RECRUITMENT NOTICE: Special Assistant
Announcement Number: 27064
Position Title: Special Assistant (Development Finance Manager)
Salary Range: $116,736 - $164,746
Opening Date: Monday, July 29, 2024
Closing Date: Monday, August 12, 2024

Position Overview:
The District of Columbia’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) assists the Mayor in the coordination, planning, supervision, and execution of economic development efforts in the District of Columbia with the goal of creating and preserving affordable housing, creating jobs, and increasing tax revenue. More information is available on the DMPED’s website at dmped.dc.gov. DMPED is seeking a Special Assistant for its Real Estate Development unit.

The Real Estate Development unit implements real estate development projects involving District-owned land and execute other real estate initiatives that support the District’s goals for economic prosperity and stronger neighborhoods in all 8 Wards. This unit is engaged in various activities including the development and disposition of a diverse portfolio of real estate development projects with private sector partners; Downtown revitalization and the DC Comeback plan; master planning initiatives; special projects, including public-private partnerships involving public infrastructure and facilities.

Position Description:
As a Special Assistant (Development Finance Manager) at DMPED, you will be part of a unique public office that sits in the Executive Office of the Mayor and helps guide the future growth of the District. You will join a team of real estate professionals working on projects encompassing all real estate product types with a wide range or project complexities. You will be responsible for analyzing and evaluating District investments, including underwriting project cash flows, assessing subsidy requests, performing market and demographic research, and tracking project financial performance. Other responsibilities may include providing a broad range of analytic, organizational, and management support on multifamily, commercial, and mixed-use real estate projects within the DMPED portfolio.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

• Project underwriting and review, including financial analysis, due diligence, market and site analyses.
• Review and assess development proposals and assist in creating investment summaries.
• Research, review, and analysis of policy initiatives affecting real estate development and investment.
• Representing and promoting the District’s interest in all projects.
• Assisting in the negotiation of disposition contracts, leases, and funding agreements to ensure project feasibility and maximize District benefit.
• Review project and portfolio performance, including financial modeling, pro forma cash flow, and analysis of market landscapes.
• Prepare detailed portfolio performance reports by aggregating financial data, analyzing project performance, and reviewing financial projections.
• Assist with the evaluation of new opportunities across property sectors and capital structures.
• Identifying project risks, developing risk mitigation and contingency plans, and implementing action plans to reduce or eliminate project risks.
• Analyzing and presenting findings and recommendations to senior staff in written and verbal form.
• Briefing DMPED senior staff and elected officials on project financials and underwriting.
• Conducting presentations and meetings with community stakeholders.
• Presenting before the DC Council at hearings regarding the surplus and disposition of District-owned land, as well as gap financing agreements for related DMPED projects.

Experience/Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree required; relevant graduate degree a plus.
• 6 years plus of real estate related work experience required, including real estate acquisitions, development, investment, banking, finance, consulting, and/or public policy.
• Deep understanding of commercial and residential real estate acquisition, development, underwriting and leasing transactions, as well as public-private partnership concepts and their application to state and local government.
• Familiarity with state and local government and national affordable housing programs.
• Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written, and be able to comfortably and effectively interact with public and private sector stakeholders.
• Ability to conduct detailed data collection and to analyze large datasets.
• Outstanding attention to detail and organizational skills coupled with an ability to prioritize workload and complete tasks independently.
• Proven strength in the use of spreadsheets, database and presentation applications, including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task; to be a team player; and to be flexible and adaptable to change.
• Demonstrated ability to use sound judgment and to be an effective decision maker.
• Understanding of economic development issues, neighborhoods and real estate market.
• Strong interpersonal, written, verbal and analytical skills.
• Experience with community engagement and/or executive stakeholder management a plus.
• Experience with legislative processes a plus.
• Experience working on large-scale, phased developments a plus.

Salary: This position is a grade 15 on the District government’s career service salary scale. The salary ranges from $116,736 to $164,746. Actual salary is determined by a variety of factors, including: years of experience, applicant qualifications, internal equity comparisons, and agency organizational structure.

Application Process: This position is posted on the DC government’s Department of Human Resources website. Interested applicants are encouraged to follow the steps below to apply for the position. Please note that candidates selected for interviews will be required to complete a writing exercise.

• Click on the following link;
• In the Search Jobs section, enter 27064; and
• Click on the job requisition entitled Special Assistant.

If you are having technical issues, please contact DCHR at (202) 442-9700.