Planning Analyst/ Housing Forward Cities Coordinator

Job Title

The Metropolitan Council is seeking a senior individual contributor to coordinate the overall implementation of Housing Forward Cities, a grant-funded program to change long-term market conditions and break down policy and practice barriers to affordable housing, while advancing the goals of the Imagine 2050 regional development guide.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. The Community Development division is responsible for the Met 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.

The Housing Policy and Livable Communities team is responsible for developing and implementing regional housing policies, working with local governments to identify and plan for their current and future housing needs, and delivering funding to help communities achieve development goals that create more housing choices, support living wage job creation, and connect jobs, housing, and regional amenities to create a more equitable region.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Planning Analyst is a senior-level individual contributor and project manager as part of a small, collaborative Housing Forward Cities project team, within the overall 12-person Housing and Livable Communities work unit. The person in this position will serve as a team leader for the Housing Forward Cities project, managing the implementation of the project activities, budget, and timeline in coordination with collaborators across the Livable Communities and Housing team and Community Development division.

About Housing Forward Cities:

Housing Forward Cities is a grant-funded project to change long-term market conditions and break down policy and practice barriers to affordable housing, while advancing the goals of the Imagine 2050 regional development guide. The Twin Cities region is at a critical juncture for affordable housing, with the opportunity to build on recent successes that help to bridge the affordable housing gap. Housing Forward Cities is a set of grantmaking and planning assistance efforts to support collaboration among cities throughout the Twin Cities metro region, with the goal of supporting them in making policy changes that eliminate barriers to affordable housing and foster policy consistency across the region, simplifying the region's development processes.

This position is eligible for a hybrid telework arrangement. The candidate's telework location must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Note: Although the full salary range is displayed, the hiring salary will be determined based on the final candidate's qualifications, the Council's internal pay structures, and our total compensation package for the position.

Note: This recruitment may establish a six (6) month eligibility list for current and future vacancies if we have multiple qualified candidates. Placement on the eligible list does not guarantee you a job with the Council.

What you would do in this job:

• Champion the overall Housing Forward Cities project and serve as team leader to manage the timely and effective implementation of all project activities, budgets, and timelines. Coordinate work planning and project assignments for colleagues.
• Serve as project manager for the implementation of the Housing Forward Cities Missing Middle project, managing relationships and deliverables with third-party contractors and subject matter experts to boost regional innovation and effective policy collaboration to support the goals of Imagine 2050 and the Housing Policy Plan.
• Serve as project manager to develop additional scopes of work and deploy funds and planning assistance resources via contracts and grants for grant-funded projects that build regional housing policy collaboration.
• Contribute to related efforts and serve as a liaison to related projects across the Met Council enterprise, including outcomes measurement and evaluation efforts.
• Lead funder reporting and compliance for Housing Forward Cities, working closely with the internal grants administration team.

What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications):

Any of the following combinations of completed education (major coursework in city, urban, or environmental planning and policy, or a related field) and experience (in program administration, implementation, public sector planning, grant coordination, land use planning, housing policy, community development, economic development, or a related field), including two years of project management or team lead experience:

High school diploma/GED AND nine (9) years of experience.

Associate degree AND seven (7) years of experience.

Bachelor's degree AND five (5) years of experience.

Master's degree AND three (3) years of experience.

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Project management skills relevant to managing contracts and grant-funded projects as a team or project leader.
• Local government experience.
• Grantmaking and grant administration as a funder.
• Experience with affordable housing policy topics, including strong interest in missing middle (2-25 unit) housing development and preservation, local land use policies, affordable multifamily or single-family development and preservation.
• Urban and regional planning, land use planning.
• Technical assistance and training tools.
• HUD Community Planning and Development programs (e.g., CDBG, HOME, NSP) and/or related federal funding programs, including grant management practices and compliance with 2 CFR Part 200.
• Demonstrated skills in facilitating collaborative approaches to policy development, peer learning, and technical assistance delivery with local governments.
• Experience working with diverse populations of internal and external customers, and with outreach to cross-cultural communities.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft suite and knowledge of project management tools.

What knowledge, skills, and abilities you should have within the first six months on the job:

• Knowledge of the connections between housing policy and opportunities to reduce climate impact, plan effectively in transit and commercial corridors, support wealth-building, and sustain cultural and community connections within existing neighborhoods.
• Knowledge of institutional racism and the historically different impact of public investments on communities of color.
• Skill in persuasive communication including the ability to influence, instruct, and negotiate with others to gain their understanding, cooperation, and action.
• Skill in interpersonal communications; effectively working with a wide variety of internal and external partners to address regional goals, navigating ambiguity and identifying creative approaches.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with local governments and their development partners even when delivering unwelcome news.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and clearly to a diverse audience of stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to successfully lead and manage projects, coordinate the work of project teams, ensure compliance with funder requirements, and complete deliverables within allotted timeframes.
• Ability to handle and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret funding applications, funder requirements, pro formas, site plans, and legal documents.
• Highly developed conceptual and analytical skills.
• Ability to demonstrate experience in applying equity principles in project management, processes, and decision-making.
• What you can expect from us:
• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage employees to develop skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a good work-life balance
• More about why you should join us!

Additional information:

Classification Level: Planning Analyst Union/Grade: AFSCME Grade I FLSA Status: Exempt Full Salary Range: $46.06- $ 74.71 hourly / $95, 805- $155,397 annually Anticipated Starting Salary Range: $53.55 hourly - $60.80 /$ 111,384.00 - $12645.18 annually What your work environment would be: You would perform your work in a standard office setting. Work may sometimes require travel between your primary work site and other sites.

What steps the recruitment process involves:

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

Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety-sensitive positions only) and a background check which verifies education, employment, and