Transportation Community Development Specialist - Kanawha County bei West Virginia Department of Transportation

About the Department

The Transportation Community Development Specialist performs full-performance level professional work in a varied number of community and economic development activities The candidate in this position will be working with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 ‘Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities’ program.  Work will include determining eligibility for potential grant applicants, receiving and rating grant applications, and applying/reporting to the FTA. This incumbent will also be interpreting and applying federal and state code, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, guidance, and best practices. Accountable for established objectives in the area of assignment. Plans, organizes, and coordinates a moderately complex project or grant in the area assigned. The job also includes evaluation, distribution and maintenance of inventory.   Distinguishing factors of this class pertain to the complexity of projects or grants in the area of assignment. May supervise lower level specialists and other clerical personnel. Performs other related duties as required.

Position Duties

• Identifies community and economic development needs through meetings with state, regional, and local government officials, community leaders, and private sector parties, and by collecting relevant economic and demographic data
• Develops state and federal grant-in-aid and/or technical assistance programs to meet community and business needs by designing program guidelines, eligibility criteria and application forms
• Collaborates with state and federal governmental officials in the development and administration of federal grant-in-aid and/or technical assistance programs
• Conducts workshops and meetings to advise local officials and other interested parties of programs and trains officials in grant application procedures and grants administration
• Reviews grant-in-aid applications for accuracy in such areas as financial documentation, environmental impact, public notification, civil rights, engineering review, etc.
• Recommends to superiors the approval of grant requests with highest need priority after review of all applications
• Assists local grant officials and institutional contractors in establishing files, financial records systems, recordkeeping, purchasing procedures and reporting requirements
• Monitors the local administration of state and federal grants to assure grant funds were properly spent and appropriate records maintained
• Prepares both verbal and written reports regarding project progress
• The work involves treating a variety of conventional problems, questions, or situation in conformance with established criteria
• Travel may be required; therefore, a valid driver’s license is required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of state and federal grant-in-aid and/or technical assistance programs for community and economic development
• Ability to develop state grant-in-aid and/or technical assistance programs
• Ability to work effectively with local, regional, and state officials and community leaders to identify community and economic development needs
• Ability to train local officials and interested parties in grants administration and application procedures
• Ability to review grant applications and financial records for accuracy and compliance with established guidelines
• Ability to speak before public meetings to explain state and federal grant-in-aid and/or technical assistance programs
• Ability to prepare written reports of grant-in-aid and/or technical assistance programs

Other Qualifications

REQUIRED TRAINING/EDUCATION 

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Substitution: Experience in grant development or grant administration, delivery of technical assistance programs, industrial development, community development, planning, project administration, business administration, public administration, or criminal justice may be substituted for the required training/education through an established formula.

• Two (2) years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid professional experience in grant development or grant administration, delivery of technical assistance programs, industrial development, community development, planning, project administration, business administration, public administration, or criminal justice.
• Substitution: Successful completion of graduate coursework from a regionally accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience through an established formula.