Tribal Affairs Specialist

Position: JC-369926 - Telework Option - Tribal Affairs Specialist

Job Duties

The Housing and Community Development Specialist I (HCDS I), in the Fair Housing Unit, is responsible for supporting the California Indian Assistance Program (CIAP) in providing technical assistance (TA) and facilitates outreach and engagement with California Native American Tribes. The HCDS I, establishes and updates department procedures and recommends changes to program requirements that remove barriers to attribute tribal participation with funding programs offered by the department. This role supports change management initiatives, while broadening our housing work to actively be inclusive of tribes and coalitions across the state.

Desirables

• Experience working with tribal communities to address housing issues or navigating funding programs
• Experience and/or exposure to legislative, regulatory, or other governmental policy development
• Experience with local planning and housing development, housing legislation, or housing data and research
• Experience facilitating meetings and presenting to public audiences and internal working groups, working with a variety of stakeholders
• Experience conducting policy analysis, including research and using complex data
• Experience preparing materials such as policy briefs, papers, presentations and technical assistance documents
• Experience documenting and updating department process and procedures
• Project management experience, leading teams and project initiatives, including project planning tools, task management, collaboration, time management, problem solving, organizing successful work projects, and demonstrating resilience over a longer implementation time horizon.

Essential Functions

Serve as Division’s policy expert acting independently or as a team, responsible for providing expertise, policy analysis, and compliance with state housing laws, rules and regulations. Effectively prepare and present written briefs, reports, talking points, technical documentation, and presentations, for internal and external communications and events. Coordinate and assist executives and leaders in responding to technical aspects of the program and responding to stakeholder questions and inquiries.

Interpret and analyze complex data from governmental agencies, internal departmental data, and other data sources, reports, surveys, and special projects to support policy and program development and evaluation. Design, develop and maintain research databases and files. Develop and analyze reports and infographics using a variety of databases and present findings. Assist management in measuring past and potential decisions, activities and outcomes.

Develop and implement policy initiatives to strengthen existing laws, rules and programs priorities. Manage and track projects and provide oversight of teams including Department staff and consultants to ensure meeting timelines, finding solutions to barriers, and implementing project initiatives. Maintain effective communication with executives and leaders regarding the progress of the projects, initiatives and programs through written and verbal communication and in preparing progress reports.

Independently develop presentations in support of Departmental activities and functions. Provide technical assistance and consultation to a broad range of constituencies, tribal communities, internal work groups. Gather stakeholder input through workshops, surveys, and public comment. Represent the Department as a member of external committees, inter-agency efforts, advisory bodies and other groups addressing assigned area of expertise as authorized and directed by division management.

Other duties as assigned.