Somerville is a city that upholds progressive principles for both employees and residents. The City of Somerville embraces and encourages an innovative, empowering, and collaborative workplace culture in a fast-paced, challenging environment. The City also offers a generous benefits package that embodies a strong work-life balance. Not only is Somerville a “Model City,” as termed by The Boston Globe, but it is also a model employer.
Statement of Duties
Under the direct supervision of the Director of Housing Stability, the Deputy Director of Housing Stability is responsible for overseeing the direct services component of the Office of Housing Stability (OHS). The Deputy Director shall ensure that high standards for the quality of OHS case management services are met including appropriate tracking of cases; maintain a database of current housing opportunities; draft requests for proposals and manage contracts with legal service providers and other housing related provider agencies within the community; advocate on housing related issues; oversee management of the office budget, and otherwise manage daily operations for the office. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.
Essential Functions
- Tracks data regarding various activities of the Office of Housing Stability (OHS);
- Maintains database of current affordable housing opportunities for OHS;
- Researches and helps to develop new housing policies and programs including implementation strategies and procedures as directed by, and in collaboration with, the Director;
- Cultivates and maintains interdepartmental and external relationships;
- Organizes meetings for key staff involved in housing advocacy and referral services;
- Ensures regular OHS staff meetings are held;
- Facilitates providing information in response to inquiries about landlord\tenant issues;
- Mentors and provides guidance to OHS staff, ensures consistency of departmental operations, and drafts performance plans and performance reviews for staff in collaboration with Director;
- Oversees special projects including landlord outreach and public workshops;
- Responds to requests for information from the Board of Aldermen (BOA) or other City Departments as directed;
- Participates in housing related coalitions;
- Attends meetings of the Advisory Board;
- Ensures appropriate fiscal management;
- Attends BOA meetings as required to respond to BOA requests for information;
- In the absence of the Director, makes decisions, serves as official signatory and communicates on behalf of the Office of Housing Stability.
Recommended Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Policy, Urban Planning, Public Policy,
Public Administration, Real Estate Development, or other relevant program and three to five (3-
5) years of related work 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. Master's degree in public policy, social work, business or public
administration or related fields preferred but not required.
Knowledge, Abilities and Skill
Knowledge: Knowledge of Massachusetts housing law, with detailed knowledge of state and federal housing and community development programs (including HUD, CDBG and HOME programs) and interest in housing-related issues desirable.
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
and members of the general 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.
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
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.
Application Procedure:
Send your resume and cover letter by Tuesday, December 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.
Hours: Full Time
Salary: $81,600.00 a year plus benefits