Empowerment Programs Representative

State of Oklahoma•Oklahoma City, OK

4d•$52,000 - $57,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce receives annual allocations of funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and other sources to reduce poverty, build infrastructure, and uplift communities. In addition, we receive supplemental funding for specific, targeted goals such as Disaster Recovery. This position would specifically support Community Development programs, including activities including public services, community action poverty alleviation, emergency shelter and homeless assistance activities, housing stability services, disaster recovery, and programs that uplift low-income and vulnerable communities. This position may also provide backup support for activities such as economic development block grant projects, public infrastructure rehabilitation, senior nutrition programs, energy efficiency, home weatherization, energy planning, energy security, and similar programs.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in Accounting, Public Administration, Community Planning, Sociology, or any related field, is required.
At least 2 years of professional experience in some stage of the grant planning, implementation, monitoring, compliance, financial management/accounting, and oversight process, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, is required.
Excellent written/oral, logistical, organizational, and customer service skills.
Strong software skills in Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), the internet, and other applicable computer applications to be used for communication, data, and project analysis.
Must be curious, flexible, and willing to learn.
Excellent interpersonal skills in dealing with internal and external customers of various backgrounds.
Must be able to take direction when required and operate independently when required.
Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws about grants, general accounting knowledge, and the ability to analyze budgetary and accounting data to verify the accuracy of financial information.
Knowledge of programs related to supporting and implementing community action, anti-poverty services, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, housing stability, and services benefitting low/moderate-income individuals and households.
Ability to identify patterns and anomalies in financial and programmatic documents such as timesheets, general ledgers, invoices, service records, eligibility files, and other monitoring materials.
Ability to present material to a group, teach audience members, and answer questions.

Nice To Haves

The ideal candidate will have a strong interest and experience in federal grants, CSBG, ESG, HUD-funded housing or homeless assistance programs, community action, poverty alleviation programs, or related fields.
Experience with the following is strongly preferred but not required: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; 2 CFR 200; Community Services Block Grant; Emergency Solutions Grant; HUD-funded housing or homeless assistance programs; HHS-funded anti-poverty programs; public procurement activities; federal reporting; environmental review, as applicable; or non-profit administration.

Responsibilities

Act as a subgrantee point of contact and subject matter expert for assigned CSBG, ESG, and related Community Development programs/projects.
Ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200, applicable HUD and HHS program requirements, grant terms and conditions, and ODOC/state policies.
Monitor, review, and assess subgrantee performance and program rules compliance through the analysis of various financial and programmatic documents.
Review various financial documents such as ledgers, payroll reports, invoices, and expenditure reports to ensure allowability, accuracy, and compliance with program rules.
Review programmatic records, policies, procedures, service documentation, eligibility documentation, and other supporting materials relevant to CSBG/ESG performance and compliance.
Write or review monitoring reports on problems found, corrective action to be taken, and establish due dates for resolving the issues identified.
Track corrective actions and follow-up items to support timely resolution, documentation, and grant closeout.
Design specialized training using a technical assistance participatory approach, solving programmatic concerns.
Work with state programmatic, fiscal, and federal staff to ensure the successful closeout of all assigned grants.
Maintain relationships with subgrantees to enhance communication between them and the agency.
Be accessible to subgrantees, partners, and the public to receive inquiries about assigned programs, answer questions, and refer people to appropriate partners and resources.
Some in-state and out-of-state travel may be required up to 25% of the time.
Additional duties as assigned.