Director, Project Management Unit

Official Title: Program Manager VI

Functional Title: Director, Project Management Unit 

Primary Location: United States-Massachusetts-Boston-100 Cambridge Street

Job: Administrative Services

Agency: Department of Housing & Community Development

Schedule: Full-time

Shift: Day

Job Posting: Mar 11, 2020, 11:09:46 AM

Number of Openings: 1

Salary: $41,017.08 - $95,700.00 Yearly

Bargaining Unit: M99-Managers (EXE)

Confidential: No

The Director of the Project Management Unit (hereinafter known as “the Director”) is a senior level manager within the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Division of Public Housing, Bureau of Housing Development and Construction (BHDC). The Director manages and is responsible for the work of the Project Management Unit (PMU), serving as the primary DHCD contact and manager for the Regional Capital Assistant Team (RCAT) Program, and through this role is also responsible, with the Director of BHDC, for the fiscal management of the capital spending program.

Annually, the Division of Public Housing disburses $109.5M in capital project bond funds, funding up to 1,500 projects at some stage of the pipeline at ~234 Local Housing Authorities (LHAs). This funding program supports the state of good repair of approximately 45,000 public housing family, elderly, and special needs units with a tenant population of approximately 80,000 people. The Director’s principal responsibilities of supervising the PMU, managing the RCAT program, and working with the Bureau Director to manage and allocate capital resources to ensure that that DHCD optimally uses its assigned capital resources to maintain this extensive housing stock for current tenants and future vulnerable populations.

Management Responsibilities:

The Director supervises the PMU, which includes 2 supervisors and 6 project managers (PMs). This unit provides project management support to local housing authorities (LHA) in the planning, design and construction of capital improvement projects funded in whole or in part by (DHCD) at state-supported public housing throughout the Commonwealth. The Director is responsible for oversight of their work, resolving project issues that cannot be managed by PMs alone, and working with PMs and other unit directors including Architecture/Engineers/Sustainability Unit (AESU), Construction Management Unit (CMU), Fiscal Affairs, and Housing Management to improve business processes and workflow.

Capital Management Responsibilities:

Ensures that the Bureau fully utilizes available state bond resources while remaining within allotted funds. The Director oversees PM management of LHA and regional caps and approves project LHA budget changes within delegated limits, while working with Bureau Director to provide monthly spending forecasts, recommendations regarding major budget changes, and context for major budgeting and policy decisions. The Director also provides overall management for Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) review process; performing quality control on PMU reviews and approving or modifying CIP requests that exceed guidelines for what can be delegated to PMs. The Director also works with Bureau Director to set policies for capital plan and project budget approvals for the PM Unit dependent on the Division’s overall cap situation. This role requires both strong data analysis and forecasting skills as well as knowledge of significant projects and LHA needs in order to manage cap to target while advancing the most urgent projects.

RCAT Program Manager Responsibilities:

The Director assists the Bureau Director in managing the Regional Capital Assistance Team (RCAT) program, which serves a project management and capital planning role for ~180 smaller LHAs. The director serves as a point of contact for RCAT directors with DHCD, implements DHCD policy with regard to RCATs, recommends policy changes to Bureau Director, and works with RCATs and DHCD staff to provide technical assistance for special projects such as procurement reform.

Policy Responsibilities:

The Director assists the Bureau Director in developing policies for the capital program, including conception and implementation of special award programs, process and oversight changes vis.a.vis the LHAs, integration of new software systems into BHDC business, and improvements to BHDC’s business processes.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

1. PMU Management: Oversees the work of PMU, through PM supervisors, for quality, and progress against spending and project completion benchmarks. Creates and oversees rules, guidelines, and trainings to ensure that PMs work with LHAs to assure that each project stays within its scope, schedule and budget or follows approved schedule and budget modification protocols, including decision to reprioritize projects. Provides quality control (spot-check) for PM decision making on project scope/budget changes, and reviews and approves or make recommendations on project scope/budget changes that require escalation to PM director or bureau director level. Overall responsibility for accuracy of database updates by PMs. Reviews PMU performance in approving LHA CIPs. Recommends and implements business changes to maximize staff capacity and ensure substantive review of projects.

2. Capital Management: Actively reviews spending forecasts, funding awards, and project timelines. Supports Bureau Director in setting overall guidelines for capital spending by LHAs in order to advance projects while staying within funding limits.  Supports Bureau Director in updating spending forecasts and makes recommendations on availability of funds to allocate to new projects. Sets guidelines for budget changes that can be approved for PMs, while approving larger budget changes subject to cap availability and providing recommendations on the most significant capital spending decisions to Bureau Director. Implements measures to spend according to state 5-year capital plan, including identifying priority projects and advancing or slowing pace of spending as necessary. Approves or modifies submitted CIPs that violate the guidelines within which a PM can approve them. Works with Bureau Director to set overall parameters for capital planning.

3. RCAT Program Management: Assists LHA and RCATs in using Bureau Programs to access resources and create and implement capital projects quickly and efficiently. Interfaces with RCATs on program guidelines and project management issues, while recommending and implementing program improvements. Provides overall oversight for managing RCAT and RCAT performance. Primary point of contact with RCAT’s for any questions regarding technical assistance or their interactions with DHCD policies and staff. Works with RCAT to implement broader policy objectives, including shared services and procurement reform.

4. Internal Coordination with BHDC Units: Works with CMU, AESU, Fiscal Team, and Bureau Director to address problems and policy issues that affect ability of PMU to keep projects on schedule, on scope, and on-budget, the ability of the Bureau to utilize cap, and the ability of LHAs to meet spending benchmarks. Recommends and oversees business process change and attendant report development and workflow planning. Participates in development and implementation of systems supporting workflow, including rollout and continuous improvement of the CapHub project management system, an IT system.

5. Policy Development: Provides expert advice to Director of BHDC and Associate Director for Public Housing and assists in developing and implementing new award programs, award rounds, regulations, guidelines, and division business processes.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Expertise in the areas of asset management and capital planning.
2. Excellent analytic, forecasting, and data management skills.
3. Ability to supervise and motivate staff to ensure maximum creativity and productivity.
4. Ability to develop staff capacity through participatory management, personnel evaluation and performance review.
5. Knowledge of management principles and practices, including planning, organizing, directing, staffing, change management, controlling and budgeting.
6. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
7. Knowledge of the process and procedure for modernizing existing public units, including budgeting, planning, and design.
8. Skill in complex problem analysis and proactive problem resolution.
9. Ability to work collaboratively with Unit Managers and other agency personnel in order to solve problems.
10. Ability to establish priorities within the Unit and within individual development and modernization projects.
11. Ability to make decisions fairly and consistently and exercise sound judgment.
12. Ability to relate to and be sensitive to the special needs of owners, managers and tenants of all forms of public housing.
13. Negotiation skills.
14. Broad understanding of the technical and legal aspects of development, design and construction.
15. Knowledge of procedures related to public contracting.
16. A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in the management of complex private and public development projects, agencies engaged in development activities, and/or a role in asset management and capital planning.  An undergraduate degree in planning, architecture, engineering, real estate development, business or public administration or a closely related field is preferred.  A Master's Degree in one of the above noted areas is also desirable.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is within the Housing and Economic Development Secretariat and its work touches the lives of all Massachusetts residents.  DHCD's mission is to strengthen cities, towns and neighborhoods to enhance the quality of life of Massachusetts residents by providing leadership, professional assistance and financial resources to promote safe, decent, affordable housing opportunities, economic vitality of communities and sound municipal management.

COMMENTS:

Please upload resume and cover letter.

Salary placement is determined by years of experience and education directly related to the position and the Human Resources Division’s Recruiting Guidelines.

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines. Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth’s website.

PRE-OFFER PROCESS:

A background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Human Resources Division prior to the candidate being hired.

QUALIFICATIONS:

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) five (5) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, public administration, public management, clinical administration or clinical management of which (B) at least one (1) year must have been in a project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required (A) experience.

II. A Bachelor’s degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required (A) experience.

III. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required (A) experience.

IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required (A) experience.

If you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator: Nancy DePaul - 617-573-1100

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.  Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.