Project Leader

Open internally until February 19, 2025.

Open externally until February 26, 2025.

Class Title: Project Leader

Position Title: Project Leader

Accountable To: Construction Program Manager

Department: Maintenance

Band: C

Grade: 4

Subgrade: 3

Come join one of the nation’s highest ranked housing agencies. Be a part of an innovative and creative team of individuals committed to serving the community by providing affordable, quality housing.

The St. Paul Public Housing Agency (PHA) has been serving the community for over 45 years. St. Paul PHA is an independent agency that owns and operates affordable rental housing for low-income families and individuals throughout the City, with subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The PHA provides approximately 4,273 affordable rental units in hi-rise buildings, townhomes, and scattered site single family and duplex homes. The PHA administers 5,242 Housing Choice Vouchers, paying over 45 million annually in federal rent subsidies to private owners who rent units to eligible families and individuals with very low incomes.

Mission Statement:

The PHA helps families and individuals with low incomes achieve greater stability and self-reliance by providing safe, affordable, quality housing and links to community services.

Employment Benefits:

The PHA offers a generous employee benefits package. The standard package includes paid vacation and sick leave; eleven paid designated holidays and two paid floating holidays; health and dental insurance coverage; and an employer pension contribution equal to 7% of employee's salary (employee contributes 5%). Additional benefits vary by contract or Supervisory and Confidential (S&C) policies.

Class Summary: Incumbents perform professional level technical, architectural and engineering functions related to plans, specifications and contracts for developing, maintaining, improving and modernizing public housing properties.

Distinguishing Characteristics: The Project Leader is the second level of a three level construction management series. The Project Leader is distinguished from the Project Technician by its responsibility for performing professional level activities requiring a bachelor’s degree. The Project Leader is distinguished from the Construction Program Manager, which has full supervisory authority over Project Technicians and Project Leaders.

Position Summary: Same as above.

Duties:

• Performs project management activities to include: preparing project specifications; soliciting and evaluating bids; awarding and preparing contracts; arranging work schedules; ensuring that projects comply with budget and timelines; notifying affected parties; creating drawings and schematic diagrams to specify work requirements; and, ensuring that contracts are comprehensive and accurate.
• Assesses and prioritizes projects to include: assessing the priority/urgency of the work to be performed; prioritizing projects in accordance with budget parameters; identifying most cost-effective solutions for identified problem areas/projects; and, notifying those departments which will be affected by potential projects or repairs.
• Performs on-site inspections of work performed or in progress to include: consulting with contractors and consultants to ensure that work is performed according to PHA, Federal, and State regulations; ensures that work complies with project drawings and specifications.
• Researches construction products, applications, and methods for projects to include: assessing whether product or method meets Agency’s project objectives; comparing proposed construction products to other products on the market; and, ensuring that proposed products and methods meet Agency quality standards.
• Supervises the work of contracted architectural and engineering consultants to include: interviewing and selecting Architectural and Engineering consultants; coordinating projects designs; and developing and issuing consultant agreements.
• Establishes and maintains project schedules to include: determining how best to schedule projects according to budget timelines and identifying work which must be completed during particular seasons or climates.
• Reviews and negotiates project requirements with code officials and regulatory agencies to ensure code compliance; determines which codes need to be considered and ensures that plans and project goals are compliant.
• Responsible for making a good faith effort to meet agency MBE and WDBE goals.
• Maintains a positive working relationship with contractors, consultants, other staff members and residents throughout an entire construction project from beginning to end. Frequently communicates progress both verbally and in writing and resolves problems to get the work done as quickly as possible with minimum disruptions to others.
• Must abide by all Board approved policies, policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment, executive communications, administrative procedures, and safety procedures established by the PHA.
• Must travel to various PHA sites and other locations that are required by the nature of the work.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Knowledge (position requirements at entry):

Knowledge of:

• Applicable local, state and federal laws, rules and regulations;
• Engineering or architectural theories and principles;
• Budgeting, accounting, and cost estimating techniques;
• Construction materials and methods and equipment used in construction and repair.
• Contract administration techniques;
• Computer-aided Design (CAD) and database software applications.

Skills (position requirements at entry):

Skill in:

• Prioritizing and administering contracts;
• Interpreting work specifications, architectural blueprints and schematic diagrams;
• Using computers and related software applications
• Preparing clear and concise reports and memos;
• Preparing construction plans, cost estimates, and specifications;
• Giving presentations;
• Resolving problems;
• Prioritizing and handling several projects at once;
• Tracking and monitoring budgets;
• Coordinating and scheduling work;
• Interfacing with contractors, agencies and regulatory officials;
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Required Qualifications

• Education: BA degree in architecture, engineering, construction, business administration, public administration or 4 years of vocational and advanced vocational education in a relevant field.
• Experience: 2 years of relevant experience at the B Band level or above such as construction administration, architecture or engineering. Additional relevant experience can substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Relevant graduate degree.
• Experience: 3 years or more of relevant experience at the B Band level or above. Demonstrated experience working with ethnically, culturally and economically diverse populations.
• Supervisory: Some positions may prefer some supervisory or lead worker experience.

Licensing Requirements (position requirements at entry):

• Must have a valid Driver’s License and vehicle

Physical Requirements

Light Work (Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated light work: [1] when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or [2] when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing or pulling of arm or leg controls; or [3] when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible.) (For complete physical requirements see “Physical Demands Job Analyst” on file.)