Economic Development Program Specialist 2 (NY HELPS)

Job Opening

APPLICATION DEADLINE DATE:  March 21, 2025

JOB TITLE:                         Economic Development Program Specialist 2 (NY HELPS), SG-23, PEF   LOCATION: Albany                                     

APPOINTMENT TYPE:        Permanent                                                                                                  JURISDICTION CLASS:   Competitive

DEPARTMENT:                    Environmental Services 

                                             625 Broadway

                                             Albany, NY 12207

BASIC FUNCTION:

Under the general direction of the Environmental Services Unit (ESU) Director, the incumbent of this position will manage the administration of economic development incentives from beginning (application or RFP deployment) to end (funding closeout) for projects undertaken by businesses and organizations such as municipalities, not-for-profits, and local economic development organizations.  The incumbent will assist the ESU Director and staff with the management of ESU programs, including, but not limited to, the Business Food Waste Mitigation Program, the Waste Tire Program, and the Lake Ontario Business Resiliency Program.

WORK PERFORMED:

• Manage an extensive portfolio of active projects, including: application review; management of funding process; compilation and review of data; preparation of various administrative documents, reports, presentations, budget materials, CEO and/or Empire State Development (ESD) Board Approval documents and contract agreements; and participation in off-site meetings.
• Review requests for disbursement, perform desk audits, and oversee grant disbursements.
• Coordinate with internal resources in the preparation of Board materials, contracts, project status reports, and other documents appropriate for the review/management of projects.
• Assume a variety of department-wide responsibilities as assigned, such as writing briefing memos, preparing complex spreadsheets, preparing incentive proposals and grant disbursement agreements, reviewing and improving processes, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and managing data and budget information.
• Following award announcements, work with winning applicants to prepare project documents; enter and update data on web-based project tracking database; keep ESD staff apprised of project status.
• Remain current on ESD programs and initiatives, as well as those of sister agencies with whom we interact regularly (e.g. Departments of State and Environmental Conservation) and those of stakeholder partners (e.g. Industrial Development Authorities, Economic Development Organizations, etc.).
• Ensure that project information is accurate in the web-based project tracking database (MS Dynamics) and the Database of Economic Incentives.
• Respond to inquiries, address concerns, and explain ESD programs and services to companies, organizations, and regional stakeholders. Communicate with applicants and their representatives via telephone, email, and paper correspondence.
• Assist with program development and management and serve on committees and special task forces as required.
• Other projects as assigned by ESU Director, if applicable.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required. However, all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. 

At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all the same rights and privile