Housing and Community Development Program Coordinator

This highly visible position with diverse responsibilities requires an experienced, motivated, and innovative individual to coordinate actionable methods for increasing community awareness of and participation in the City’s housing programs. Develops and implements marketing and communication strategies for the promotion of division programs, intergovernmental/interagency coordination, and special events. Increases community awareness of the City’s available resources to educate and inform the public, housing providers, nonprofit agencies and business owners about events, housing opportunities and relevant issues the City is facing regarding affordable housing. Educates and promotes City resources to civic and community groups regarding the division’s mission, functions, and the various services/programs offered. This may include scheduling public speaking engagements, participating in neighborhood meetings, collaboration with partner agencies and the development of alternative outreach opportunities such as social media, printed materials, etc.

Position responsibilities are of more than average difficulty and require significant tact, diplomacy, and discretion in all internal and external interactions. Working under general supervision, employee is required to exercise reasonable independent judgment and initiative in coordinating activities and responding to the public. Position will sometimes require performing work on weekends and during irregular hours. Work is reviewed while in progress through observation, and upon completion through reports submitted, public response, results obtained, and content produced.

Assists with developing and executing platforms and strategies to support civic engagement and awareness of the division’s comprehensive goals while enhancing public trust; researches, designs, implements, and evaluates innovative outreach services and experiences for year-round strategic engagement involving internal and external stakeholders; implements a variety of community engagement strategy in coordination for projects, events, community development activities.

Interfaces with city departments, elected officials, and community members to facilitate communication; tracks concerns and resolutions; seeks to coordinate timely interdepartmental cooperation where necessary to effectively respond to neighborhood and community concerns; notifies supervisor of concerns requiring escalation or additional investigation.

Serves as main point of contact for messaging in relation to citizens’ concerns; handles such matters directly where feasible by disseminating information on existing city programs, processes, and services; tracks citizen inquiries through a coordinated message center; tracks departmental responses to action/response requests to neighborhood needs and concerns to ensure the city is responsive to those needs

Represents the City in a positive and effective manner; create and deliver professional presentations; attend meetings and events; participate in community and professional organizations as a representative of the City. Serves as a resource to the general public, responding to inquiries and providing information on the various types of departmental services, programs, and projects.

Coordinates and promotes community meetings, programs and services designed to enhance the quality of life, improve interactions between the City and communities, including housing initiatives and public service programs; provides support to neighborhood enhancement to provide information on current housing issues and initiatives and utilizes information from City and community agency resources.

Cultivates relationships with residential and business stakeholders to gain awareness of the history, culture and challenges that exist within each predefined area; supports the development of programs and partnerships; coordinates information dissemination to address key community challenges with supporting community placemaking.

Establishes and maintains open lines of communication by personal contact with neighborhood groups, voluntary organizations, and the general public; helps develop strategies to enhance information flow, neighborhood cohesiveness and citizen participation; makes recommendations regarding neighborhood policies, programs, and events.

Monitors emerging technologies and methods related to community engagement; develop specific outreach strategies to reach diverse and hard to reach populations who require assistance in connecting with City services and programs.

Completes special projects as assigned, working on a wide variety of administrative, professional, and community issues and problems of medium complexity.

Supports activities related to the Communications Department, which may include providing on-air and official statements on behalf of the City; recruits, trains, and places community volunteers to assist with strategic initiatives.

Maintains current database of community and business policies, programs, and events. Maintains a calendar of outreach activities including community events, workshops, public appearances, and other communication opportunities.

Prepares monthly activity reports, quarterly and annual reports reflecting program achievements. Conducts data and information collection to track and assess program impacts and deficiencies.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of: municipal organization; City of Tampa geographical area and demographics.

Ability to: establish and maintain effective working relationships and communication with city officials, department representatives, members of community groups, and the general public; write and speak clearly and concisely in a variety of communication settings; assist with public relations problems effectively, courteously, and tactfully; be flexible in dealing with diverse audiences; evaluate information, draw sound conclusions, and prepare and submit oral and written reports; maintain files and databases.

Skill in: proper grammar and arithmetic; planning, marketing and coordinating neighborhood meetings; computers, MS Office and various digital technologies.  Serve as a strong relationship builder and communicator with a customer service focus.

Mostly sedentary, indoors, requires extended use of computer, typing and viewing a monitor. 

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, public or business administration or a related field and one (1) years of experience in community outreach, federal and/or state housing assistance programs, communications, marketing, or related experience; OR 

An equivalent combination of education (not less than possession of a high school diploma/GED), training and experience that would reasonably be expected to provide the job-related competencies noted above.

Possession of a valid Florida driver’s license required.

Evaluation of education and experience. Drug testing is included in all pre-employment processing.

Employees may be required to work rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed. During periods when the Mayor issues an emergency declaration for the City of Tampa, all employees may be required to work in preparation, response or recovery activities related to the stated emergency.

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