Budget & Grants Administrator

Job Description:

Budget & Grants Administrator

Description

The Position

The City of Oakland is an equal-opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland Housing and Community Development Department?
Joining the Housing and Community Development Department with the City of Oakland offers an exciting opportunity to make a lasting impact on the city’s diverse communities through the Department’s 3P framework that are production, preservation, and protection. As a Budget and Grant Administrator, you will play a pivotal role in managing resources for key initiatives, such as the expansion of affordable housing projects, homelessness prevention, and economic empowerment programs. You will support the department’s mission to foster thriving and inclusive communities while helping to ensure the effective allocation of funding for vital projects that address Oakland's most pressing housing and community needs. Your work will contribute directly to the city’s vision of creating sustainable and equitable environments for all residents.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Strong Financial Management Skills: An ideal candidate should have extensive experience managing budgets, financial reporting, and analysis, particularly in the context of public sector or community development projects.
• Grant Management Expertise: A solid understanding of the full lifecycle of compliance with local, state, and federal regulations
• Attention to Detail: Precision is crucial in handling budgets and financial documents. A candidate should demonstrate the ability to review complex financial data thoroughly to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Effective Communication Skills: The ability to clearly communicate financial information to both internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Problem-Solving Abilities: The role often involves addressing funding components, compliance issues, or financial reconciliation, so the candidate should be adept at finding solutions to financial or administrative challenges.
• Project Management Experience: Given that grant management often involves multiple stakeholders and deadlines, a successful candidate should have strong organizational and project management skills to track timelines and progress effectively.
• Knowledge of Housing and Community Development: Familiarity with housing policies, community development, and related programs is desirable to understand the context of the funding and its impact.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Supporting strategic planning and funding efforts by analyzing financial data to identify trends, making recommendations for resource allocation for capital projects, and helping shape long-term goals for housing development and community initiatives.
• Providing technical assistance and guidance to program managers and staff on budget preparation, financial planning, and compliance with grant requirements, offering expert advice to improve financial operations.
• Managing and overseeing the department's budget by tracking expenditures, monitoring financial reports, and ensuring compliance with fiscal policies and regulations for all housing and community development programs.
• Monitoring grant funds and budgets to ensure appropriate allocation, timely disbursement, and adherence to funding guidelines, while working closely with program managers to track spending and adjust as necessary.
• Collaborating with external funding agencies and partners, ensuring timely submission of reports, and effectively communicating financial needs.
• Providing technical assistance and guidance to program managers and staff on budget preparation, financial planning, and ensuring compliance with grant requirements, offering expert advice to improve financial operations.

Read the complete job description by clicking this link.

*Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland!
Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:

• Impact on the Community: This position allows you to directly contribute to improving the affordable housing conditions for the residents in Oakland. By managing housing and community development funds, you play a key role in creating affordable housing, enhancing neighborhoods, and supporting vulnerable populations.
• Challenging and Rewarding Work: Managing budgets and grants within the public sector can be complex but also deeply rewarding. The challenge of balancing financial stewardship with the goal of supporting community housing can bring a great sense of accomplishment.
• Job Stability and Benefits: Public sector jobs often come with stability, competitive benefits, and opportunities for long-term growth. As a City employee, you will have access to health benefits, retirement plans, and other perks that make the job more rewarding.
• Professional Growth: The role involves handling complex budgeting and grant management tasks, which provides the opportunity to develop specialized skills in financial management, project coordination, and public sector administration-skills that are highly valued in many industries.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Communication and Coordination Challenges: The position requires close collaboration with internal and external parties. Miscommunications or delays in coordination between these parties can create roadblocks or inefficiencies in fund management and project execution.
• Funding Shortfalls: Ensuring enough funding for critical housing projects while maintaining funding compliance can be demanding, particularly during times of budget cuts or economic downturns. As a budget and grant administrator, you might face the challenge of stretching limited resources to meet community needs and expectations.
• Managing Multiple Deadlines: The role involves juggling numerous projects, grant cycles, and budget reports with tight deadlines. Keeping everything on track while ensuring accuracy and timeliness can be demanding, especially when unexpected issues arise.

Competencies Required:

• Analyzing & Interpreting Data: Drawing meaning and conclusions from quantitative or qualitative data
• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
• Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
• Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
• Fact Finding: Obtaining facts and data pertaining to an issue or question
• Informing: Proactively obtaining and sharing information
• Involving Others (Engaging Teams): Engaging others for input, contribution, and shared responsibility for outcomes
• Leadership: Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Presentation Skill: Formally delivering information to groups

Minimum Requirements for Application

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications is acceptable.

Education:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, business administration, or a related field.

Experience:

Four years of professional accounting experience, one year of which must have involved the preparation of financial or accounting reports. Governmental accounting experience desired.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM)
• Proficiency in Financial and Budgeting Software (e.g., Oracle or other government finance tools)
• Experience with Affordable Housing Development
• Experience in Compliance and Auditing
• Experience Working with Nonprofit Organizations
• Experience with Federal, State, and Local Housing Grants

Supplemental Information

The Recruitment Process:

This is an at-will position, exempt from the provisions of the City of Oakland Civil Service Rules, per Charter Section 902. All applications received will be forwarded to the Housing and Community Development Department for further consideration.

Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.

What’s in it for you?

• This job will be required to work in an office environment. However, depending on the hiring department, a hybrid work schedule can be an option.
• 15 paid holidays
• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
• Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
• Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.

Disaster Service Workers
All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

How to Apply

Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at:

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca/default.cfm.

If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Ellen Dillard at edillard @oaklandca.gov .

The City of Oakland is committed to the wellbeing of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services along with an array of other benefits for most positions. Benefits may include*:

• CalPERS Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Medical Waiver Plan - Cash-In-Lieu
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Commuter Benefits
• Group & Supplemental Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)
• Pension Benefits
• Deferred Compensation

* Specific benefits may vary depending on the assignedspecific bargaining unit. Information regarding most benefits can be reviewed here: Employee Benefits Information Current MOUs may be reviewed here: City of Oakland Labor Agreements

Closing Date/Time: 12/31/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$114,767.64 - $140,916.12 Annually