Senior Development Officer

The City of San José Housing Department is a leader in the development of affordable housing. Its mission is to strengthen and to revitalize our community through housing and neighborhood investment. With an operating budget of approximately $119 million annually and 112 employees, the department administers multiple local, state, and federal funds. We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive work environment prioritizing social & racial equity and inclusion.

The Housing Department is currently seeking to fill 1 full-time Sr. Development Officer vacancy in the Grants Division.

The salary range for the Development Officer classification is: $140,846.16 - $171,509.52.

This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

This position, reporting to a Housing Policy and Planning Administrator (the “Grant Manager”), is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Grants Management Program which administers contracts with nonprofit agencies and City programs receiving federal, state, and other grant funds, including: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Housing Opportunities for Persons With Aids (HOPWA), Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG), HOME, Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP), Homekey, the City’s Housing Trust Fund and related programs.

The Grants Management Team administers an annual budget of approximately $150 million dollars. The programs provide grants to over 35 nonprofit agencies, involving approximately 90 contracts, for delivery of priority services to San Jose residents and for capital projects.

This position directly supervises a Development Officer, and shares supervision of another 9 Analyst and Staff Specialist positions.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Managing the federal grants process
• Managing the monitoring and compliance process
• Planning, controlling, directing and evaluating the operations of the Grants Management Program to ensure adequate operating procedures and internal controls
• Supervision and leadership of staff, including staff development and training and preparation of performance evaluations
• Interfacing successfully with HUD, City departments and outside nonprofit agencies receiving grant funds, the Citywide Grants Management Working Group, and the Countywide CDBG Coordinators
• Managing the following functions of the Grants Management Program:
  • Implementing procedures to ensure compliance of grant programs with applicable federal, State and local statutes and regulations
  • Participating in the annual preparation of the Consolidated Annual Action Plan (ConPlan) and Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER), in coordination with the Department’s Policy Team
  • Ensuring timely expenditure of entitlement and other grant awards to comply with mandated milestones
  • Developing and conducting application and contract development workshops for nonprofit agency readiness
  • Working closely with project implementation staffs to develop contracts with sub-recipient agencies, including City departments, to ensure that all regulatory requirements are cited, budgets are appropriate and complete, and that the scope of services includes only eligible activities
  • Ensuring that applicable reporting is accurate and timely in accordance with program-specific requirements
  • Meeting internal performance measures for timeliness
  • Keeping policy and procedures manuals up to date

The ideal candidate will coordinate effectively with other parties, such as other City departments, the City Attorney’s Office, outside agencies, and developers; will have experience with, and an understanding of, federal grant program regulations, preferably those promulgated by HUD; can work well both independently and as part of a team; and has excellent written and oral communication skills. Computer literacy is a must.

Experience with Grant compliance and monitoring is preferred.

Education:Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Planning, Housing, Geography, Economics,

Business Administration, Public Administration, Political Science, Sociology or related field

Experience:five (5) years of increasingly responsible professional level, directly related work experience, including two (2) years of supervisory or development project lead experience.

Acceptable Substitutions:Additional related experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Certifications:Possession of a valid State of California driver’s license may be required for some assignments.

Form 700 requirement

This position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions. You must complete and file an “Assuming Office Form 700” with the City Clerk’s Office within the first 30 days of employment with the office.

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

• Job Expertise– Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
  1. Knowledge of real estate finance, development, marketing and appraisal
  2. Knowledge of loan underwriting and title and escrow process.
  3. Knowledge of urban renewal, neighborhood preservation, low-income housing programs or affordable housing development.
• Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills and displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
• Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.
• Analytical Thinking - Approaching a problem or situation by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach.
• Collaboration - Develops networks and builds alliances; engages in cross-functional activities.
• Fiscal Management - Understands the relationship of the budget and resources to the strategic plan; complies with administrative controls over funds, contracts, and procurements.
• Project Management - Ensures support for projects and implements agency goals and strategic objectives.
• Supervision - Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision-making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.
• Initiative - Exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning ahead; displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges; pursues continuing education opportunities that promotes job performance.

Selection Process:

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact hsin-ping.lee@sanjoseca.gov