Senior Project Officer – Governance

Overview

Job Summary 

The NJEDA’s Governance Department supports the Authority’s Board of Directors.  The Senior Project Officer’s primary role is to ensure robust and regular program-level reporting to the Board, with a particular focus on reports of activity under delegated authority as well as program updates on pilot programs. This position will partner with program/product teams to develop, define or memorialize, as applicable, program-level goals for new and existing programs to enable stronger performance evaluation efforts. Additionally, this position will prepare and send notices to the New Jersey State Legislature as required by the Economic Recovery Act.

$76,184 – $95,230

Note: The NJEDA currently offers a hybrid work schedule for up to 2 days of telecommute work from home. To participate, you will be required to have high speed home internet access and a managers approval. This program does not supersede the “New Jersey First Act”, which requires newly hired NJEDA employees to establish and then maintain, principal residence in the State of New Jersey.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities of Senior Project Officer 

• Develop a comprehensive Board dashboard that will provide key information in an easily digestible format to update the Board on the EDA’s financial results and key program metrics.
• Partner with business units and program/program teams to compile and analyze data and report actual results compared to expected performance.
• For programs with a budgetary cap, the dashboard should also include funds remaining and a run-rate projection.
• This dashboard would be provided quarterly and provide program updates on a quarterly, year-to-date and life-to-date basis.
• Partner with program/product teams to develop, define or memorialize, as applicable, program-level goals for new and existing programs to enable stronger performance evaluation efforts.
• Work with the Authority’s Legal & Compliance staff, as well as the Office of the Attorney General, to ensure Board members are kept up to date regarding statutory authority and know the extent of their authority to award financial assistance and to modify, withdraw or reduce awards.
• Work with Authority’s Legal & Compliance staff, as well as the Office of the Attorney General, to provide briefings to the Board explaining any changes in law or material legislative proposals, legal decisions, or other governing authority, as required.
• For new and existing programs, partner with program/product teams to develop key performance indicators that can be used to review and evaluate programs for effectiveness and impact.
• Work with Product Development team and product owners to develop and maintain a list of all active Authority programs and one-page summaries of each.
• Regularly solicit input from Board members using surveys or other methodologies.
• Track all requests from Board members and ensure staff respond promptly and appropriately.
• For each delegation of authority from Board to CEO/staff, partner with business units and program/program teams to ensure regular reporting back to the Board on how that delegation was utilized.
• Track and maintain data on Board items (including how many of each type of item the Board considered).  Regularly review existing delegations of authority and make recommendations for further opportunities for program-level delegations of authority.
• Review the Delegation Policy at least annually and make recommendations for appropriate revisions.
• Ensure by-laws, charters, Board policies, reports and other key documents are uploaded to the board governance portal and readily available to the Board and staff.
• Work, in partnership with the Authority’s Closing and Intergovernmental Affairs departments, to provide notices to the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate as required for the Economic Recovery Fund (ERF).
• Work with Board portal vendor to improve usage of the portal by exploring functionality and then working to implement improvements.  Identify opportunities and lead on implementation of strategies to maximize Board Governance Software for Board Members and staff, such as developing user-friendly materials and training for users.
• Regularly review Board governance policies, protocols and initiatives and recommend revisions as necessary and appropriate.
  Serve as a governance resource; attend all relevant Board and committee meetings, conduct governance-related research, and help to develop and institutionalize best practices for implementation authority-wide.
  Serve as a liaison to members of the NJEDA Board and affiliated Boards. In the Director’s absence, serve as main point of contact for all governance matters, and ensure all governance related meetings and workflow is handled properly.
• Promote teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative and collaborative environment.
• Advise Authority leadership on policy and technical matters related to program topics and initiatives.
• Demonstrate a leadership and ownership mindset within the department including suggesting new ideas for how to improve the division.
• Participate in setting goals and objectives and assess progress against individual plans to provide input on semiannual and annual reviews. Must complete annual and semiannual self-assessment as required.
• Collaborate in the development and achievement of the department goals; review and evaluate own performance against key metrics.
• Develop best practices which can be institutionalize across multiple programs; define and implement needed systems and policies.
• Promote teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers.
• Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned.
• Must complete annual and semiannual self-assessment as required.

Qualifications
Required Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to self-motivate and self-lead own work planning and execution with a strong result orientation
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work.
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in creative and analytical problem solving, including structuring issues, framing solutions, and executing complex analyses with limited time constraints and limited supervision.
• Strong ability to synthesize findings and propose actionable solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (presentation, memos, and emails)
• Ability to work on small project teams tackling complex and challenging work.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; proficient in grammar, spelling and editing; and foster communications with business professionals and EDA staff.
• Ability to undertake research, disseminate information and summarize in an easily understandable format.
• Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints with little or no supervision.
• Ability to analyze and manipulate report data.
• Demonstrate ability to gain a thorough knowledge and understanding of EDA programs and services.
  NJEDA utilizes Microsoft as the core application platform and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite is preferred.
• Become proficient in Board Governance software.
• Knowledge of electronic communications techniques such as web casting a plus
• Demonstrates respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality and deal effectively and diplomatically with business professionals and EDA staff.

Required Qualifications 

Education and Experience Requirements 

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a relevant field such as policy, planning, communication or other relevant areas.
• A strong track record of professional success
• Seven years of industry-facing experience in a government agency or related field (or) seven years of experience in a fast-paced, project-based professional services environment that emphasizes teamwork, problem solving, and communication (e.g., management consulting, investment banking, legal field, large-scale project management, etc.)
• Experience in program development, public policy development and basic financial principles

Advanced degree or industry specific certification may be substituted for 1 year of experience.

Location

Position can be based in either Trenton or Newark

Physical Demands

Minimal
Ability to work outside normal business hours, as needed.

Travel

As necessary to events, meetings, businesses, etc.

Certificates and Licenses Required

License: Staff are required to possess a valid driver’s license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essentials duties of the position
Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job description. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope, general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job.  This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

Your employment at NJEDA is voluntary and subject to termination by you or NJEDA at will, with or without cause, or with or without notice, at any time.  Nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to conflict, eliminate or modify the employment-at-will status of NJEDA employees.

This position is considered exempt and is excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers under the FLSA.

NJEDA reserves the right to amend/revise this job description as necessary to meet current and changing business needs.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NJ SAME Program

Position Requirements

Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a reputable evaluation service at your own expense and must be submitted prior to a start date.  If this cannot be provided within 21 days of an offer the offer will be rescinded.
Must comply with the “New Jersey First Act” which requires employees hired after September 1, 2011, to reside in New Jersey. Non-New Jersey resident employees must relocate to New Jersey within one year of their date of hire and provide proof of residency to Human Resources.
Must complete an Outside Activity Questionnaire (disclosure of outside office or employment) on an annual basis.
Must review the required NJEDA Ethics Guidelines.

Those guidelines to can be found here:

https://www.nj.gov/ethics/docs/ethics/plainlanguage2021.pdf

https://www.nj.gov/ethics/docs/ethics/2022_uniformcode_april.pdf