Job Description:

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Provides leadership and expertise and serves as liaison between the Executive Director and various local, state and federal government agencies, and key stakeholders.

• Confers regularly with the Executive Director to apprise her/him of new and changing regulations, policies, positions, requirements, and special priority matters locally, state-wide and federally. Frequently interacts with Local and State Officials, Federal government agencies and other organizations as requested by the Executive Director.

• In collaboration with the Executive Director and key leadership, develops and implements a comprehensive and strategic legislative and government affairs programs that advance the mission of HOC.

• Monitors federal and local policies and regulations that have potential impact on the affordable housing industry and HOC, in particular; advising the Executive Director and key management staff of such potential impact and organizing an action plan, if deemed necessary.

• Prepares various white papers to inform the Executive Director and other HOC officials and executive staff of pending government rules/regulations impacting the organization; prepares background summaries of political appointees, as required, in order to keep the Executive Director abreast of all local and federal individual platform issues that may impact affordable housing, to facilitate an informed issue response, as may be necessary.
• Collaborates with executive staff in response to any Hearing requests from County or State Officials and provides leadership on all advance preparatory arrangements, schedules and strictly adhering to imposed deadlines for deliverables.

• Develops and establishes a structure of HOC stakeholders (government, business, education, etc); indicating the required level of engagement in order to advance the mission and strategic objectives of the organization.

• Collaborates with the Public Affairs and Communications Department to design and implement programs that include education, and policy discussion to ensure an engaged community of stakeholders that will strengthen HOC’s position in the community.

• Develops quantitative and qualitative measures of performance for individual staff members; ensures the routine collection of the information for these measures; performs required evaluations
• Supervises and effectively utilizes employees of the department by aligning talent and competencies and by providing feedback on staff work assignments; recommends personnel actions, to include approving/ disapproving leave; interviewing and selecting new employees; investigates complaints and helps resolve differences between employees and groups of employees; provides training and gives guidance to ensure expeditious accomplishment of work and the continuous development and maintenance of competent staff
• Ensures operating procedures are properly documented, updated, reviewed, and revised, as necessary; analyzes existing work methods and management techniques to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness
• Manages the budget planning processes; participates in the development of HOC’s annual budget; ensures that the department operates within the established budget; advises the Executive Director on major budget issues that may present during the FY.
• Performs all other related duties as assigned.

Preferred Skills:

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Job Competencies

• Extensive knowledge of legislative processes best practices with competency in key areas – legal processes for the development regulations, policies, procedures, codes;
• Ability to conduct and interpret legal research and present findings in lay terms
• Ability to represent HOC with government officials, business  entities, education and industry leaders
• Knowledge of the affordable housing industry and Housing   and Urban Development regulations
• Understanding of the national and local political     environment and federal and local agencies with which the   Commission works
• Excellent oral and written language and communication   skills

Education and/or Experience

Master’s Degree in business or related field from an accredited four-year college or university; minimum of 5 years’ experience in legislative and government affairs; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with HUD programs, low-income housing or multi-family housing is a plus.

Degree in Law is a plus

Computer and Administrative Skills

Demonstrated knowledge of intranet/portal, internet, social media, spreadsheet software (MS Excel), word processing (MS Word) and e-mail software. Ability to learn other computer software programs as required by assigned tasks.

Behavioral Competencies

This position requires the incumbent to exhibit the following behavioral skills:

Leadership: 

Exhibits confidence in self and others; inspires and motivates others to perform well; effectively influences actions and opinions of others; accepts feedback from others; and gives appropriate recognition to others.

Managing People: 

Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating, and process improvement; takes responsibility for subordinates' activities; makes self available to staff; provides regular performance feedback; develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; fosters quality focus in others; improves processes, products, and services; and continually works to improve supervisory skills.

Business Acumen: 

Understands business implications of decisions; demonstrates knowledge of market; and aligns work with strategic goals.

Analytical: 

Synthesizes complex or diverse information; collects and researches data; and uses intuition and experience to complement data.

Commitment: 

Sets high standards of performance; pursues aggressive goals and works hard/smart to achieve them; strives for results and success; conveys a sense of urgency, and brings issues to closure; and persists despite obstacles and opposition.

Customer Service: 

Meets/exceeds the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; identifies, understands, monitors, and measures the needs of internal and external customers; responds to the needs of internal and external customers; talks and acts with customers in mind; and recognizes working colleagues as customers; solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external)

Effective Communication: 

Ensures important information is passed to those who need to know; conveys necessary information clearly and effectively orally or in writing; demonstrates attention to, and conveys understanding of, the comments and questions of others; and listens effectively. Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Exhibits strong group presentation skills; Actively participates in or guides meetings, as appropriate.

Written Communication: 

Writes clearly and informatively creating work that is generally error free; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret complex written information.

Responsiveness and Accountability: 

Demonstrates a high level of conscientiousness; holds oneself personally responsible for one's own work; and does one’s fair share of work.