Job Description

Competition # : 37878

Department: Municipal Affairs and Housing

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: \xe2\x80\x8b2/27/2023\xe2\x80\x8b (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

The Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing is the primary housing delivery agency in Nova Scotia. The Department is also responsible for ensuring the availability of safe, suitable, and affordable housing for all Nova Scotians. Our work involves making strategic investments, leveraging new funding, and building on critical partnerships to help further position ourselves to meet current and future housing challenges.

About Our Opportunity

Under the direction of the Manager, Affordable Housing, the Program Specialist is responsible for the delivery and administration of a range of Affordable Housing Programs.

Primary Accountabilities

• Responds to program queries and works with private and non-profit real estate developers to clarify the project scope.
• Reviews applications for capital funding for affordable housing projects based on established guidelines.
• Prepares conditional approval letters and contracts.
• Prepares mortgages, reviews progress claims, and enters disbursements for approval in ICM.
• Monitors ongoing compliance with funding contracts.
• Supports the review of rent increases, requests for mortgage postponements/write-offs and FOIPOP requests/public accounts.

Qualifications and Experience

This may be the right opportunity for you if you have a bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s degree in a related field (Business, Commerce, Finance, Land Development) with 5 years of related experience (program delivery and/or mortgage/loan administration). You have proven program delivery experience, strong financial analysis skills, and effective communication and interpersonal skills. You possess a valid Nova Scotia driver\xe2\x80\x99s license with access to a reliable vehicle to travel to various project sites.

You have strong interpersonal, consultative, influencing/negotiating, and relationship building skills to work effectively with proponents and establish productive relationships with senior representatives of private, non-profit, and government departments/organizations (municipal, provincial, and federal).

You also possess strong written communication skills including the ability to write reports, formal recommendations, and correspondence. You have experience reviewing financial statements and the ability to understand financial reports, development cost projections, and pro forma budgets. You are proficient with the full Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint). Familiarity with ICM (Integrated Case Management) and/or SAP is desirable.

You have excellent organizational and project management skills and the ability to balance priorities, meet deadlines, and exercise sound judgement to achieve outcomes within specified timeframes. Your discretion in dealing with confidential information, solid understanding of client service, and decision-making abilities allow you to work with minimal supervision.

General knowledge of mortgage lending, the ability to read construction documents, and familiarity with the real estate development process and/or property management is desirable.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Equivalency

An equivalent combination of training, education and experience will be considered. Related equivalencies may include, but are not limited to:

• A related diploma and seven (7) years of related experience.

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Pension, General Illness (Short and Long Term), Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Click to learn more about our various benefits offerings and eligibility criteria.

Working Conditions

Most of your work is in a comfortable office environment. You may be required to travel to sites on occasion. There is a need for you to balance competing priorities and meet strict deadlines.

Additional Information

This position requires the successful candidate to work on-site.

What We Offer

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career.
• An engaged workplace where we foster respect and recognition.
• Forward-thinking policies and strategies.
• Countless Career Paths.
• Department Specific Flexible working schedules.

Pay Grade: PR 13

Salary Range: $2,469.30 - $3,001.65 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement:

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

This is a bargaining unit position initially restricted to current civil service employees represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU). If applying from outside a government office, employees must apply correctly via this link:

Failure to apply correctly means that your application will not be given first consideration as a bargaining unit applicant, and will only be included if external applications are pursued.

External applicants and current casual employees will only be considered if there are no qualified civil service bargaining unit candidates. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.

Government of Nova Scotia