Administrative Hearing Officer

Oklahoma Paralegal Association, Inc.; Oklahoma; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency seeks an experienced hearings coordinator to conduct Section 8 administrative appeal hearings and provide administrative support for program oversight.

The role involves scheduling hearings, reviewing records, gathering statements, analyzing facts, and rendering decisions in compliance with federal and state laws. Strong written and verbal communication is essential; some travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university with 2–3 years of related experience, or equivalent.
• Certification as a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Specialist within 6 months.
• Certification as an Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Hearing Officer within 1 year.
• Certification in Fair Housing regulations within 1 year.
• Familiarity with federal housing programs and regulations.
• Valid driver's license and bondable.

Responsibilities

• Schedule and conduct Section 8 administrative appeal hearings and review records.
• Notify tenants and OHFA staff of decisions and document outcomes.
• Process open records requests for the Rental Assistance Team.
• Lead the Richard S. Lillard Emergency Housing Assistance Fund program.
• Maintain program documentation and ensure adherence to procedures.
• Represent the agency at MARCs and OK VOAD meetings.
• Assist with utility allowance analysis and rate adjustments.
• Assist with revising Administrative Plan, Briefing Book, and HCV Procedure Manual.
• Process rent reasonableness certifications for PHAs requiring 3rd party certifications.
• Review OHFA payment standards as HUD releases FMRs and prepare analyses.
• Contribute to day-to-day agency operations and provide customer service.

Education

Bachelor's degree + 2–3 years related experience

Job description

This is not a remote or telework position.

NOTE: Applicants will be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen and criminal background check.

SUMMARY

Conducts administrative appeal hearings for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and provides administrative support for program and compliance oversight by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Responsible for the Section 8 administrative appeal hearing process which includes timely scheduling of the various hearings in accordance with the Section 8 Administrative Plan, reviewing records, conducting informal hearings, obtaining statements from the tenant(s) and/or witnesses, analyzing facts, researching laws, regulations, case precedents and rendering final decisions on program eligibility issues in compliance with federal and state laws, program rules and regulations and the Administrative Plan.
• Notify tenants and OHFA staff of the hearing decisions and document the actions taken and the hearing results.
• Responsible for completing all open records requests received for the Rental Assistance Team.
• Responsible for leading the Richard S. Lillard Emergency Housing Assistance Fund, which assists Oklahoma families whose homes have been declared uninhabitable as a result of a federally declared disaster or state of emergency as declared by the Governor of Oklahoma.
• Responsible for maintaining Richard S. Lillard Emergency Housing Assistance Fund program-related documentation, ensuring adherence to processes and procedures.
• Attend and train staff to represent the agency at Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs), and attend all Oklahoma Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster (OK VOAD) meetings to stay current on Oklahoma Emergency Planning Processes.
• Responsible for assisting with conducting an annual utility allowance analysis and adjusting the rates.
• Responsible for assisting with revising the Administrative Plan, Briefing Book, and the HCV Procedure Manual.
• Responsible for processing rent reasonableness certifications for all contracts with PHAs requiring 3rd party certifications.
• Responsible for assisting with the review and analysis of OHFA's payment standards when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) releases revised Fair Market Rents (FMRs). Prepare and submit a spreadsheet analysis of current and proposed payment standards based upon the latest FMR changes. Enter the final approved payment standards into the database.
• Responsible for doing whatever needs to be done to enhance the overall operations of the Agency on a day-to-day basis.
• Responsible for delivering exceptional customer service to all external and internal customers by being polite and helpful at all times.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university; and two to three years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Valid driver's license
• Must be bondable
• Certification as a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Specialist required within 6 months.
• Certification as a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Hearing Officer required within 1 year.
• Certification in Fair Housing regulations within 1 year.

OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Familiarity with federal housing programs and knowledge of federal regulations. Knowledge of report preparation techniques and procedures and a demonstrated ability to prepare and evaluate professional and technical reports and other documents. Knowledge of the Section 8 HCV Administrative Plan and related rules for various housing programs administered by the Agency. Ability to present ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Ability to analyze reports, spreadsheets, summarize findings, and present results in a clear, concise format. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, consultants, external auditors, HUD, and local, state, and federal officials.