Federal Grant Management Unit (FGMU) Strategic Advisor

Full Job Description

The Strategic Advisor for the Human Services Department’s Federal Grant Management Unit (FGMU) serves as a senior advisor and subject matter expert overseeing the City of Seattle’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement funding, including CDBG, ESG, HOPWA, and HOME.

This role provides executive-level strategic guidance to elected officials and department leadership on complex policy, funding, compliance, and resource allocation matters affecting high-impact human services programs.

The Strategic Advisor shapes long-term funding strategy advises on regulatory risk and performance outcomes and ensures alignment of federal investments with the City’s priority objectives.

The position leads cross-departmental coordination and represents the department in communications with City leadership, nonprofit partners, and external stakeholders.

Working closely with the FGMU Manager and team, the Strategic Advisor provides oversight across the full grant lifecycle—from allocation and compliance through reporting and closeout—ensuring strong stewardship of federal resources and maximizing community impact.

Requirements

Serves as a senior strategic representative of elected official(s) and/or department head(s), advising on complex, high-impact issues related to the City’s priority programs and services.

Provides guidance on policy direction, builds consensus among diverse stakeholders, advocates for strategic positions—including controversial initiatives—and advances critical City objectives through executive-level communication and influence.

Provides executive leadership and strategic direction to cross-functional, interdepartmental, and interjurisdictional teams. Aligns efforts across organizational boundaries to achieve long-term City priorities, resolve complex challenges, and ensure coordinated implementation of major initiatives.

Functions as the City’s subject matter authority in HUD entitlement funding (, ESG, HOPWA, HOME), exercising independent judgment in technical decision-making, regulatory interpretation, compliance strategy, and risk mitigation.

Advises leadership on regulatory changes and funding implications to safeguard resources and maximize community impact.

Serves as a trusted Strategic Advisor whose expert analysis and recommendations directly inform executive decisions affecting highly visible, high-impact City services and programs.

Anticipates emerging risks, evaluates strategic options, and provides data-driven guidance to support policy and operational outcomes.

Leads high-level coordination and communications between FGMU, City departments, local nonprofit partners, and City leadership. Ensures strategic alignment, policy compliance, and transparent information flow while strengthening collaborative partnerships.

Provides strategic oversight of funding lifecycle management, collaborating with the FGMU Manager and team to guide allocation strategy, performance monitoring, compliance reporting, and grant closeout.

Ensures processes reflect best practices, mitigate risk, and support data-informed leadership decision-making.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Knowledge of HUD entitlement programs (CDBG, ESG, HOPWA, HOME), including regulatory interpretation, compliance oversight, and risk mitigation.
• Five years professional experience in grant management, financial analysis, public administration, or related work.
  • Including allocation, monitoring, reporting, audit response, and closeout, with strong fiscal and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives or elected officials on complex policy, funding, and regulatory matters with significant public impact.
• Bachelor's degree in public policy, Public Administration, Urban Planning, Community Development, Political Science, Finance, Accounting or related field.

Or a combination of education, training, experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class.

Desired Qualifications:

• Proven ability to develop guidance on long-range funding strategies, resource allocation decisions, and performance frameworks for high-impact public programs.
• Experience leading cross-functional or interdepartmental initiatives and aligning diverse stakeholders to achieve strategic objectives.
• Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical and financial information into clear, actionable guidance.
• Experience with HUD IDIS grant tracking and reporting system.

Additional Information

The full pay range for this opportunity is $51.88 - $77.82 an hour.

Your application will not be reviewed if these items are missing or incomplete.

Hiring Process
Applications are reviewed after the posting closes. Qualified candidates must submit the following to be considered:

1. Completed NEOGOV online application.
2. Current résumé indicating relevant experience and education.
3. Supplemental questionnaire responses.

Offers of employment are contingent on verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process, which may include a detailed background check, pre-placement physical exam, and/or full driver's abstract, dependent upon position.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at:https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans.

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Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Who may apply: This role is open to all candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. We value different viewpoints and life experiences.

Your application will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.