Community and Economic Development Project Manager Apply
Full job description
Work for Indiana
Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a diverse range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.
At the State of Indiana, we dont just talk about diversity and inclusionwe make it our goal to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace with a workforce that is representative of Indiana's population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role.
About the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA):
OCRA works with local, state, and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to aid communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development.
Role Overview:
The Community and Economic Development Project Manager (PM) position serves the state of Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) and the Lt. Governor as the individual responsible for serving as the subject matter expert providing knowledge of concepts and theory that relate to multiple areas of specialization. They represent the interests of Indiana, the Lt Governor, and OCRA. The project manager is responsible for the development, delivery, and ongoing management of various short and long-term projects and programs including but not limited to the Stellar Pathways Program, Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program, and Site Certified. This position will support policy analysis, short and long-term research, and evaluation of projects of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The project manager possesses not only strong communication skills, conveying information clearly and concisely but also a genuine understanding and empathy for the needs of others. They have expertise in group facilitation, and an ability to bring diverse stakeholders together for collaborative discussions. Additionally, the Project Manager will have the organizational skills to manage multiple activities simultaneously. The project manager reports directly to the OCRA Director of Strategic Initiatives.
Salary Statement:
The salary for this position traditionally starts at $53,222 but may be commensurate with education or work experience.
A Day in the Life:
Incumbent administers multiple projects and/or programs within a state agency and serves as the specialist and final authority in several specific areas. Incumbent utilizes education, consultation, cooperative programming, and coordination to accomplish goals. Representative duties include:
- Formulate, establish, interpret, compile, and disseminate to applicable agencies and groups, all policies and procedures related to their responsible programs;
- Review all incoming policy or procedural information for decisions on distribution;
- Research, consult, and develop new and existing programs in response to community needs in order to enhance impact;
- Act as technical consultant to the entire staff, clarifying and interpreting all procedures, providing references, developing and providing training, and resolving disputed issues;
- Ensure 90% of projects funded from assigned programs meet designated timelines and budgets;
- Develop scoring methodology and coordinate review for grant programming;
- Research issues that will affect rural communities as they prepare for economic growth;
- Create and maintain project plans to ensure 95% of key milestones for assigned programs and projects are met;
- Organize regional conferences, workshops, trainings, and exchanges to provide educational and networking opportunities;
- Facilitate interactive meetings to gather community input and provide realistic options for enhancing communities;
- Ensure that users' and project team members' roles and responsibilities on the project are defined;
- Coordinate and monitor activities of all parties involved in the project to ensure the system is completed on time and within budget;
- Prepare applications for additional funding to enhance current programming and capacity-building initiatives;
- Communicate project status to appropriate management and interested parties;
- Ensure that user requirements, deliverables, and approvals are defined;
- Provide relevant information for inclusion in agency, state, and national newsletters, newsletters, and press releases;
- Ensure proper documentation is submitted prior to approving program invoices;
- Create and maintain a team atmosphere and work environment to promote project work productivity;
- Serve as a liaison between the agency and other state and federal agencies as well as university partners;
- Attend community functions, meetings, workshops, etc. on behalf of OCRA;
- Responsible for data collection, development of project data, and preparation of project reports, managing and maintaining research regarding various matters simultaneously;
- Performs related duties as required.
What You'll Need for Success:
- B.S./B.A. degree required plus a minimum of five years of project management experience;
- Considerable knowledge of project management theories and practices and the ability to apply that knowledge;
- Establishes program goals, priorities, and methodology;
- Extensive knowledge of an entire program area(s);
- Extensive knowledge of all source materials and references, including federal and state laws governing the projects/programs;
- Extensive knowledge of the organization of the agency and of state and federal agencies dealing with the projects/programs;
- Extensive knowledge of the understanding of the relationships between Indianas community economic development goals and various programs and services provided by the agency and its partners;
- Considerable knowledge of the information systems development life cycle, information technology, project tools, and approaches to development and implementation;
- Broad knowledge of grant administration, accounting, and budget principles;
- Ability to comprehend, analyze, interpret, and correlate very technical material and make recommendations on implementation in current programs;
- Ability to develop and implement new principles and policies and discern any far-reaching implications;
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing;
- Ability to travel occasionally within the state and nationally;
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships with federal and state agencies.
Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:
Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:
The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:
- Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
- Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
- Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
- Flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside state facilities
- Deferred compensation 457B account (similar to 401k plan) with employer match
- Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
- A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
- 150 hours of paid new parent leave
- Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
- Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
- 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years
- Education Reimbursement Program
- Group life insurance
- Referral Bonus program
- Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
- Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Free Parking for most positions
- Free LinkedIn Learning access
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at jobs@spd.IN.gov.
The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.
