Opportunities: Community Housing Advisor (Program Admin Officer 3)

About Us

The Department of Growth & Development drives economic growth and productivity by creating the conditions for communities, businesses and households to thrive. The Department works with key partners to foster a dynamic environment that supports housing innovation and sector development, providing the necessary solutions to grow our population and economy.
 
The Department is also responsible for ensuring the availability of safe, suitable, and affordable housing for all Nova Scotians. Our work involves making strategic investments, leveraging new funding, and building on critical partnerships to help further position ourselves to meet current and future housing challenges.

About Our Opportunity

As the Community Housing Advisor, you will help strengthen Nova Scotia’s community housing sector by delivering and supporting programs, partnerships, and funding approaches that increase access to safe, affordable, and suitable homes.

This role provides expert advice to community housing proponents, program partners, and internal stakeholders. The work supports sector sustainability and growth, prioritizing equity-deserving and vulnerable groups most susceptible to changes in the housing market.

Drawing on an understanding of the challenges facing the community housing sector, this role helps partners address barriers through practical program and initiative implementation. It also provides specialized, administrative, and program support in the delivery of government housing programs across the province.

This role coordinates capacity-building strategies and practical solutions that support sector renewal, modernization, long-term sustainability, and provincial targets under the National Housing Strategy.

Primary Accountabilities

Program and Sector Advice

• Provide specialized expertise and advice to community housing partners throughout the program and initiative delivery process.


• Support and partner with program users to advance provincial objectives.


• Respond to program inquiries and identify opportunities for improvement.


• Provide advice, help mediate complaints, and respond to questions and concerns from key stakeholders and program users.


• Support senior colleagues in the development of internal and external communications.

Partnerships, Capacity Building, and Sector Sustainability

• Work with program proponents and help identify partners to support capacity building, transformation, growth, and financial sustainability.


• Build expertise in funding partners and complementary programs.


• Develop and maintain an inventory of funding partners and programs to support internal and external stakeholders.


• Help maximize internal program budgets through collaboration with other funding programs.


• Support strategic community land trust development.

Equity and Community Impact

• Identify the unique challenges faced by equity-deserving and vulnerable groups.


• Work closely with communities to implement long-term solutions.


• Support housing solutions that respond to the needs of communities and people facing barriers to safe, affordable, and suitable housing.

Program Management, Agreements, and Reporting

• Deliver or assist in the delivery of community Housing programs and initiatives.


• Manage day-to-day relationships with external and internal clients, contract service providers, and the community housing team.


• Work within established program parameters.


• Analyze programs and provide recommendations through reports and advice to management.


• Provide statistical program evaluation.


• Work with legal advisors to support contract management and draft contribution agreements.


• Evaluate, promote, and monitor new initiatives.


• Promote initiatives and programs using current and emerging technology.

Qualifications and Experience

To be successful in this role, you bring a combination of education, housing-sector knowledge, program experience, analytical judgment, and relationship-building skills. You have completed a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and have at least five years of related experience in business development, or an equivalent combination of related education and experience. You understand the community and not-for-profit housing sector, including the challenges involved in providing affordable housing. You are committed to advancing housing solutions for equity-deserving groups and can apply an anti-racist and equity-deserving lens to policy, program, or service delivery work.

You bring experience in:

• Business and strategic planning.


• Project management.


• Report writing.


• Risk assessment, consultation, and problem solving.


• Managing priorities, meeting deadlines, and supporting multiple projects.


• Working with partners, stakeholders, or communities to support shared outcomes.

You are able to:

• Think critically and analyze complex information.


• Communicate clearly in writing and in conversation.


• Build and maintain effective working relationships.


• Work independently and as part of a team.


• Use Microsoft Office Suite and other standard computer applications.

Assets

The following would be considered assets:

• Experience working in or with the non-profit housing sector for at least one year.


• Knowledge of the challenges faced by the community housing sector.


• Experience in business analysis to identify organizational gaps that may affect sustainability.


• Knowledge of government processes and government structure.


• Knowledge of evaluation and research methodologies.


• Knowledge of data analysis methods and data interpretation.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Equivalency

We recognize equivalent combinations of training, education, and experience, providing opportunities for individuals with diverse backgrounds to contribute their skills and expertise. Equivalencies include, but are not limited to:

• A related Master’s degree and three (3) years of related experience


• A related 2-year diploma and seven (7) years of related experience

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs.  For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

Most of your work is in a comfortable office environment.  There is a need for you to balance competing priorities, attend multiple meetings, and meet strict deadlines. Provincial travel may be required.

What We Offer

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career


• Engaging workplace: our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies


• Countless career paths