Program Specialist - Inclusionary Housing and Lead Hazard Reduction

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 – Inclusionary Housing and Lead Hazard Reduction engages in an array of activities and projects that aid the City of Somerville in developing and implementing housing programs to meet community needs.  The employee will assist with activities in support of the Inclusionary Housing and Lead Hazard Reduction programs, and perform a variety of related duties.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

·      Provides administrative support for the Lead Hazard Reduction Program and the Inclusionary Housing Program.

·      Reviews all applications to ensure all necessary documentation is provided for both Inclusionary Housing and Lead Hazard Reduction Program, logs applications into databases, and handles some data entry and processing for the Programs.

·      Determines income eligibility of property owners and tenants participating in the Lead Hazard Reduction Program and Inclusionary Housing programs. Certifies initial and ongoing income eligibility of applicants.

·      Assists with preparation on Inclusionary Housing lottery and information sessions as well as provides assistance at the events.

·      Attends outreach events as representative of the Housing Division, primarily relating to the Inclusionary Housing and Lead Hazard Reduction Programs.

·      Provides support and assistance to the Housing Division as needed.

·      Provides customer service to and serves as the primary contact for prospective and current applicants in the Programs.

·      Provides referral resources on landlord/tenant issues.

·      Prepares reports on Inclusionary and/or Lead program activities, as needed.

·      Prepares requisitions, invoices and grant drawdown materials.

·      Helps ensure that Lead Hazard Reduction and Inclusionary Housing information is current on City website and social media by giving program updates to Program Specialist – Fair Housing and Operations Support

·      Coordinates outreach and marketing for Inclusionary Housing and Lead Hazard Reduction Program; provides support assistance to Housing Program Coordinator as needed on outreach and marketing for the Lead Hazard Reduction Program.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree and three (3) years’ experience; 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.

Special Requirements:

·      Job duties may include attending some evening meetings.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge:  Some knowledge of and experience with strategies and programs geared toward maintaining and expanding affordable housing opportunities; knowledge of housing income certification process; strong knowledge of Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Photoshop, Illustrator, and social media applications are preferred.

Abilities:  Position requires the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with other City departments, state and federal agencies, architects, contractors, developers, owners, supervisors, employees, and the general public. Demonstrates the ability to work as a team member and maintain project timelines; continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service to the public at-large.

Skills:  This position requires strong skills in oral and written communication; excellent customer service skills.  Bi-lingual or multilingual ability in Spanish, Portuguese, and/or Haitian-Creole is preferred but not required.

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

Minimal 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. Work requires some agility such as moving in or about construction sites or over rough terrain. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment or photocopy paper (up to 30lbs.).

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, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Send your resume and cover letter by January 11, 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.