidate will have experience with project management of mixed use properties and/or construction projects; experience with Microsoft Office applications, including especially Word, Excel, and Powerpoint; experience with HUD reporting systems including IDIS (Integrated Disbursement & Information System) , eLOCCS (Line of Credit Control System) and HDS (Housing & Development Software); knowledge of state and federal environmental regulations; graduate degree in real estate, urban planning, or a related field.

1. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to speak a foreign language.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.