COMMERCE SPECIALIST 5

Full Job Description

Commerce Specialist 5
At the Department of Commerce we’re reimagining what’s possible in government. We’re builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we’re turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places.

Our agency’s strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work.

We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes.

We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

Let’s build what’s next, together.

The Housing Division (HD) partners with local governments, Tribes, housing authorities, nonprofits, and other organizations to develop and preserve affordable housing, promote individual and family self-sufficiency, and reduce adult and youth homelessness.

This position works within the Multifamily Housing Unit (MHU) of HD and is responsible for specific tasks within the State Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and the Federal HOME and National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) programs. This position has responsibility for Project Management portion of applications, underwriting, and award recommendation processes, as well as oversight of all project management activities. This position oversees the development, negotiation, and management of key terms and conditions for state funded capital loans and grants, and ensures projects are under contract, constructed, and placed in service in a timely manner. This position supervises program managers for State Housing Trust Fund, HOME and National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) project development team. This position serves as an advanced level technical specialist in real estate development and finance. Responsibilities include establishing program priorities, goals, and objectives, and developing policies and procedures to create and preserve affordable housing units that are sustainable throughout the projects’ long-term period of performance. This includes the necessary oversight to ensure the appropriate and cost-effective use of state funds.

Requirements

Staff Management
Tasks include:
• Supervises a team of professional staff.
• Oversee the work performed by the team. Delegates workload responsibilities and assignments to staff.
• Provides regular feedback, coaching, and guidance to staff.
• Evaluates staff performance and addresses performance concerns as necessary. Recommends corrective and/or disciplinary actions to the Assistant Managing Director.
• Encourages and supports staff professional development goals and opportunities. Works with staff to identify training needs. Manages staff’s mandatory training requirements ensuring timely completion.
• Performs the following aspects of the hiring process: screening applicants, identifying interview panelists, interviews, completing reference checks. Ensures that all agency hiring procedures are followed and requirements are fulfilled in coordination with Human Resources. Monitors and ensures all mandatory and position specific training is completed prior to due date.
• Assigns contracts, maintains reports and tracking log of all project activity and closing dates, ensures deadlines are met, and provides quality assurance of all contract-related activities.
• Ensures team participation in Results Commerce and other performance management activities to include setting clear expectations, goals and objectives, streamlining workflows, and creating a culture of accountability, trust and respect; implements plans that support the accomplishment of established performance targets.

Project Management for MHU Projects/Contracts
Tasks include:
• Acts as the state technical expert on technical assistance for external partners, implementation and administration of the NHTF and HOME programs, including expert knowledge of national objectives, eligible activities, and federal requirements governing the awarding and implementation of NHTF or HOME funded activities.
• Leads the project development administration of NHTF and HOME programs, ensuring compliance with Title I of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, 24 CFR Part 93 (NHTF) and Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, as amended, 24 CFR Part 92 (HOME).
• Oversee the HTF project management of capital projects and collaborate with other CS5 project management supervisors of capital projects. This includes reviewing and underwriting received applications, negotiating and executing contracts and loan terms, managing projects through construction, and following projects until placed in service and transferred to the Asset Management team within the unit.
• Coordinates and collaborates with other CS5’s on aligning and ensuring consistency among managing and contracting for HTF, HOME, and NHTF projects.
• Develops, implements, and maintains policies and procedures related to capital project funding and management activities within the unit while also adhering to federal guidelines related to HOME and NHTF.
• Ensures timely workflow and coordination within, and among, the unit teams and other workgroups in the department through oversight of the Project Status Report, Contract Management System, Housing Contract Management System, federal Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) and individual project due diligence forms.
• Ensures timely development, negotiation, and execution of contracts, loan terms, and other legal documents appropriate to each capital project; coordinate with contracting staff; negotiates with contractors and developers; facilitates real estate transactions and develops escrow instructions; oversees contract negotiations, contract executions, and real estate closings; coordinates and communicates with other project funders.
• Directly negotiate capital contract terms, including loan and grant terms, with real estate developers, title officers, escrow agents, lenders, attorneys, housing authorities, single asset entities, and nonprofit affordable housing providers.
• Troubleshoots and problem-solves pre-development, development, and contract-related issues; renegotiates contract terms and financial structures, as necessary.
• Ensure file documentation is complete, and data is properly maintained in the unit’s data systems and project/contract files within Contract Management System (CMS), Housing Contract Management System (HCMS) and SharePoint.
• Oversee the implementation and administration of the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard program from the state project management team.
• Serves as state NHTF and HOME NEPA and Section 106 Environmental Review specialist, ensuring projects meet the federal requirements, guiding staff and contractors through the process in a timely manner to ensure choice limiting actions are not committed.
• Coordinates and contracts for third-party construction reviews, reviews and approves requests for payment, and monitors expenditures and project progress.

Application Rounds and Resource Allocation
Tasks include:
• Coordinates and collaborates with the State CS5 on aligning and ensuring consistency among the HTF, HOME, and NHTF programs and aligning the application rounds and resource allocation processes.
• Develops, implements, and maintains policies and procedures related to underwriting and resource allocation activities within the unit.
• Coordinates and collaborates with Housing Investment Manager and CS4’s in the application processes for HTF funds.
• Participates in the review, analysis, and recommendation of projects for funding; ensures public investments are cost-effective and consistent with state and federal regulations and priorities.
• Reviews, analyzes, and determines award and contract conditions, including financial structuring; negotiates key performance measures and timelines with the awardees.
• Provides technical assistance and feedback to applicants of HTF, HOME, AND NHTF programs to strengthen application quality, ensure compliance with program requirements, and support equitable and strategic allocation of housing resources.
• Provides data and assists the unit Managing Director in preparing legislative requests and responds to legislative inquiries, as assigned.

Program Management
Tasks include:
• Oversee the HTF, HOME and NHTF program management, coordinates and collaborates with the State CS5 and Rapid Capital Housing CS5 on aligning and ensuring consistency among the HTF, HOME, and NHTF programs. Ensures correct implementation, program requirements and reporting standards are met in accordance with state, federal and agency standards.
• Oversee the work, organizational design, and workflow of the HTF, HOME and NHTF underwriting and project management team within the unit.
• Ensures cross-team coordination and collaboration within the unit teams, division, Commerce, and with external stakeholders on matters related to underwriting and project management.

Unit Lead Team Member Tasks include:
• Assists the Housing Development Manager and the other unit supervisors in the design and implementation of the organizational structure and workload distribution within MHU.
• Assists the Housing Development Manager and the other unit supervisors in program planning, budget development, and development and implementation of unit policies and procedures.
• Assists the Housing Development Manager and the other unit supervisors by providing input on improving, documenting and implementing unit processes and procedures.
• Ensures cross-team coordination within the MHU teams, as well as within HD, Commerce, and with external stakeholders, on matters related to contract development and administration and fiscal accountability. Coordinates and resolves conflicts of priority between staff, program, and activities.
• Acts on behalf of the Housing Development Manager at stakeholder, unit, state agency, and Commerce meetings as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Position Qualifications:

Nine (9) years of combined experience and/or education as described below:

Experience working in community, trade or economic development with a focus in two or more the following areas:

• Affordable housing

• Housing finance

• Real estate

• Contracting

• Developing, underwriting, negotiating and managing contracts for affordable housing projects with multiple funding sources, such as local, state, federal, private and tax credits.

Two of the nine years must include the following:

• Supervising one or more employees including hiring staff, training and development, assigning work, evaluating performance, and taking corrective action.

Education involves housing finance, business, public administration or related field. Qualifying education post High School or equivalent may be substituted year for year for experience.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 9 years of experience

• 8 years of experience and one year of education

• 7 years of experience and two years of education

• 6 years of experience and three years of education

• 5 years of experience and four years of education

• 4 years of experience and five years of education

• 3 years of experience and six years of education

• 2 years of experience and seven years of education

Required Position Competencies:

• Ability to foster professional development through mentoring and training staff, and other job growth opportunities.

• Ability to openly and honestly communicate and actively engage co-workers, contractors, and other stakeholders.

• Ability to identify and implement changes necessary to streamline and standardize processes, improve administrative efficiency and effectiveness, and enhance customer services.

• Ability to apply excellent interpersonal communication skills and conflict resolution skills.

• Ability to manage and work with diverse personalities, styles, and cultures.

• Ability to effectively communicate, analyze, and weigh the risks versus benefits in decisions and recommendations related to real estate finance and contract negotiations.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs, such as HOME, Community Development Block Grant, and the National Housing Trust Fund.

• Demonstrated experience with real estate contracts and transactions, such as subordination and priority agreements, deeds of trust, covenants, and property liens.

• Demonstrated experience with writing and implementing policies and procedures.

To be considered for this position the following are needed:

• A complete and detailed online application.
• A cover letter (enter online).
• At least three professional references (enter online).

For questions about this recruitment, please contact our recruitment team via email: comrecruitment@commerce.wa.gov- please reference the job number in your message.

Additional Information

Work from Anywhere in Washington State
This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required. If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.

Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can't log in, password or email issues, error messages). DES job seeker support may answer general questions regarding the recruiting system atcareershelp@des.wa.gov.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process or this job announcement in an alternative format may email Human Resources at Human.Resources@commerce.wa.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.