Program Specialist

Somerville is a city that upholds progressive principles for both employees and residents alike. If you are looking for a culture that embraces innovation, empowerment, and collaborative involvement, Somerville not only embraces these talents, but encourages them. Creative, hands on collaboration with passionate dedication are at the core of the City’s workplace culture.  Challenging and fast paced, Somerville also offers a generous benefits package that embodies a strong work life balance. Not only is it a “Model City”, as termed by The Boston Globe, but it is also a model employer.

Statement of Duties

The Program Specialist is responsible for administering the CDBG Public Services program, Emergency Solutions Funds (ESG), Continuum of Care, and other administrative and compliance duties related to the administration of the City’s HUD Community Development Program. The incumbent is responsible for evaluating and making recommendations for the funding of specific proposals received, and for the ongoing monitoring of those programs. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

Essential Functions:

• Organizes and coordinates the annual Request for Proposal process for CDBG public service programs and ESG programs: evaluates whether proposals received from the community are eligible for grant funding, and whether they meet federal grant requirements; ensures that funds are allocated to recipients in order to meet the goals and objectives set forth in the City’s 5-year consolidated plan.
• Coordinate and participate in the funding Advisory Committee for both CDBG Public
• Services, and ESG.
• Prepares Requests for Proposals for specific projects to be funded with federal funds;
• makes recommendations to Mayor and others within OSPCD.
• Prepares contracts with vendors; prepares and submits compliance reports to HUD.
• Prepares and submits bill rolls and invoices.
• Manages budgets for projects funded with grant monies, and updates performance
• measures activities in the Integrated Disbursement Information System (IDIS).
• Conduct ongoing sub-recipient monitoring including periodic site visits and field reviews.
• Participate in monthly Continuum of Care meetings with homeless providers.
• Completes quarterly reports on Homeless Management Information System.
• Collaborates with funding agencies in order to maximize services; negotiates terms and
• amendments to contracts.
• Assist Finance and Administration Director with preparation of Annual Action Plans,
• Annual Performance Report and other miscellaneous compliance reporting to HUD.

Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s Degree and one to three (1-3) years’ experience in social work, human services or grant-related work; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill
Knowledge: Thorough working knowledge of office procedures and machines; working knowledge of state regulations and laws pertaining to HUD, and specifically CDBG, ESG.

Ability: Ability to meet and deal with the public effectively and appropriately; ability to handle problems and emergencies effectively; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to deal appropriately with City employees, City officials, funding agencies and the public.

Skill: Excellent organizational skills; excellent data processing skill in the use of personal computers and office software including word processing, database, internet and spreadsheet applications; basic familiarity with municipal accounting practices.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills

Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books, office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system, computer and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting.

Visual Skills

Visual demands include constantly reading documents for general understanding and for analytical purposes and routinely reviewing maps and blueprints with a need for color vision.

Send your resume and cover letter by July 27, 2018 to:

City Hall Personnel Office
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville MA 02143
Fax: 617-666-4426
TTY: 1-866-808-4851
Email: employment_opportunities@somervillema.gov

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request.

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Nency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or NSalamoun@somervillema.gov.