Community Development Financial Analyst 1,2

State of Louisiana•Baton Rouge, LA

37d

About The Position

The Division of Administration/Office of Community Development has a vacancy. The goal of the Office of Community Development is to improve the quality of life of the residents of Louisiana by administering state and federal grants. The Community Development Block Grant Program helps communities provide a suitable living environment and expand economic opportunities for their residents, particularly in low- to moderate-income areas. The Louisiana Government Assistance Program is designed to fill the gaps where there are no federal or other state funds available to assist local governments with an identified high priority need. The Community Water Enrichment Fund provides funding to aid units of local government in rehabilitating, improving and constructing projects for community water systems to provide safe, clean drinking water. The Division of Administration is the state government's management arm and the hub of its financial operations. Division offices perform a wide variety of activities including the following: Overseeing the state's capital construction program Working to provide state and federal grants for community development Development of the state budget Providing technology services Giving agencies guidance in the state purchasing and contracting process as they seek goods and services Administering a program that provides federal funds to help Louisiana residents recover from a series of devastating hurricanes Four years of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR Six years of full-time experience in any field plus twenty-four semester hours in accounting, finance, or economics plus one year of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR A bachelor's degree with twenty-four semester hours in accounting, finance, or economics plus one year of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, management, economics, or statistics plus one year of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR An advanced degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, management, economics, or statistics; OR Possession of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license. EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTION: Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field. The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here. Position-Specific Details: Appointment Type: This vacancy will be filled by new hire or by promotion of a current permanent status classified employee. Career Progression: This vacancy participates in a career progression group and may be filled from this recruitment as a Community Development Financial Analyst 1 or 2. Louisiana is a "State as a Model Employer" for People with Disabilities.

Requirements

Four years of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR
Six years of full-time experience in any field plus twenty-four semester hours in accounting, finance, or economics plus one year of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR
A bachelor's degree with twenty-four semester hours in accounting, finance, or economics plus one year of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR
A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, management, economics, or statistics plus one year of experience in accounting, auditing, financial operations, economics, or contracts or grants management; OR
An advanced degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, management, economics, or statistics; OR
Possession of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.

Responsibilities

Grant Administration and Programmatic Responsibilities
Incumbent is responsible for the management of 30 to 40 local governments' (cities, towns villages, parishes) LCDBG projects funded for various activities. Maintains assigned grants' status on in-office database tracking system. Processes requests for payments for assigned projects. Reviews close out documents and completes in-office close out of assigned grants.
Responsible for creating and amending all grant agreements, and for preparing corresponding letters to grantees. Corresponds with OSRAP to obtain appropriate vendor numbers and to ensure correct set-up of grantees' banking information. Enters all LCDBG projects into LaGov system upon execution of grant agreement and possession of proper vendor number.
Financial Policy and Program Administration
Reviews and approves financial management certifications from grantees. Reviews all financial reports from grantees to identify expenditures of LCDBG funds. Works with CPAs, local government officials, Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office, etc. in order to ensure financial reports are accurate and identify expenditure of funds as appropriate.
Conducts briefings and makes presentations at LCDBG sponsored workshops to aid local governments in their administration of the financial management tasks relating to their grants. Provides both on-going and periodic technical assistance to local governments. Analyzes findings to identify problems such as mismanagement and noncompliance relative to policies and procedures, laws, regulations, and/or accounting principles.
Program Monitoring and Responsibilities
Monitors funded projects of all grant types including all programs under the LCDBG program and makes monitoring visits to review performance of projects and ensure that contractual obligations are being carried out by recipient.
Duties include obtaining application revisions; financial management certifications; processing requests for payments; reviewing and approving or denying requests for budget changes and program changes; monitoring on-site to determine recipients' compliance with program rules and regulations; monitoring construction site/project area; processing and issuing closeout.
Incumbent reviews recipients' records for compliance with state and federal laws, rules and regulations and in-office policies. Based on review, determines capacity of recipients; record keeping practices and identifies any questioned costs or conflict-of-interest issues. Conducts entrance and exit conferences with chief elected officials to discuss negative findings and possible consequences and remedial action(s) which might be imposed on or required of the local governments.
Responds regularly to written and telephone inquiries from local officials and professional consultants and engineers regarding their administration of the LCDBG Program and their expenditure of grant funds. Advises local officials of proper courses of action and possible consequences of improper or illegal actions carried out with Community Development Block Grant funds. Works with and provides advice and technical assistance to local governments in most all aspects of the LCDBG program.
Economic Development Project Analysis
Participates in pre-application meetings and explains the financial requirements of the Louisiana Community Development Block Grant (LCDBG) Economic Development (ED) Program to meeting participants. Reviews applications for ED assistance for compliance with basic program requirements. Conducts a detailed financial analysis of each application.
Conducts site visits to all projects for which funds are requested and frequently meets with project applicants and participants at the Community Development office. During these visits, incumbent clarifies any unresolved financial questions in order to make further assessment of project feasibility.
Analyzes and ascertains accuracy and consistency of the review process. Ensures that ED guidelines and policies established by the state and federal governments are followed.