Calgary Economic Development (CED) is an opportunity-maker, helping to spark and fuel Calgary's growth. Our job is to connect people with resources that can help them grow their careers or businesses, thrive in new locations or markets, and feel at home in our community. We offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. We are exhilarated about our role in shaping and sharing Calgary's story and we're proud to be part of the energy.

This position is a full-time 1-year term.

Job Summary

The Program Specialist, OCIF is responsible for analyzing funding opportunities, supporting beneficiaries, key partners, and driving processes aligned with the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund's (OCIF) strategic direction. This role is a results-driven position that contributes to the overall productivity and efficiency of the OCIF program by assisting with the pre-application process, the evaluation of business applications, supporting the monitoring and compliance and fund disbursements process, for existing and future program streams, and documenting program success metrics. Finally, this position works across departments within Calgary Economic Development (CED) as well as with a diverse set of stakeholders to advance OCIF's priorities and to attract and support additional investments in Calgary.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the OCIF pre-application process, including identification of prospective projects that meet the OCIF criteria.
• Assist with research and analysis to support OCIF strategic initiatives.
• Assist in developing and implementing new program streams aligned with OCIF's strategic direction.
• Assist with the application process, including the evaluation of submissions and the development of recommendations for file progression based on application eligibility.
• Conduct the due diligence review of business proposals, including financial analysis, and contribute to the development of related board materials.
• Identify terms and conditions for funding agreements, as needed.
• Conduct monitoring and compliance reviews of funding agreements and related milestone requirements.
• Execute completeness check and ensure project metrics are achieved and documented.
• Recommend contribution payments for successful milestone achievements.
• Responsible for documentation of files and activities for each stage of the OCIF process in CRM.
• Proactively update program materials, metrics, and other reporting requirements, and support development of other board materials, reporting to City Administration and Council, and funding partners.
• Work with team to deliver training on OCIF process, file reviews and key aspects of financial and ecosystem evaluations that help us determine competitiveness.

Let's Talk About You

You possess proven program execution skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and several sub-projects at once against tight timeline, demonstrating a strong skill base in organization, resourcefulness, schedules, and budget management, risk mitigation, quality assurance, documentation and stakeholder engagement.

You are highly skilled in developed research, communication and stakeholder engagement. Familiarity with government grants or venture capital fund programs are assets.

You are passionate about our city and are excited at the prospect of working on projects that build on the energy of our community. You are collaborative, detailed-oriented, deliver high-quality work and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance or a related area.
• Project Management, CPA, or Financial Management Designation is an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum, 2 years of progressively responsible experience in a directly related area during which professional capability has been clearly demonstrated.
• Executing programs, strategies, processes, and internal controls in an environment with a high level of scrutiny and accountability.
• Reviewing and monitoring legal agreements.
• Creating reports for internal and external stakeholders.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic approach, and critical thinking to consider benefits and compromises between multiple potentially valid options.
• Sound ability to monitor key financial indicators, identify trends and develop strategies to improve financial position.
• Ability to pivot quickly to changing priorities, tasks, deadlines and look for creative or alternative ways to enable workflow.
• Understand and appreciate the implications of budgets, financial statements, venture capital metrics and financial reports.
• Ability to understand and appreciate quantitative information related to project and portfolio KPIs and progress metrics.
• Accuracy of work is critical to the success of the program.
• Decision making capability to deliver timely results in a responsible manner in a fast-paced environment.
• Able to engage a variety of stakeholders and collaborators to understand their respective interests and needs.
• Comprehensively understand project situations, dynamics, and plan; and ability to execute corresponding actions.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  
• Professionally represent CED's values and priorities to external stakeholders.
• Ability to understand the industry, foresee future opportunities, and understand business drivers.

What's In It For You?

CED offers more than a competitive base salary to our employees. We have a comprehensive benefit plan that includes 100% employer paid benefit premiums, RRSP's, a health care spending account, and a generous vacation and flex time policy. We are committed to our employee's mental health and offer resilience training with Headversity, free counselling with an EAP program, in addition to paramedical coverage through our medical benefits plan.

CED encourages and supports life-long learning and professional development. Employees are encouraged to access up to $2500 per year of funded professional development training opportunities. If you are looking for purpose driven work and are interested in joining us on our mission to diversify Calgary's economy, we invite you to apply.

EDI Commitment Statement:

Calgary Economic Development celebrates diversity and is committed to advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Through EDI, we create a path to success for all our employees, where they have equal opportunity for advancement, have the voice to contribute to our collective growth and development and work in an inclusive environment.

We strongly believe in accessibility in the work we do and welcome requests to make the hiring process as accessible as possible. Accommodations are available for candidates on request during all aspects of the selection process. Please advise at any point and we will do our best to work with you to meet your needs.

Calgary Economic Development adheres to the Alberta Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples and persons of all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions. Please be aware that Calgary Economic Development is committed to having a safe work environment.

To Apply: Interested candidates should submit their cover letter and resume in confidence to: calgaryeconomic.bamboohr.com/careers by 4:00pm, May 6th, 2024.

We thank all applicants for their interest and effort in applying for this position. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.