Planning Analyst/ Housing Forward Cities Coordinator

Metropolitan Council•390 Robert St. N St. Paul, MN

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area, is seeking a senior individual contributor to coordinate the overall implementation of Housing Forward Cities. This grant-funded program aims to change long-term market conditions and break down policy and practice barriers to affordable housing, while advancing the goals of the Imagine 2050 regional development guide. The Community Development Division is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities it serves. The Housing Policy and Livable Communities team, within the Community Development division, is responsible for developing and implementing regional housing policies, working with local governments on housing needs, and delivering funding to achieve development goals that create housing choices, support job creation, and connect jobs, housing, and amenities. The Planning Analyst will serve as a team leader for the Housing Forward Cities project, managing its implementation, budget, and timeline in coordination with collaborators. Housing Forward Cities is a set of grantmaking and planning assistance efforts to support collaboration among cities in the metro region to make policy changes that eliminate barriers to affordable housing and foster policy consistency. This position is eligible for a hybrid telework arrangement, with the telework location required to be in Minnesota or Wisconsin. The hiring salary will be determined based on the final candidate's qualifications, the Council's internal pay structures, and the total compensation package.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED AND nine (9) years of experience in program administration, implementation, public sector planning, grant coordination, land use planning, housing policy, community development, economic development, or a related field, including two years of project management or team lead experience.
Associate degree AND seven (7) years of experience in program administration, implementation, public sector planning, grant coordination, land use planning, housing policy, community development, economic development, or a related field, including two years of project management or team lead experience.
Bachelor's degree AND five (5) years of experience in program administration, implementation, public sector planning, grant coordination, land use planning, housing policy, community development, economic development, or a related field, including two years of project management or team lead experience.
Master's degree AND three (3) years of experience in program administration, implementation, public sector planning, grant coordination, land use planning, housing policy, community development, economic development, or a related field, including two years of project management or team lead experience.
Major coursework in city, urban, or environmental planning and policy, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Project management skills relevant to managing contracts and grant-funded projects as a team or project leader.
Local government experience.
Grantmaking and grant administration as a funder.
Experience with affordable housing policy topics, including strong interest in missing middle (2-25 unit) housing development and preservation, local land use policies, affordable multifamily or single-family development and preservation.
Urban and regional planning, land use planning.
Technical assistance and training tools.
HUD Community Planning and Development programs (e.g., CDBG, HOME, NSP) and/or related federal funding programs, including grant management practices and compliance with 2 CFR Part 200.
Demonstrated skills in facilitating collaborative approaches to policy development, peer learning, and technical assistance delivery with local governments.
Experience working with diverse populations of internal and external customers, and with outreach to cross-cultural communities.
Advanced skills in Microsoft suite and knowledge of project management tools.

Responsibilities

Champion the overall Housing Forward Cities project and serve as team leader to manage the timely and effective implementation of all project activities, budgets, and timelines.
Coordinate work planning and project assignments for colleagues.
Serve as project manager for the implementation of the Housing Forward Cities Missing Middle project, managing relationships and deliverables with third-party contractors and subject matter experts to boost regional innovation and effective policy collaboration to support the goals of Imagine 2050 and the Housing Policy Plan.
Serve as project manager to develop additional scopes of work and deploy funds and planning assistance resources via contracts and grants for grant-funded projects that build regional housing policy collaboration.
Contribute to related efforts and serve as a liaison to related projects across the Met Council enterprise, including outcomes measurement and evaluation efforts.
Lead funder reporting and compliance for Housing Forward Cities, working closely with the internal grants administration team.