Climate Action Project Specialist, Grant Service specialist III – Department of Planning

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION POSTING DATE: 06/11/2024 CLOSING DATE: 09/10/2024 AT 12:00AM MIDNIGHT SALARY RANGE: $58,370.00 – $100,344.00 ANNUALLY Class Description The Baltimore City Office of Sustainability is recruiting for a Project Specialist to coordinate climate and resiliency initiatives, particularly a grant-funded project that will install solar power and back up batteries at several Community Resiliency Hubs sites. Baltimore’s Community Resiliency Hub Program is an innovative and impactful community-centered initiative that increases community capacity to prepare for, withstand, and respond to natural hazard impacts and emergency situations. The goal of this program is to better connect frontline community organizations with focused support and resources so that, in the event of a natural disaster or emergency, there is improved provision of emergency response and recovery services to under-resourced neighborhoods and their most vulnerable residents. The Program is a partnership between service-based community organizations in Baltimore’s most climate-vulnerable neighborhoods and the Office of Sustainability (BoS), Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and Department of Health (BCHD). The Office of Sustainability is the lead agency that is responsible for growing and managing the Program as a key strategy of Baltimore’s Disaster Preparedness Plan (DP3).

The Project Specialist will ensure that the project incorporates, advances, and operationalizes equity in all activities and engagement processes, and will seek opportunities to create co-benefits to address other community needs through projects as possible. The Project Specialist will contribute to efforts to expand the Community Resiliency Hub program and other climate action projects that increase resiliency and safety in frontline communities. This position is grant funded however it may continue beyond the grant period if additional funds are secured.

Essential Functions

• Develop and/or maintain accurate project scopes, schedules, and budget in coordination with the project partners, funders, and contractors.
• Manage grant-funded projects within the Project Specialists’ portfolio, including submitting reports and remaining in contact with funders.
• Coordinate the development and management of agreements and contracts required to successfully complete projects, including supervising contractor work.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage project risks, ensuring that appropriate mitigation strategies are in place.
• Coordinate and manage project team members, including City and State representatives, contractors, Community Resiliency Hub manager, partners and other stakeholders or community members, to ensure that projects are completed on time and to the highest quality standards.
• Ensure that all project documentation is complete, accurate, and up to date, including project plans, schedules, budgets, and progress reports.
• Maintain regular communication with the project partners, ensuring that their needs and expectations are being met.
• Monitor project progress and budget, taking corrective action as needed to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Oversee the commissioning, contracting and start-up of projects, ensuring that they are operating as expected and meeting performance guarantees.
• Promote projects within local neighborhoods and the broader Baltimore community, including making presentations, organizing events, attending meetings, and other activities to increase recognition of the climate action and disaster preparedness projects occurring in Baltimore, especially related to solar installation projects at Community Resiliency Hubs.
• Assist with the coordination of the programs related to projects in the Project Specialist’s portfolio, particularly the Community Resiliency Hub program, including planning, network and stakeholder engagement, and operations.
• Proactively seek additional funds related to the project expansion or additional projects identified in City of Baltimore plans as directed.
• Be an active member of the Baltimore Office of Sustainability team by contributing to the smooth overall functioning and promotion of its work.

Education And Experience Requirements

EDUCATION: Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or in project management, urban or regional planning, sustainability, environmental studies, environmental science, environmental policy, public administration, project management or a closely related field such as environmental education or social work.

OR

NOTE EQUIVALENCIES: Have an equivalent combination of education and experience.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATES: Have a valid Maryland Class C Non-Commercial driver’s license or an equivalent driver’s license and eligibility to obtain a Baltimore City driver’s permit.

Project management certification or experience is desirable.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of administrative practices and procedures.
• Knowledge (where required) of public health services and practices.
• Knowledge (where required) of specified oral and written non-English language grammar, spelling and punctuation and associated cultural idioms, customs and norms.
• Knowledge of research techniques and methodology.
• Skill in grant writing and grant administration.
• Skill in formulating public policies
• Skill in coordinating responses from multiple public and private agencies, institutions and community resource organizations.
• Skill (where required) in speaking, reading and writing a specified non-English language and interacting within associated cultural idioms, customs and norms.
• Ability to plan, implement and administer a high-level, high profile special initiative program or project. Ability to establish and maintain effective liaisons with people of varied backgrounds, including clients, families, neighbors, government representatives and officials and public and private community institutions, service providers and personnel.
• Ability to deal with emergency or crisis situations with calm, tact and dispatch.
• Ability to promote program activities.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Supervisory experience.
• Administrative experience.

NOTE: Those eligible who are under final consideration for appointment to some positions in this class will be required to authorize the release of criminal conviction information.

Financial Disclosure:

This position is required to complete a Financial Disclosure pursuant to Sections 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 of the City Ethics Law.

BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER