Project Assistant

Harris County; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris County Housing & Community Development is seeking a Project Assistant to determine eligibility for Single-Family programs and support property acquisitions, sales processes, inventory management, and affordability determinations.

You will work with coworkers, partner agencies, applicants, and the public, under the Senior Acquisition Development Manager, contributing to program enhancements and efficient operations.

Qualifications

• One year administrative experience in oversight and operations support.
• Experience with database management and regulatory compliance.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Valid Texas driver’s license preferred at hire.

Responsibilities

• Process intake of income-eligible files and collect lender docs.
• Coordinate utility connections for inventory homes.
• Prepare correspondence, filing, mail processing and meeting notes.
• Conduct weekly site visits to verify property conditions and utilities.
• Maintain databases and prepare program reports.
• Coordinate contract signing and closings with lenders, buyers agents, title company and County Attorney Office.
• Review vendor invoices for utilities and HOA expenses.
• Participate in team meetings and process improvements.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Customer service

Written & verbal communication

Data management

Regulatory compliance

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Driver's license

Travel readiness

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Post-high school certificate or coursework

Valid driver's license (Texas upon hire)

Tools

HCAD accounts system

Database software basics

Microsoft Excel/Access

Job description

About Harris County Housing & Community Development:

Harris County Housing & Community Development provides life-enhancing projects and programs to residents of Harris County. Our services include spurring community investment through the provision of homebuying programs, partnering with community members and housing developers to build diverse housing options that uplift communities and offer other assistance that support community building.

Project Assistant Overview:

Harris County Community and Development Department manages Single-Family Programs.

The project assistant uses federal, state, and county guidelines to determine a client's eligibility for Single-Family programs and establishes and maintains effective working relationships with co-workers, administrators, staff from partner agencies, applicants, and the public. The position reports to the Senior Acquisition Development Manager and helps manage the program's property acquisitions, sales processes, inventory management, and homebuyer affordability determination.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Processes intake of determined income-eligible files by requesting supporting realtor and lender documentation.
• Coordinate with utility companies to connect/disconnect power, water, and gas for all inventory homes.
• Prepares responses for projects and general administration, including distribution, filing, and mail processing, responding to questions, meeting notes, and minutes.
• Conduct weekly site visits to verify property conditions, landscaping maintenance, and utility status are properly maintained and accurately documented. Property maintenance.
• Communicate to home buyers, lenders, realtors, and internal/external inquiries on the program's sales process.
• Maintain databases, project and program files.
• Compile records and prepare reports.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, administrators, staff from partner agencies, and the public.
• Coordinate with the program manager on creating and ongoing improvement of home sales process (SOP).
• Assist in coordinating with lender, buyer's agent, title company, and the County Attorney Office on contract signing and closing.
• Review and process vendor invoice payment requests for utilities, annual HOA, and other expenses.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to the continuous improvement of processes.
• Analyze data to identify trends in eligibility outcomes and make recommendations for program improvements.
• Assist in policy development based on eligibility trends and client needs.
• Participate in outreach and marketing programs to underserved areas of the county.
• Process and assist in the closeout of programs to ensure compliance with program regulations.
• Other responsibilities include financial management, membership relations, home sale process, coordination of Harris County Central Appraisal District (HCAD) accounts, and other assigned general operations of the organization, including contractor and vendor contract management.
• Other duties as assigned.
• This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position.
• Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email [e-mail].

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent.

Experience:

• One (1) year administrative experience providing oversight and operations supports, including database management, file retention, record keeping, and regulatory compliance. Experienced in maintaining accurate and confidential records, monitoring documentation for completeness, updating electronic databases, and ensuring files are maintained in accordance with established retention requirements.

Licensure:

• Valid driver's license (Texas upon hire)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office: Windows, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Ability to learn applicable software programs.
• Must possess excellent customer service skills.
• Must have good written and oral communication skills.
• Must be able to organize, collect, interpret, and process information on an application, analyze the information and evaluate the results.
• Possess the skills to draft correspondence and chronologically file documents.
• Possess the skills to maintain quality control over work assignments.
• Ability to read and interpret regulations pertaining to the administered programs and guidelines.
• Must have a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and liability insurance.
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail.

NOTE:

Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Education:

• One (1) year of post high school education with completion of a certificate or courses offered by an accredited technical institute or college/university.

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• Full-Time | Grant-funded
• Monday - Friday | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Schedule is approved subject to job responsibilities and division needs)

Work Environment:

• This position is based in an office environment, where the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, scanners, and filing cabinets is routine.
• Work is approximately 50% sedentary and 50% travel within Harris County and outside of the County for required weekly site visits, closings, outreach events, and meetings.

Physical Demands:

• This is primarily a sedentary role; however, this position will require the ability to lift up to 10 lbs. and to bend and stand during events when necessary.
• This role is approximately 50% sedentary/office-based and 50% field-based, requiring a combination of administrative responsibilities and on-site property activities.
• Field duties may include property inspections, monitoring property conditions, landscaping and utilities, coordinating or performing basic home maintenance, and assisting with seasonal preparation, including winterizing vacant homes.
• The position requires the ability to lift up to 10 pounds and to bend, stand, walk, and move throughout properties as necessary to perform assigned duties.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.