Resilient Communities Program Manager

This is a Time Limited position with the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR).  The position is EPA, which means it is exempt from the rules and regulations of the NC Office of Human Resources Act (GS126), except for Articles 6 and 7 of that Chapter, due to state statutory and/or funding requirements. The position is full time (40 hours per week) and will be for a limited duration of time. The position is currently funded through July 15, 2022, but this date could be extended depending on available funding and funder approval.

 This is a full-time position (40 hours per week) with State Benefits.

About the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR): The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR), Division of the Department of Public Safety is a new Office, responsible for executing multi-year recovery and resiliency projects related to damage sustained in qualifying major disasters, including Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Florence, and the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The work focuses on supporting survivors and communities impacted by Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, COVID-19, and their recovery.

The Office will be actively engaged in projects in at least the following areas: Single-Family Homeowner Rehabilitation/Repair; Housing Repair Reimbursement; Single Family Homeowner Reconstruction; Homeowner Buyout; Mobile Home Repair; Mobile Home Replacement; Homeowner Assistance; Small Rental Repair; Public Housing Authority Assistance; Resilient Infrastructure; Construction Trades and Training; Code Enforcement Support; Planning; COVID- 19 response including rental assistance; Multifamily new development; and other Action Plan defined programs on rebuild.nc.gov. NCORR is responsible for the management and distribution of over $1 billion in recovery funding.

Most projects will be funded by the Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery CDBG-DR), Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT); and Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV). The office will be headquartered in Durham County. Staff will be directly engaged in helping North Carolinians recover from Hurricanes Matthew and Florence and COVID-19, building stronger communities, and making our state more resilient for future disasters. Staff will work as a team, planning and implementing programs to help survivors return to or remain in safe and sustainable housing through a variety of state and federally supported programs Team also staffs the State Disaster Recovery Task force. The office is headquartered in Durham, NC.

Primary purpose of this position: The primary purpose of the position is to implement the Rural Resilient Communities Program funded by the Economic Development Administration. This program is a partnership between NCORR and the North Carolina Rural Center, in collaboration with the North Carolina Councils of Governments.

This project includes two phases. Phase 1 will establish a Local and Regional Resilience Guidebook, which will benefit all of North Carolina’s towns, cities, counties, and regions. Phase 2 will provide training and technical assistance for leaders by region in areas impacted by Hurricanes Florence and Matthew. This assistance will allow regional groups of leaders develop portfolios of potential projects, using the Guidebook that will enhance disaster and economic resilience.

Ability to work remotely is necessary, and some travel may be required subject to COVID-19 restrictions and considerations. 

As the Resilient Communities Program Manager you will:

• Ensure the production of key grant deliverables, including the Guidebook, working with the Rural Center to design and deliver regional coaching sessions, production of regional project portfolios working with a consultant, and provision of technical assistance from consultant(s)
• Serve as a liaison between the state resilience team, hired consultants, and local/regional government; champion local resilience needs and their representation in NC Resilient Communities Program
• Facilitate regular meetings of the steering committee, manage collaborations with the Rural Center and the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management
• Track and manage the grant budget; collate financial paperwork and project progress reports

• Possess skill in inspiring and engaging diverse stakeholders around a shared vision for achieving results.
• Ability to manage grant budgets, collate financial paperwork, and produce project progress reports.
• Ability to manage contractors for consultative services
• Ability to acquire subject matter knowledge on disaster resilience, climate adaptation, or economic development as pertains to local government planning.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / CompetenciesThe Knowledge, Skills and Abilities listed below, along with the Minimum Education and Experience requirements, are REQUIRED to qualify for this position.  We will not review resumes in lieu of Experience and Education listed on the application.  Click these links for additional information: Introduction to the Job Application and Addressing Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.  (Note: These links were created for applicants of Dept. of Public Safety jobs and may not reflect the policies or procedures of other State agencies.)
To qualify for this position, applicants must document on the application that they possess ALL of the following:

• Knowledge of climate, disaster or economic resilience

• Experience facilitating meetings to obtain consensus on priorities and implementing actions.
• Knowledge of managing budgets for grants and ensuring key deliverables are met.
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills, especially for local government and the public
• Documented experience engaging, inspiring, or informing leaders within or outside State government.  

Management Preferences: 

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree relevant to planning or policy and 5 years of work experience relevant to local government, including project or grant management experience. Experience managing consultants preferred.
• Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: Bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution and five (5) years of progressively experience related to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.