Operations Director I, Deputy Commissioner of the Development Division (NCS) - Department of Housing and Community Development

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION

POSTING DATE: 08/08/2024

CLOSING DATE: 11/08/2024 AT 12:00 MIDNIGHT

SALARY RANGE: $120,166.00 - $159,136.00 USD Annually

Class Description

The Baltimore City Department of Housing & Community Development is seeking a Deputy Commissioner for Development.

Agency Overview

The Baltimore City Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) was created in 1968 to consolidate local community development efforts with housing and building code enforcement. With approximately 400 employees, DHCD strengthens City neighborhoods by attracting investors, developers, and homebuyers. DHCD finances and guides strategic development projects to meet housing and neighborhood needs as well as monitoring construction and building activity and enforcing the City's building, fire, zoning, and related codes. DHCD is the lead agency implementing Mayor Scott’s Vacant Reduction Strategy, a $3 billion initiative to eradicate all vacant properties over the next 15 years. DHCD consists of the Development, Homeownership & Housing Preservation, Permits & Litigation, Code Enforcement & Emergency Operations, and Consolidated Planning Divisions.

The Deputy Commissioner for Development leads DHCD’s Development Division, which comprises approximately 100 staff members and consists of the Project Finance Section, Development Legal Section, Land Management Section, and Administration Office. The Project Finance Section administers the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and manages grant programs such as the Community Catalyst Grants, Developer Incentives, and the Housing Accelerator Fund. This section also provides project financing for community development projects. The Development Legal Section is responsible for property acquisition through In Rem Foreclosure and condemnation. The Legal Section also provides legal review and guidance for all of the Development Division’s projects. The Land Management Section is responsible for property acquisition through negotiated sale and property donations, completes site assembly and manages the disposition of all DHCD owned property. This section is also responsible for community outreach and planning, and they coordinate workgroups for the seven Impact Investment Areas. In addition, Land Management carries out resident relocation when strategic development projects require the acquisition of occupied properties to complete site assembly. The Development Division

Administration Office is responsible for maintaining city-owned properties, processing payments, managing the division’s contracts and procurement, division payroll and the creation and management of the division’s annual capital and operating budgets.

The Deputy Commissioner for Development reports to the Chief Operating Officer.

Essential Functions

• Oversee all acquisitions, dispositions, and maintenance of city owned properties
• Direct negotiations for large-scale development projects across the City
• Lead visioning and planning efforts for implementation of the Framework for Community Development in coordination with various city agencies (DOT, Planning, DPW etc.) and the Mayor’s Office
• Manage coordination and relationships with Impact Investment Area communities
• Oversee project finance, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and DHCD’s grant programs
• Manage federal HOME Funds in support of project finance
• Develop and strengthen relationships with external stakeholders, such as, but not limited to Maryland State DHCD, HUD, elected officials, community organizations, developers, the business community, financial institutions and philanthropic organizations
• Work closely with the Chief of Implementation and Innovation in the Commissioner’s Office to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the vacants reduction strategy
• Create the Division’s annual operating and capital budgets in collaboration with the Housing Commissioner and Office of Fiscal Accountancy
• Revise Division’s organizational chart as needed
• Represent DHCD at both internal and external events, such as, but not limited to, legislative hearings, community meetings, Board of Estimates meetings, and business roundtables
• Serve as an ex officio board member on boards such as, but not limited to the Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation and the West North Avenue Development Authority
• Provide leadership and guidance for all Development Division staff, and directly supervise the Assistant Commissioner for Project Finance, the Assistant Commissioner for Development Legal, the Assistant Commissioner for Land Management, the Director of Administration, and the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner

Education And Experience Requirements

EDUCATION: Have a master’s degree in law, Real Estate, Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, City and Regional Planning, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Construction Management, or JD with focus on community development/real estate, or a related field from an accredited college or university is required.

AND

EXPERIENCE: Have twelve years of experience providing leadership as a Chief-of-Staff, senior policy advisor, senior operations manager, or technical subject matter expert in an agency or equivalent, including 6 years of experience managing heterogeneous functions through subordinate managerial staff is required.

The candidate should have experience managing a diverse team and interacting with a range of stakeholders, such as, but not limited to, internal DHCD staff members, other City agencies, elected officials and community partners.

OR

NOTES(EQUIVALENCIES): Have an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of principles, practices, techniques of urban planning, economic development, and redevelopment; affordable housing solutions; supervision, budget and performance management principles; applicable city, county, state and federal laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations; basic building, code enforcement, grant and alternative funding principles, practices, and methods.
• Knowledge of various project functions required for a successful development and mixed financed project including pre-development planning, development of revitalization plans, legal requirements, procurement tasks, financing structure and arrangements, construction management, relocation, property management, community and supportive services.
• Knowledge of affordable housing
• Knowledge of structured finance, commercial and investment banking solutions, business accounting, cash flow and loan portfolio management.
• Knowledge of home mortgage industry, convention products and portfolio management techniques to include budgeting, project accounting, financial analysis, mortgage finance and project underwriting.
• Knowledge of rehabilitation and construction lending environment and loan servicing processes.
• Possess strategic thinking and planning skills to effectively manage complex operations, craft policies and procedures, decipher challenges and interpret regulations, apply reasonable solutions, and preemptively address the information needs of key audiences.
• Possess strong knowledge, experience and ability to apply and advance, equity principles towards all steps of development projects, understanding structural and systemic barriers of the past and developing tools and policies to remedy them.
• Experience in community engagement and outreach
• Expert knowledge of community development best practices
• Knowledge of community redevelopment efforts in Baltimore is preferred
• Prior experience with Baltimore City government is preferred
• Supervisory experience and experience in leading staff development and facilitating professional growth opportunities
• Ability to direct and lead a large team
• Ability to speak and write effectively, excellent communication skills
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, officials and others
• Highly skilled in Microsoft Office

NOTE: Those eligible candidates who are under final consideration for appointment to positions in this class will be required to authorize the release of criminal conviction information.

Financial Disclosure:

This position is required to complete a Financial Disclosure pursuant to Sections 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 of the City Ethics Law.

BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER