Program Specialist - Community Development - NJEDA

Overview

Job Summary 

Supports the Vice President of Business and Community Development and Managing Director of Community Development and their departments, Small Business Services, Business Banking, and Community Development. Provides direct support to the Community Development leadership and teams related to daily tasks and oversight of initiatives, programs, and products to ensure the departments have the necessary support to be effective and streamlined.

$50,160 - $62,700

Note: The NJEDA currently offers a hybrid work schedule for up to 2 days of telecommute work from home. To participate, you will be required to have high speed home internet access and a managers approval. This program does not supersede the "New Jersey First Act", which requires newly hired NJEDA employees to establish and then maintain, principal residence in the State of New Jersey.

Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Coordinates project/departmental workflow ensuring deadlines are met including tracking, recording process, and running reports.  
• Provides support to team members in organizing events and meetings for outreach or projects when needed with limited guidance and support from leadership.  Include cross-divisional support to coordinate and own the setting up of in-person or virtual events.  Ensures that vendors are paid and handles all check requests.     
•  Gathers updates related to products and project management tracking. 
• Tracks project updates and deadlines to ensure teams are all on the same page.  
• Composes and sends correspondence to ensure effective communication is present within the division.   
• Maintains contact lists and outreach efforts when needed. 
• Prepares and expedites routine and non-routine correspondence, invoices, and other forms and documents. 
• Manages contracts and ensuring vendor is paid out on time.  Track and manage contracts and purchase orders to ensure balances are maintained.    
• Schedules and organizes meetings, conferences, events, site visits and activities with both internal and external parties, including high-level staff and compiles accompanying information and book travel arrangements. Handles confidential and non-routine information.  
• Must be able to professionally write and prepare memos when needed and must be able to research and compile information for department and upcoming initiatives in Community or Business Development.  
• Drafts and prepares briefing memos, talking points and other written materials for use with external parties. 
• Provides general administrative support; processes incoming and outgoing mail, establishes, and maintains filing system, handles incoming calls, provides staff coverage and telephone coverage as needed.  Develop power point presentation when requested. Data entry. 
• Acts as a liaison with Division and Department Management in Small Business Services, Business Banking, and Community Development and their direct reports to handle requests and queries from senior leadership. 
• Acts as point of contact for internal and external clients.  Provide general support to visitors. 
• Promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers. 
• Must complete annual and semiannual self-assessment as required. 
• Performs other duties and special projects, as assigned. 

Qualifications

Required Skills and Abilities 

• Must possess excellent administrative skills, including extensive organizational abilities 
• Ability to manage multiple and competing priorities 
• Ability to undertake research, draft documents, and summarize in an easily understandable format 
• Demonstrate ability to gain a thorough knowledge and understanding of NJEDA programs and services 
• Demonstrates proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint, and familiarity with social media platforms.  
• Ability to working small businesses and understand financing. 
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; advanced proficiency in grammar, spelling and editing; and foster effective communications with business professionals and EDA staff 
• Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints with little or no supervision 
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality and deal effectively and diplomatically with business professionals and EDA staff 
• Demonstrates professional decorum, respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers 
• NJEDA utilizes Microsoft as the core application platform and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite is preferred 

Required Qualifications 

Education and Experience Requirements 

• Associates degree and/or equivalent experience 
• 2 – 5 years business environment or administrative experience preferred 

Advanced degree or industry specific certification may be substituted for 1 year of experience 

Physical Demands 

• Minimal 
• Ability to work outside normal business hours, as needed 

Travel 

• As necessary to events, meetings, businesses, etc. 

Certificates and Licenses Required 

• License: Staff are required to possess a valid driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essentials duties of the position. 

Note 

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job description. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope, general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job.  This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position. 

Your employment at NJEDA is voluntary and subject to termination by you or NJEDA at will, with or without cause, or with or without notice, at any time.  Nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to conflict, eliminate or modify the employment-at-will status of NJEDA employees.   

This position is considered exempt and is excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers under the FLSA. 

NJEDA reserves the right to amend/revise this job description as necessary to meet current and changing business needs. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

NJ SAME Program

In accordance with P.L. 2021, c. 465 and P.L. 2021, 466, the SAME program was established to enable New Jersey State agencies to hire, promote, retain, and advance qualified individuals whose physical or mental impairments impact their abilities to participate in the hiring and promotion process for non-competitive and unclassified titles within the State workforce.

The SAME program allows candidates, who identify as having a significant disability, to apply for non-competitive and unclassified positions through a fast track hiring process. This program uses a fast-track process that permits people who are eligible for the program to request that the State appointing authority schedule with them a good faith interview. For more information about the SAME program and the Fast Track Hiring program, please Click Here. if you have any questions, please email, or call the contact as indicated on the job vacancy announcement.

This posting open to eligible applicants regardless of SAME eligibility.

Position Requirements 

• Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a reputable evaluation service at your own expense and must be submitted prior to a start date.  If this cannot be provided within 21 days of an offer the offer will be rescinded. 
• Must comply with the “New Jersey First Act” which requires employees hired after September 1, 2011, to reside in New Jersey. Non-New Jersey resident employees must relocate to New Jersey within one year of their date of hire and provide proof of residency to Human Resources. 
• Must complete an Outside Activity Questionnaire (disclosure of outside office or employment) on an annual basis.  
• Must review the required NJ State Ethics Guidelines found on the state website. 

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