CHIEF OF PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND MODERNIZATION

Do not pass up this chance, apply quickly if your experience and skills match what is in the following description.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Designee, the Chief of Planning, Development & Modernization (CPDM) is a key PCC leadership and administrative position encompassing significant technical oversight and implementation responsibilities of modernization and construction projects.

The CPDM manages modernization and construction activities in a complex public housing authority environment and ensures timely submittal of Davis Bacon Wage reporting to HUD.

Responsibilities include developing and implementing a Modernization Plan for all PCC properties. The CPDM is responsible for producing and implementing PCC's Annual and Five-Year Plan and any significant amendments.

The candidate is also responsible for ensuring that PCC's five-year Physical Needs Assessment is prepared and completed to HUD's satisfaction.

The position supervises administrative project construction management staff and works closely with cross-department leadership teams to ensure a comprehensive approach to planning, design, and construction management is being implemented.

Duties include but are not limited to, assisting in PCC's redevelopment activities and general real estate planning and acquisition activities.

These strategies entail efforts to reposition PCC's housing stock to maintain the viability of the portfolio and to ensure PCC's role as the primary provider of affordable housing in Bridgeport.

The duties of this position encompass those of a planner and real estate developer.

Key Duties / Essential Job Functions :

• Assigns, supervises, monitors, motivates, and trains staff in a team environment. This includes establishing performance expectations, conducting performance evaluations, identifying staff development needs, and ensuring that superior work is recognized and that appropriate corrective action is taken in instances of substandard performance.
• Completes all independent cost estimates for construction projects within the portfolio.
• Serve as the PCC's key person in charge of design, construction, and modernization jobs with dollar values ranging from the thousands to the millions.
• Identify the need for PCC to engage architects and engineers to achieve comprehensive approaches to all construction, modernization, redevelopment, and development activities.

Actively involved in the selection process for architects and engineers.

• Serve as PCC's key person in charge of monitoring and tracking the Capital Fund Program (CFP) and implementing and managing the CFP projects in the portfolio.
• Manage and monitor all design and construction jobs to ensure the comprehensiveness of approach and integration with PCC's strategic goals and objectives.
• Monitor all design, construction, and modernization jobs to minimize problems during design and construction, complete jobs on time and within budget, and ensure Davis Bacon Wage requirements are met.
• Establish tracking, reporting, and record-keeping systems to ensure that all jobs are monitored and documented by sound business practices, PCC's internal policies, and public regulatory requirements, particularly those issued by HUD, including but not limited to prevailing wage requirements, local-hire policies, and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) / Women Business Enterprise (WBE) goals.
• Establish standard operating procedures for the entire Planning, Development, and Modernization Department.
• Prepare monthly progress reports for the CEO, designee, and Board of Commissioners.
• Notify the CEO or designee promptly of any problems and recommend appropriate actions.
• Evaluate and recommend payment for each design and construction job based on progress and completed work.
• Critically evaluate and negotiate design and scope changes and change orders and recommend appropriate action, including approval, disapproval, or alternatives.
• Monitor the completion of all design work and the close-out of all assigned construction and modernization jobs, including final inspections, punch list, and all required external certifications.
• Ensure that the architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, etc., deliver all required specifications, as-built and record drawings, warranty and guaranty manuals, and information and that these materials become part of the record-keeping and filing system.
• Monitor the completion of design work through final construction, including punch-list completion, and ensure sufficient funds are withheld to complete all work.
• Recommend final close-out and acceptance of all design and construction work to appropriate PCC departmental personnel.
• Oversee the post-job evaluations of architects, engineers, and contractors.
• Schedule briefings for appropriate PCC management and maintenance personnel on routine and preventive maintenance requirements for completed modernization and construction work.
• In coordination with the Construction and Junior Project Manager, coordinate planning, designing, and implementing comprehensive approaches to modernization and construction needs throughout the portfolio for PCC and its affiliate organizations.

Includes developing contracts for execution by the CEO to address these needs, with particular attention to work demands that may originate in the Asset Management Department.

Provide input and assistance to the team during the planning phase of every job to help identify opportunities for product standardization and anticipate issues that could create problems during design and construction or later, including increased vulnerability to design and scope changes, change orders, and increased maintenance costs.

The CPDM is responsible for updating and revising the overall planning, development, and modernization strategies for the agency.

These updates and revisions are intended to reflect changing market and neighborhood conditions, changing conditions within the Authority and its development sites, and evolving regional issues related to affordable housing.

In the role of developer, the CPDM packages redevelopment activities, including financing, partners, and requisite City, State, and federal signoffs that are required.

To include :

• Serving as Coordinator for all master planning efforts.
• Maintaining demographic profiles on PCC's properties, waiting list trends, and census to track information used to justify revisions to PCC's asset management strategies.
• Coordinating with City staff involved in developing the Consolidated Plan for the City of Bridgeport to ensure that appropriate language is in place to support PCC's objectives.
• Monitoring state-level programs and Urban Action Grants to determine how they can best support PCC objectives. When possible, comment on state-level efforts to allocate resources that support PCC objectives.
• Coordinating all PCC activities related to tax-exempt bond financing.
• Preparing reports related to the tax-exempt bond program and compiling information for special reports to the PCC board and local, state, and federal agencies.
• Coordinating and preparing all demolition / disposition applications for public housing.
• Seeking funding from various sources for pre-development activities.
• Preparing Tax Credit Applications and other applications related to real estate finance.
• Supporting the work of direct reports as projects are assigned to them.
• Attending meetings as a representative of the Executive Office when requested.
• Coordinating activities with all other PCC Departments in a collaborative team environment.
• Supervising other staff and or interns as required.
• Regularly assisting design, modernization, and construction staff. Regularly checks design and construction work-in-progress and performs quality control checks.
• Assisting the PCC legal staff with resolving any disputes arising from design, modernization, and construction work, including claims against the PCC, architects, engineers, and contractors under performance bonds.
• Advising on recommended work items for the PCC's Capital Fund Program (CFP) and / or other funding requests to be included in the PCC's short and long-term capital plans.
• Performing all other related duties as assigned.

Education / Qualifications

Required : Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Urban Planning, Public Administration, or Real Estate Development and seven years' experience as a Senior Planner or Project Manager for real estate rehabilitation or development activities.

Preferred : Master's degree or equivalent in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Law, or Real Estate Development and five years of work experience as a program administrator for programs involving housing development or housing finance.

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of design requirements, building codes, and regulations, preferably in Connecticut.
• A specific understanding of HUD requirements, including Housing Quality Standards (HQS), is desirable.
• Must have a sound administrative and supervisory background in design and construction management, preferably in the public housing industry.
• Possess the skills and abilities to interact effectively in a complex construction environment with architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and local, state, and federal code, building, and regulatory officials.
• Ability to make independent judgments on problems and issues.
• Strong computer proficiency.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Cooperative / courteous to the public and team player.
• Work with minimal supervision.
• Possess a valid CT driver's license.

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

Typical office environment and able to attend meetings, training, and travel to PPC sites unaccompanied. The manager will frequently drive to job sites and other destinations required to perform the job duties for this position.

Benefits

• State of CT 2.0 Partnership Healthcare Plan w / HEP + Dental & Vision
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employer paid group health life insurance $25,000
• CT Municipal Employee Retirement System Employee 4.75% contribution, Employer Cost share 19.57% (5-year vesting)
• PTO or Vacation, Sick & Personal Days
• 13 paid holidays per calendar year
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• Eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee discount perks via ADP services
• Supplemental Insurance Retirement

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