This position is eligible for a hybrid (a combination of remote and onsite) telework arrangement. The candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.
We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

The Community Development Division is responsible for the Council's regional long-range planning efforts; planning and technical assistance to local governments; planning for and funding the regional parks and open space system; delivering rent assistance through the Metropolitan Housing and Redevelopment Authority; and delivering the Livable Communities Act grant programs.
In Community Development, we have set the following goals to guide our work:

• Our division builds competency, takes meaningful actions, and creates the necessary infrastructure to advance racial equity.
• Our division's workplace culture is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

• Serve as lead staff for two or more Livable Communities Act grant solicitation rounds each year.
• Apply their knowledge of housing policy, community economic development, and land use and planning, to help communities achieve development goals that support the regional Thrive 2040 and Imagine 2050 plans.
• Advance outreach, technical assistance, public engagement, policy analysis, and program evaluation projects to improve the delivery and impact of grant programs.
• Ensure a high level of customer service with local governments, development team partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Deliver consistent, fair, accurate, and equitable grantmaking processes.

• Implement and improve grant programs as a senior-level individual contributor within the Livable Communities Act (LCA) team.
• Develop and implement grant application criteria and review, evaluation, and award processes for LCA programs, within statutory and policy guidelines.
• Serve as lead staff (program coordinator) for two or more grant solicitation rounds each year.
• Develop and implement outreach and technical assistance strategies, tools, materials, and events to communicate availability and expectations of LCA programs to program applicants and recipients
• Provide technical assistance, give advice, and develop tools to support local governments to implement regional housing and land use/development policies through grant programs
• Present grant information and recommendations to the Council, its Community Development Committee, and other advisory committees and stakeholders as applicable.
• Coordinate with funding partners and related public, nonprofit, and professional organizations.
• Proficiently use program information, databases, and other technologies to produce reports and respond to internal and external inquiries and requests for information as well as to evaluate programs.
• Work with finance and grants administration colleagues to ensure a seamless, integrated process for grant recipients.
• Serve as project manager and/or contributor to public engagement, policy analysis, and program evaluation projects.
• Articulate and represent the Council's regional policy in internal and external discussions, including internal and external committees and workgroups.
• Advance racial equity through knowledge of how the history of housing and land use policy has contributed to the region's racial disparities, the consideration of racial equity outcomes in the administration of LCA programs, and the implementation and updating of the Regional Development Guide.
• Contribute to intra-division and cross-Council working teams to advance regional policy goals and promote an equitable, positive, and respectful professional environment that values culture and diversity among all stakeholders and colleagues.

Any of the following combinations of professional experience in grant coordination, land use planning, housing policy, economic development, or related field AND completed education or major coursework in social sciences, housing studies, public policy, urban planning, or related.

• Master's degree AND two (2) years of experience.
• Bachelor's degree AND four (4) years of experience.
• Associate's degree AND six (6) years of experience.
• H.S. diploma/GED/ AND eight (8) years of experience.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the real estate development/redevelopment process
• Subject matter expertise in one or more of equitable transit-oriented development, affordable housing development, urban design, community economic development finance, placemaking, brownfield development, shared equity models, affordable homeownership, workforce development, climate-resilient development, infill development, community engagement, grantmaking, and related topics.
• Experience in implementing or developing technical assistance and training tools
• Experience in implementing or developing grantmaking or lending programs
• Experience in implementing or developing planning documents or policies for municipalities, to advance goals related to job creation, housing, connected communities, and equitable development.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and clearly to a diverse audience of stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
• Advanced skills in MS Word, Excel, GIS, and project management tools
• Demonstrated experience in advocating for or incorporating equity into projects, processes, or decision-making.
• Experience working with diverse populations of internal and external customers.

• Extensive knowledge of the purposes, objectives, guidelines, criteria, and processes of the Livable Communities Act grant processes.
• Ability to articulate the impacts of systemic racism on development in a variety of settings.
• Knowledge of the real estate development processes and the funding resources that support community economic development, transit-oriented development, and affordable housing development in the region.
• Basic knowledge of the governmental environment in which the Metropolitan Council works as it applies to the Livable Communities programs and local and regional housing policy.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with local governments and their development partners even when delivering unwelcome news.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment and consistently and effectively apply the Metropolitan Council's principles of Integration, Collaboration, and Accountability.
• Ability to analyze and interpret Metropolitan Council's desired outcomes of Stewardship, Prosperity, Equity, Livability, and Sustainability and apply them effectively in the project analysis or development process.

• We review your minimum qualifications.
• We rate your education and experience.
• We conduct a structured panel interview.
• We conduct a selection interview.