Senior Project Analyst

Agency Description

The Office of Director of Finance was created by the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, adopted by the electors of the City on April 17, 1951, to give the Mayor and the City government a principal officer responsible for the financial, accounting, and budgeting functions of the executive branch. The Director of Finance is thus the chief financial officer of the City and all powers and duties concerning finances, accounting, and budgeting in the executive branch are directly or indirectly the Director’s. The Director of Finance is also the Chairman of the Board of Pensions and Retirements and an ex-officio member of the board of various quasi-governmental agencies, including the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority. The City of Philadelphia operates on a fiscal year between July 1st and June 30th.

The Grants Office, within the Philadelphia Budget Office, oversees certain major federal and state funding that the City receives; supports the pursuit of grants that align with the Mayor’s priorities; increases the federal, state, and philanthropic funding that is available to the City and to agencies and organizations that benefit the City; and supports City agencies and departments in their applications for grants and in their management of grant funding to ensure compliance with grant guidelines and fiscal policies.

Position Summary

The Senior Project Analyst will support Philadelphia’s long-term disaster recovery efforts associated with Hurricane Ida and help advance the City’s resiliency and mitigation strategies. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated over $163 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to help the City recover from Hurricane Ida. HUD’s CDBG-DR grant program is designed to help communities address unmet needs resulting from Presidentially declared disasters while promoting long-term resiliency.

This position, which will report to the CDBG-DR Project Director, will work with public agencies and local stakeholders to design and implement policies and programs to help residents recover from the impacts of Hurricane Ida while promoting increased resilience to future disasters. The Senior Project Analyst will collaborate with other members of the City’s Budget Office, the Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Office of Sustainability (OOS), the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and additional partner departments and agencies to develop and implement the City’s CDBG-DR grant program.

This is an opportunity to help solve complex problems, gain direct experience in long-term recovery planning and mitigation, obtain valuable exposure to government operations, and meaningfully contribute to Philadelphia’s resiliency and mitigation goals.  This is a full-time, grant-funded position that is funded for up to five years. Working hours are generally 40 hours per week.

Essential Functions

• Work as part of a growing team to provide expert services to support housing, economic revitalization, and infrastructure programs that are part of Philadelphia’s long-term disaster recovery effort and CDBG-DR program.
• Offer guidance on best practices for delivering sustainable, compliant, and resilient housing, buyout, economic revitalization, public services, infrastructure, and planning programs that prioritize low- and moderate- income households.
• Provide guidance and expertise on applicable CDBG-DR program requirements, Federal regulations, and other pertinent policies and understand how they interplay with program design, implementation, and oversight of recovery programs. These regulations and requirements include CDBG-DR, cross-cutting Federal requirements (e.g., environmental review, labor standards, acquisition/relocation, fair housing), duplication of benefits, and others.
• Pay a key role in shaping program strategies by developing, improving, and strengthening program procedures and processes for effective implementation.
• Work with staff to set up and effectively utilize systems and be able to interpret and apply regulations within the context of these systems.
• Support in the oversight and monitoring of CDBG-DR program activities.
• Track CDBG-DR activities and report the data in the Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting (DRGR) system.
• Provide technical assistance to, and oversight of, CDBG-DR subrecipients and other relevant partners.
• Maintain adequate records of assisted activities sufficient for HUD to determine compliance in accordance with CDBG-DR recordkeeping requirements.
• Lead collaboration with program partners and stakeholders to ensure program goals, timelines and performance measures are met.
• Promote the CDBG-DR program by making presentations, writing reports and updates and conducting and coordinating meetings and other forums.
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities as assigned; the focus of activities may change depending on the needs of the program.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Planning and Evaluating.  Possesses exceptional organizational skills including time management, prioritization, attention to detail, and analytical abilities. Experienced in financial management, including budgeting and financial reporting.
• Government Systems & Procurement. Proficient in navigating complex systems, including government bureaucracy, procurement, contracts, and policy processes.
• Written Communication.  Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
• Oral Communication.  Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, considering the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Interpersonal Skills.  Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Ability to prioritize and balance workload across multiple projects with short-term deadlines.
• Ability to work independently upon clear direction.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint) and Adobe Suite applications.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical behavior
• Commitment to furthering equity goals via public investments in the City’s long-term recovery efforts.

Basic qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Planning, Public Policy, Engineering, Architecture, Law, Economics, Business Administration, Policy, Public Administration, or a related field.
• 3+ years of professional work experience.
• 2+ years of project management experience.

Desirable:

• A master’s degree or additional certification in the fields mentioned above.
• Experience and/or deep understanding of working with the City of Philadelphia, its neighborhoods, and governmental structure along with a background in government, the non-profit sector, or comparable settings. This includes conducting research, writing, managing stakeholder processes, and collaborating on teams to achieve common agendas, work products, or strategies.
• Experience with HUD CDBG, CDBG-DR, and/or CDBG-MIT or FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (e.g. HMGP, FMA, BRIC).

We welcome and encourage applicants with non-traditional career paths. If you don’t exactly meet the qualifications outlined here, please apply and describe in your cover letter how your own experiences equip you to excel in this position.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, resume and references. Applications without all required documents may not be considered.

Salary Range: $72,000- $85,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster – As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships – The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx