Community Development Specialist (REMOTE ROLE)

ICF • Reston, VA

3d • Remote

About The Position

The Justice, Workforce, Preparedness, and Community Development (JWPCD) group works to improve outcomes for some of America’s most vulnerable populations. Our team partners with housing and human services agencies across the country to provide technical assistance, strategic consulting, and program support focused on issues such as affordable housing, economic opportunity, and community development. If you are passionate about addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, we encourage you to apply. As a Community Development Specialist, you will support a wide range of housing and community development initiatives as part of ICF’s Housing and Community Development team. This is an excellent opportunity for an organized, detail-oriented, and motivated early-career professional interested in public sector consulting and community development work. In this role, you will contribute to technical assistance engagements, conduct research and data analysis, assist with data collection and reporting activities, and support the development of client deliverables and training resources. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver with strong organizational and communication skills and proficiency in Excel and data analysis tools, including experience working with functions such as Power Query, Power Pivot, and dynamic datasets. To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Government, Economics, Urban Planning, Environmental Policy, or a related field.
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• 3+ years of work experience in housing and/or community development field
• Proficiency in MS Office Applications (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel)
• Demonstrated ability to learn new tools, systems, and analytical methods quickly
• Eager to learn and willing to support a range of tasks for projects as part of broader delivery team

Nice To Haves

• Interest and experience in affordable housing, community development, and public sector programs.
• Interest in supporting technical assistance and training activities for government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
• Strong Excel skills, including experience with pivot tables, Power Query, lookup functions, and data organization.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while also managing independent assignments.
• Professionalism, initiative, and a willingness to learn new tools and processes.

Responsibilities

• Support technical assistance engagements related to housing and community development, contributing to project execution and client deliverables.
• Independently manage assigned tasks and timelines, ensuring high-quality, accurate, and timely completion of work products.
• Conduct research and analyze data to support program implementation, policy interpretation, and development of actionable insights and recommendations.
• Draft reports, guidance documents, presentations, and other client-facing materials with clarity and attention to audience needs.
• Participate in client meetings and support preparation of briefings, presentations, and communications.
• Assist with coordination of technical assistance activities and preparation of reports, guidance documents, and training materials.
• Support the design, development, and delivery of communications, outreach, and training resources (e.g. webinars, case studies, in-person events, and other materials) that promote effective program implementation and compliance.
• Collect, clean, and analyze datasets and develop tables, reports, graphics, and summaries to support reporting and decision-making.
• Assist with research and responses related to government program requirements, regulations, procedures, and practices.
• Support project administration activities, including tracking budgets, monitoring timelines, coordinating deliverables, and maintaining organized project management and files.
• Collaborate with team members and subject matter experts to solve problems, share knowledge, and contribute to continuous improvement.
• Support identification of emerging client needs and contribute to research or proposal efforts, as appropriate.
• Help ensure work products are high quality, accurate, and delivered on time.

Benefits

• We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
• Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process.
• All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
• Read more about workplace discrimination rights or our benefit offerings which are included in the Transparency in (Benefits) Coverage Act.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level