Development Specialist III

County of Riverside•Riverside, CA

21h•Onsite

About The Position

The Riverside County Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions is seeking a Development Specialist III for the Administrative Unit, Workforce Development Division for the Riverside location. The Development Specialist III will serve in a lead capacity and will be responsible for monitoring and compliance activities for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)–funded programs. The incumbent will perform comprehensive monitoring of sub-recipients and contractors to ensure adherence to WIOA regulations, funding requirements, and program standards. This role provides ongoing technical assistance, guidance, and support to sub-recipients, helping them meet programmatic, fiscal, and regulatory expectations. The Development Specialist III will also communicate new directives and policy updates to sub-recipients, assist with implementation, and oversee the work of other Development Specialists on the team. This role requires occasional travel throughout Riverside County (including up to Blythe) to conduct sub-recipient and contractor site visits and perform monitoring activities. The most competitive candidates will be analytical and detail-oriented and have experience in contract management and oversight, strong knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations, an understanding of grant requirements and compliance standards, and proficiency with Microsoft Excel, SharePoint, CalJOBS, and Access database. Additional desirable qualifications include workforce development or WIOA program experience, familiarity with uniform guidance and regulatory frameworks, public sector experience, and previous lead or oversight responsibilities. Meet the Team! The Housing and Workforce Solutions Department (HWS) was f ormed in 2020 by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in response to the need to focus on innovative ways to elevate social and economic opportunity in Riverside County. It is comprised of 6 Divisions: Community Action Agency, Continuum of Care, Housing Authority, Grants & Community Development, Workforce Development, and HWS Administration.

Requirements

One year as a Development Specialist II with the County of Riverside.
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in business or public administration, behavioral science, social science, political science, aviation, public policy, urban studies, education, marketing, economics, environmental sciences, geography, or a job-related field similar to that utilized within the County of Riverside Office of Economic Development, Department of Housing & Workforce Solutions, Facilities Management Department, or Aviation within the Transportation & Land Management Agency. (Additional professional, technical or senior clerical experience in a job-related field similar to that utilized within the County of Riverside Office of Economic Development, Department of Housing & Workforce Solutions, Facilities Management Department, or Aviation within the Transportation & Land Management Agency may substitute for the required education on the basis of one year of qualifying full-time experience equaling 30 semester or 45 quarter units of education.)
Two years of professional experience in a job-related field similar to that utilized within the County of Riverside Office of Economic Development, Department of Housing & Workforce Solutions, Facilities Management Department, or Aviation within the Transportation & Land Management Agency. (A master's degree from an accredited college or university in public or business administration, behavioral science, social science, political science, public policy, urban studies, education, marketing, economics, environmental sciences, geography, or a job-related field similar to that utilized within the County of Riverside Office of Economic Development, Department of Housing & Workforce Solutions, Facilities Management Department, or Aviation within the Transportation & Land Management Agency may substitute for one year of the required full-time experience.)
Knowledge of: General personnel practices; budgetary, statistical and administrative analysis; laws, regulations and policies pertaining to assigned programs; structures and functions of local, state and federal governments, and community human services resources and organizations; principles and practices of economic, industrial, housing, and community development; principles and practices of public relations and job training; principles and practices utilized in governmental, business and financial administration; methods and techniques used in performing land use planning; economic and industrial development resource used to assist businesses to locate or relocate in the County; composition of the business community involved with economic, industrial and community development; purpose and structure of publicly funded training programs and private sector job placement organizations; laws and regulations governing the funding and operations of publicly funded training programs; local employment practices, conditions and needs; employment problems of economically disadvantaged persons; statistical applications used in analyzing labor market, economic and demographic data.
Ability to: Gather and analyze data, reason logically, draw valid conclusions, generate and evaluate alternatives, and recommend effective courses of action; plan and prepare materials to be used in promotional materials; provide technical assistance and consultation services to government organizations and community agencies and groups regarding grant-funded programs; plan and coordinate effective citizen participation groups; establish and maintain effective relations with clients, private and public employers, other community service agencies and civic groups, the general public, and fellow staff members; write grant proposals; communicate effectively in oral and written form to individuals and groups of various organizational and socio-economic levels; understand, interpret and apply the provisions of various government regulations, policies and program operator contracts; negotiate and develop contracts; monitor program operators' compliance with contracts; counsel clients and program operators.
Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application.
A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment.

Nice To Haves

Analytical and detail-oriented
Experience in contract management and oversight
Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations
Understanding of grant requirements and compliance standards
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, SharePoint, CalJOBS, and Access database
Workforce development or WIOA program experience
Familiarity with uniform guidance and regulatory frameworks
Public sector experience
Previous lead or oversight responsibilities

Responsibilities

Represent the department at meetings and conferences with citizens, the media, community organizations, advisory boards, cities, independent districts, the Board of Supervisors, and other County, state and federal agencies.
Evaluate and recommend changes to procedures and operations to improve program efficiency.
Analyze proposed and existing federal, state and local legislation to determine impact to programs.
Respond to inquiries from groups or individuals about specific areas of expertise and resolve complaints when necessary.
Perform complex research and analytical duties in the development of plans, projections, recommendations, and statistical and narrative reports.
Prepare and monitor compliance and/or billing reports in relation to area of assignment.
Assist in monitoring program expenditures; coordinate billings, receipts and reporting requirements; administer and monitor projects or program operations and related budgets; monitor and implement marketing plans and budgets.
Serve in a lead capacity over other Development Specialist positions and support staff.
Work on projects and programs closely with Economic Development, Housing, Community Development, and Workforce Development; assist the business community by providing site location information and consultation regarding planning and coordinating project review and permit processing arrangements.
Conduct on-site visits to engage with employers and provide information about County resources and programs.
Collect, organize and analyze economic, workforce and industrial development data.
Conduct needs assessment and determine program priorities.
Identify areas of economic development, housing and community development, workforce development, and aviation needs; analyze the effectiveness of existing programs in these areas.
Ensure implementation of programmatic, organizational, administrative, budgetary, financial, and personnel elements of a variety of economic development, housing and community development, workforce development and aviation programs funded by outside and governmental agencies.
Assist in the preparation, modification, administration, and evaluation of funding requests from contractors, citizens, private agencies, and local, County and state officials, for loan and grant funds.
Project and analyze sources and expenditures of grant and other financing funds.
Assist in implementing public financing bonds, grants and programs.
Cooperate with and advise cities, chambers of commerce and local non-profit organizations on developing and implementing economic, community and workforce development programs for workforce, commercial, industrial, tourist, and recreational attraction programs.
Arrange facilities for the staging of various special events, conferences and meetings to publicize County developments and opportunities.
Analyze and review financial loan applications and proposed contracts.
Review property and equipment lease agreements, subcontracts, change orders, and contract extensions for departments or divisions; submit grant-funded program contracts to the County, state and federal agencies for approval.
Monitor the budgetary and financial management of community and economic development, public facilities and improvement projects; make periodic on-site visits to monitor grant-funded projects.
Coordinate and meet with agencies, technical consultants, County personnel, and other involved persons to negotiate contact terms, work schedules and budgets.
Determine contract compliance with County regulations and federal laws, and regulations including equal opportunity, affirmative action, labor standards, real property acquisition and relocation, historic preservation, and environmental review.
Provide guidance and caseload assistance to case managers involved in the employment and individual referral, testing, assessment, and case maintenance of client vocational training or educational cases.
Serve as a liaison to federal and state representatives in determining correct interpretations of related laws, regulations and guidelines and to resolve questions regarding audit findings.
Assist developers in developing strategies to reduce or eliminate barriers to project development; include plans for building community support; conduct outreach and facilitate community information, education and marketing meetings.
Negotiate large-scale contracts; coordinate and modify agreements and contracts as needed; monitor contract compliance.
Coordinate routine procurement of program contractors including generating and evaluating the request for proposals (RFP), evaluating the performance of contractors and referring a list of potential contractors to the administrative and governing body for evaluation and selection.
Promote employment and training programs to gain program support and participation of employers and educators.
Review department program information to prevent duplication of services.