CDBG-DR Housing Subject Matter Expert

Michael Baker International

10d

About The Position

Tidal Basin, a Michael Baker company, is seeking a senior technical authority to design, implement, oversee, and improve disaster recovery housing programs, including owner-occupied rehabilitation, reconstruction, replacement, reimbursement, elevation, and mitigation. The role supports federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local government clients across grant startup, production, monitoring, corrective action, and closeout. The successful candidate translates HUD and grantee requirements into operationally workable, equitable, controlled, and audit-defensible programs; resolves complex or high-risk issues; establishes standards; and coordinates multidisciplinary resources.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in housing, public administration, planning, public policy, business, construction, engineering, architecture, emergency management, law, or a related field.
At least ten years of progressive housing, community development, disaster recovery, grants management, construction, or public-sector program experience.
Substantial hands-on leadership responsibility across one or more CDBG-DR homeowner recovery allocations, including program design, implementation, technical oversight, monitoring, or corrective action.
Demonstrated ability to interpret complex requirements, advise executive stakeholders, resolve cross-functional issues, and produce clear, defensible technical work products.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications and the ability to direct work performed in client and company systems.

Nice To Haves

Experience across multiple CDBG-DR allocations, disasters, grantees, delivery models, housing program types, and phases from startup through closeout.
Experience leading homeowner recovery portfolios exceeding $100 million or involving geographically dispersed, high-volume, or technically complex delivery.
Advanced knowledge of applicable Federal Register notices, 24 CFR Part 570, 2 CFR Part 200, duplication of benefits, environmental review, fair housing, accessibility, construction, and monitoring requirements.
Experience designing case management systems, business rules, quality-control frameworks, applicant agreements, payment controls, or construction delivery processes.
Master's degree, JD, AICP, PMP, CCM, PE, RA, CFM, housing certification, or comparable credential.
Consulting experience supporting government clients and executive leadership in regulated, high-visibility, deadline-driven environments.

Responsibilities

Advise clients on homeowner recovery strategy, program architecture, delivery models, organizational design, staffing, governance, implementation sequencing, and risk.
Design or review housing program models for rehabilitation, reconstruction, replacement, reimbursement, elevation, mitigation, manufactured housing, and related activities.
Develop and review policies, procedures, manuals, forms, agreements, notices, checklists, decision tools, operating controls, quality plans, and training materials.
Provide technical direction on eligibility, national objectives, income, ownership, occupancy, primary residence, disaster impact, unmet need, duplication of benefits, award methodology, caps, incentives, exceptions, and recapture.
Integrate environmental review, floodplain and wetlands requirements, lead-based paint, accessibility, fair housing, insurance, elevation, mitigation, inspections, construction standards, and closeout requirements into program operations.
Establish applicant agreements, escrow and payment controls, contractor requirements, progress and final inspection protocols, change management, warranty, and recordkeeping expectations.
Resolve complex, novel, disputed, or high-risk cases and prepare issue papers, decision memoranda, policy interpretations, and executive recommendations.
Define decision authority, escalation criteria, maker-checker controls, approval thresholds, exception procedures, sampling, quality standards, and segregation of duties.
Develop performance standards for caseload, throughput, cycle time, aging, first-pass quality, rework, applicant contact, construction, expenditure, and closeout.
Guide case management and grants system requirements, business rules, role-based access, data conversion, user acceptance testing, reporting, document controls, and audit trail design.
Support HUD coordination, monitoring, audits, appeals, complaints, investigations, findings responses, corrective action plans, records requests, and grant closeout.
Lead technical reviews, calibration, training, and mentoring for housing specialists, case managers, eligibility personnel, reviewers, supervisors, and managers.
Coordinate with policy, legal, environmental, civil rights, construction, inspections, finance, compliance, data, systems, communications, and program leadership.
Support proposals, capture strategy, client presentations, staffing models, technical approaches, and thought leadership related to housing recovery.
Perform other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned to meet project, client, and organizational needs.