Community Development Specialist

The City of Champaign invests in its neighborhoods through the Neighborhood Wellness Program, which assesses neighborhood conditions and promotes safe and affordable housing, well-maintained private and public spaces, public safety, adequate public infrastructure, and community engagement. Consider joining the team that helps make these outcomes possible as a Community Development Specialist in the Neighborhood Services Department. The anticipated start date is February 2025.  

Benefits include paid sick, personal, and vacation leave and 12 holidays per year, health and life insurance, and a pension through the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). View the complete Non-Bargaining Unit Exempt Fringe Benefit Summary at champaignil.gov/salaries.

Responsibilities of Position

The Community Development Specialist develops and implements housing rehabilitation and community development projects, programs, and services that revitalize existing housing stock, create new housing, and/or enhance the physical environment within neighborhoods. Such programs and projects typically involve using federal and state grant funds and complying with regulatory requirements.  

The annual starting salary range is $72,826 - $82,905, DOQ, plus an excellent fringe benefits package. Applications must be submitted online no later than Sunday, November 24, 2024.

The City’s mission is to provide responsive, caring, cost-effective service in partnership with our community. The following values guide our work: Personal Integrity, Responsibility, Respect, Teamwork, Results. The City of Champaign is committed to promoting a work environment and a community that values and supports diversity and inclusion.

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in urban planning, business or public administration or a related field.
• Experience in program administration or project management.
• An equivalent combination of work experience and education demonstrating the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be considered.
• Knowledge of urban planning or community development principles and practices.
• Experience collecting and analyzing information and preparing reports.
• Current state-issued driver’s license with good driving record.
• Ability to occasionally work outside of regular work hours to attend meetings and events.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in urban planning, business or public administration, or a related field.
• Academic or professional experience with mapping and spatial analysis and graphics programs, including GIS and Adobe Creative Cloud products.
• Knowledge and/or experience with U.S. Housing and Urban Development programs (Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership, etc.).
• Experience giving presentations.
• Experience with grant writing, regulatory compliance, contracting, and determining income eligibility/underwriting.

Drug screening, driving abstract, and criminal background check will be required.