Affordable Housing and Finance Specialist - Promotional - #176875

Position Information

THIS RECRUITMENT IS PROMOTIONAL ONLY. YOU MUST PRESENTLY BE A FULL- OR PART-TIME REGULAR OR PROBATIONARY COUNTY OF SONOMA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, SONOMA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, OR SONOMA COUNTY WATER AGENCY EMPLOYEE IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.

The Community Development Commission (CDC) has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Finance Specialist position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary CDC employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position. The Sonoma County CDC is a separate entity from the County of Sonoma and not within the Sonoma County Civil Service System. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

The Affordable Housing and Finance Specialist coordinates Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) processes; prepares staff reports; works with title companies, lenders, and state regulatory agencies to ensure that the CDC's position is clear; and assists in the management of the CDC's property affordability agreements. Some of the funding programs include the County Fund for Housing (CFH), Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Asset Fund (LMIHAF), Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Homeownership Funds, and Housing Assistance Committee (HAC,) contract.

Typical Duties Include

• Performing loan servicing tasks including defaults, resales, and assisting with loan inquiries
• Managing the agency’s loan portfolio
• Preparing and recording new agreements and liens for all single family and multifamily properties
• Preparing and issuing loan payoffs and processing lien releases
• Loan filing, administration, and origination
• Reviewing and analyzing development pro-forma and financial projections
  
  

In addition to having initiative, problem-solving skills, and a passion for serving the community, the ideal candidate for this position will possess:

• At least five years of recent work experience in development finance, affordable housing, mortgage lending, project management, government grants such as CDBG and HOME programs
• Knowledge of the County’s housing element and environmental laws
• Knowledge and education in the fields of affordable housing/ conventional financing, administration, compliance, government
• An understanding of federal, state, and grant funding sources including NOFA review and award process
• Knowledge of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)/ National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements
• The ability to interpret federal regulations, local policies, and laws
• A comfort with public speaking and presentations
• The ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse, underserved populations
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills
• Training courses or certifications in affordable housing finance, low-income tax credits, real estate, compliance, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Environmental laws, and compliance with the Brown Act are highly desirable!
  
  

The formal title of this position is Community Development Program Specialist.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and work experience which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally, this would include academic coursework in public administration, business, accounting, real estate, finance, or related fields, and three years of work experience equivalent to performing duties as a Community Development Specialist II.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Bilingual Designation: Designated positions may require the ability to speak, read, and write a language in addition to English.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Knowledge of: the purpose, process, and concepts of processing documents related to Community Development Programs; federal assistance programs; real estate transactions; loan application procedures; grant program funding; commonly used documents related to specialized program areas; methods and techniques used in researching, proofing, evaluating, and gathering information; organization and presentation of data in reports to the public; computerized equipment and specific systems used within the Commission; English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and composition; public welfare and community resources available to low-income groups; instructional techniques and methods.

Ability to: work independently in performing most assignments and in resolving problems; provide training and support to lower level staff; establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, other employees, supervisors, community organizations, representatives, the general public, and state and federal agencies; analyze and evaluate program effectiveness and make recommendations; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action; assist in management of multi-faceted programs; independently manage multiple projects of a multi-faceted program; organize, coordinate, analyze, and synthesize the work of varied and changing work groups including staff of municipalities, County departments, local and state agencies, community organizations, lenders, title companies, real estate agents, developers, and others; communicate effectively verbally and in writing with individuals from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds; maintain confidentiality of restricted information; function as lead for a program and/or multiple projects of a program; use computerized equipment; make oral and written presentations to diverse groups and organizations; establish, organize, and manage departmental files; prepare clear and concise written reports.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.
  
  

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The Selection Procedure Will Consist Of The Following Examination

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) may be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.
  
  

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation may be required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How To Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: DP

HR Technician: KK

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off :Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan : Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution toward the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit. For specific details, please refer to the applicable MOU). A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.

Retirement :Fully integrated with Social Security.For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan : Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical :County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at [email protected] or (707) 565-2900.

• IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.
  
  

Closing Date/Time: 4/30/2024 11:59 PM Pacific