Now Hiring - Community & Economic Project Developer
The Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) is currently seeking energetic, self-motivated, and detail oriented candidates for the position of Community & Economic Project Developer. The WPCOG is an innovative and forward-thinking organization dedicated to addressing planning issues for the region. Situated in the beautiful rolling hills and mountains of western North Carolina, with ample opportunities for recreation, shopping and dining abounding in the region, the area is an ideal place to call home. The region contains great natural resources from the slopes of Grandfather Mountain to five major lakes along the Catawba River. The region contains a population of about 365,000 in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties.
THE ORGANIZATION:
WPCOG is a regional governmental agency owned by the 28 local governments in the region and organized in 1968 to provide long-range planning, technical assistance and regional delivery of services. Our organization is one of 16 regional councils in North Carolina formed under NC General Statutes 160A 470-478. Local governments eligible for WPCOG membership include Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba Counties located in Western NC and the 24 cities and towns within those counties.
WPCOG is organized into eight departments including: Administration; Finance; Workforce Development; Community and Economic Development; Community and Regional Planning; Regional Housing Authority; Area Agency on Aging; and IT/GIS.
COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT:
The WPCOG Community & Economic Development Department assists local governments in providing affordable, decent and safe housing, and infrastructure improvements for residents of the Western Piedmont through application preparation and administration of local, State and Federal grants, and serves as a catalyst for job creation by assisting local industries through building reuse grants.
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The Community & Economic Project Developer will manages and administer a variety of direct and indirect grant management assistance with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), NC Commerce Building Reuse, and other available state and federal grants, relating to community development, economic improvement, housing and the environment. Work includes a significant amount of effort in direct assistance to local government members, which may include grant writing and development of project direction; work includes serving as the assigned COG staff in shepherding a grant from its beginning until completion. Work initiatives are varied and based on the specific needs and requirements of the awarded grant which cover a wide spectrum of possible initiatives but generally include working directly with vendors, contractors and local government officials and staff and well as others in administering and managing awarded grants. Work requires considerable knowledge of the various federal and state programs available for community development, economic improvement, housing and the environment for the COG region; revenue development and resource management skills; and ability to apply state of the art technology to work activities. Work is performed under the guidance of the Community & Economic Development Director and reviewed for results, satisfaction of members and funding agencies, and through observation and reports.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of community and economic development as applied in state and federal grants.
Considerable knowledge of governmental laws, rules and regulations, and services pertinent to the community and economic development, housing improvement and development and community and regional environment issues.
Considerable knowledge of the techniques and principals of grant writing and its application to community and economic development.
Considerable skill in the collection, analysis, and presentation of large amounts of required grant data.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community groups, federal, state, regional, and municipal and county officials, and the general public.
Ability to prepare comprehensive grant reports.
Ability to plan, organize, and manage multiple tasks assigned.
Ability to express ideas effectively in oral and written forms and make effective public presentations.
Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with a degree in public or business administration or related field and some professional public sector experience preferable in community and economic development including public sector grant writing and administration; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
SALARY & BENEFITS:
The hiring range for this position is $46,470-$58,087 depending on qualifications and experience. New hires are eligible for up to a 5% increase with the successful completion of probationary period.
WPCOG is a member of the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System. This entitles vested employees with at least five years of employment to a defined benefit at the time of retirement. Members contribute 6% of gross compensation each month. This is a before-tax deduction. Western Piedmont Council of Governments contributes an actuarially determined percentage of the gross payroll of members each month.
The Western Piedmont Council of Governments will matches up to 1% of each employee’s salary to the employer sponsored 401k or 457 plan of their choosing (Board approved to begin in 2018, WPCOG will contribute 4.2% of each employee’s salary and match 4% for a total of 8.2%).
WPCOG pays 100% of an employee's health and vision coverage. The current plan is a high deductible health plan with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Contributions to the H.S.A. are made pre-tax through payroll deduction.
WPCOG pays 100% of the following premiums:
Life Insurance - $100,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment
Dental Insurance - Employee and Family
Short-Term Disability (Weekly Indemnity)
Long-Term Disability
WPCOG provides for the following payroll deduction and retirement options:
NC 457 Retirement Plan
NC 401(k) Plans
Local Government & State Employees' Credit Union payroll deductions
Voluntary additional life insurance
WOCOG Provides for the following paid leave options:
11 Paid Holidays Per Year
Annual Leave earned on a sliding scale bases on years of service
12 Sick Leave Days Per Year
Longevity Pay
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Position is open until filled. Submit by July 20, 2018 for first consideration.
Please submit a cover letter, resume, references, and WPCOG application to Director of Administrative Services and Human Resources, Ashley Bolick, at WPCOG, P.O. Box 9026, Hickory, NC 28603. Emailing application materials is acceptable, ashley.bolick@wpcog.org. Questions should be directed to Ashley at (828) 485-4221. Final candidates will be subject to an interview process. The WPCOG is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
