Department Head - Community Programs

Frederick County Government values the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members.  If you are a person who wants to make a difference, give back to your community, and be a voice for change, apply to Frederick County Government today.

TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE:
Frederick County offers an extensive compensation package to reflect how highly we value our employees. The following is what you can expect in your first year as a full-time benefited Frederick County Government employee.  

• 11 days of Vacation leave with increase after 2 years of employment
• 15 days of Sick leave with unlimited annual carryover
• 11 paid holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays (10 and 11 month employees may not receive all holidays)
• Day 1 coverage of comprehensive Medical Insurance Plan options to include generous County Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution (if enrolled in the high-deductible plan). This is part of a full range of benefits including Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending
• Employee Health Center with no or low-cost primary and urgent care
• 100% County paid 2x annual salary Group Term Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit
• County and Employee funded Defined Benefit Pension Plan 
  • Vesting after 5 years of service
  • Additional service credit for eligible previous public service, military service, etc.
• Work/Life balance programs include: Employee Assistance Program and Employee Wellness Program
• Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Other employee-paid benefits such as Deferred Compensation Plan, Legal Resources, Supplemental Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Lifetime Benefit with Long Term Care plan

NOTE: Benefited employees will accrue service and leave based on the FTE and/or hours worked per calendar year. 

For more information, visit our benefits page on the Frederick County Government job opportunities webpage.

• Direct, supervise, and participate in daily operations and strategic planning for assigned program areas, including workflow oversight, process evaluation, and implementation of improvements
• Provide leadership and supervision to division staff, including hiring, training, performance evaluation, and coordination of personnel-related administrative tasks
• Oversee program operations to ensure effective service delivery, regulatory compliance, budget administration, and alignment with division goals.
• Develop, recommend, and implement operational policies and procedures to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and overall program performance.
• Manage relationships with external agencies, developers, contractors, municipalities, and community partners to support housing and community development objectives
• Oversee administration of housing and community development programs, including affordable housing production, developer incentive programs, homebuyer and rehabilitation assistance, and division funding programs supporting housing initiatives
• Oversee administration of State, Federal, and local community development grants, including compliance monitoring, documentation, reporting, and coordination with regulatory entities
• Oversee preparation of required plans, regulatory agreements, and annual reports related to housing, homelessness systems, and community development programs
• Lead implementation of strategic objectives intended to produce and preserve affordable housing in Frederick County; in alignment with the Frederick County Housing Study
• Represent the division in meetings, presentations, audits, and public forums; serve as liaison to boards, committees, and stakeholder groups.
• Perform other related duties as required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Economics, Urban Planning, Political Science, Human Services, Public Administration or related field
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in Human Services, Housing, or Community Development, which must include at least 2 years of experience supervising or managing staff and 2 years of budget and fiscal work experience which includes grant management

• Advanced knowledge of federal HUD regulations and programs - HCV, CDBG, LIHTC, and state housing development programs 
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration (including personnel, budgeting, accounting, and management activities), and the ability to apply them in overseeing a variety of housing and community development projects and programs
• Advanced knowledge of necessary technology, including specific housing program software 
• Skill in managing and supervising a team
• Skill in managing and implementing a program
• Skill in financial management
• Skill in managing federal and state grants, and overseeing compliance of subgrantees
• Strong and effective written and verbal (English) communication skills, including the ability to effectively and clearly prepare and present complicated information to officials, peer groups and citizen groups 
• Ability to work effectively and compassionately with vulnerable households, extremely low-income residents, seniors, people with disabilities, and those impacted by behavioral health or trauma
• Ability to effectively research and interpret complex Federal and State guidelines and regulations  
• Ability to effectively compile, prepare and administer a budget 
• Ability to effectively utilize and administer the grant application process 
• Ability to effectively supervise and direct the work of others 
• Ability to effectively access and utilize computerized fiscal, data management and word processing systems and equipment 
• Ability to effectively compile and prepare program reports, grant applications and other complex written work 
• Ability to lead workgroups, including with staff in other County Divisions and with community participants
• Strong organizational and problem-resolution skills including the ability to manage complex projects and establish priorities in a fast-paced environment 
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with local government officials, Federal and State program administrators, subsidized housing clients, co-workers and the general public 

• Experience in affordable housing finance, such as housing bonds, tax-incremental financing, Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes (PILOT), etc.
• Related experience working with or for Federal, State or local government
• Experience administering the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program
• Experience overseeing compliance of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program
• Experience partnering with nonprofit or for-profit developers to build or preserve affordable housing

• While working in this position, the employee is required to constantly sit, frequently reach and perform repetitive motions
• While working in this position, the employee is required to constantly work indoors

• Ability to provide own transportation as needed for meetings and other commitments
• Available for varied work hours as needed for meetings and other commitments 

1. An evaluation of education and experience
2. One or more interviews