Federal Program Director Jobs in Baton Rouge, LA

HGA is seeking a Program Director to support operations in Baton Rouge, LA. The Program Director is responsible for the strategic leadership, compliance oversight, and operational execution of CDBG-DR funded Single-Family Housing Rehabilitation and Reconstruction programs. This role ensures disaster-impacted homeowners are served efficiently, equitably, and in full compliance with HUD regulations, including eligibility determinations, income verification, environmental review, and construction oversight.
The Program Director serves as the primary liaison to state or local government clients and is accountable for program performance, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and homeowner satisfaction.
Key Responsibilities
Program Leadership & Oversight
• Provide executive leadership and operational oversight for single-family rehabilitation and reconstruction programs from launch through closeout.
• Develop and implement program policies, SOPs, workflows, and internal controls.
• Establish performance metrics and production benchmarks to meet expenditure deadlines and housing recovery goals.
• Lead cross-functional teams including intake specialists, eligibility reviewers, construction managers, inspectors, environmental specialists, compliance analysts, and finance staff.
• Identify operational risks and implement corrective action plans to maintain program stability and performance.
Eligibility & Income Verification Oversight
• Oversee applicant intake, eligibility determinations, and award calculations in accordance with HUD CDBG-DR requirements.
• Ensure accurate and compliant income verification processes, including:
o Household income calculation (gross annual income)
o Documentation standards consistent with HUD Part 5 and applicable Federal Register guidance
o Third-party verifications and self-certifications where permitted
• Ensure compliance with national objective requirements (primarily Low-to-Moderate Income benefit).
• Oversee duplication of benefits (DOB) analysis and award reduction calculations.
• Establish quality control procedures to prevent eligibility errors and improper payments.
• Maintain documentation standards sufficient to withstand HUD monitoring and audits.
HUD & Regulatory Compliance
• Ensure full compliance with HUD CDBG-DR regulations, Federal Register notices, and applicable waivers.
• Oversee environmental review compliance (24 CFR Part 58).
• Ensure adherence to Davis-Bacon, Section 3, Fair Housing, URA (if applicable), procurement standards, and civil rights requirements.
• Maintain audit readiness and support HUD and state monitoring reviews.
• Implement robust internal compliance monitoring and file review processes.
Construction & Housing Program Management
• Oversee damage assessments, inspections, scopes of work, cost estimating, and construction monitoring.
• Ensure contractor performance meets quality, safety, and timeliness standards.
• Monitor change orders, cost reasonableness, and budget controls.
• Resolve escalated homeowner issues and contractor disputes.
• Ensure construction aligns with environmental clearance conditions and mitigation requirements.
Client & Stakeholder Engagement
• Serve as primary point of contact for state and local government clients.
• Provide executive-level reporting on eligibility metrics, LMI compliance, construction progress, expenditures, and risk exposure.
• Participate in public meetings and stakeholder briefings as required.
Financial & Performance Management
• Manage program budgets, forecasting, and burn-rate projections.
• Track KPIs including application pipeline, eligibility determinations, income-qualified applicants, construction starts/completions, and expenditure targets.
• Ensure data integrity within grant management and case management systems.
• Oversee reconciliation between eligibility awards and financial disbursements.
Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Construction Management, Urban Planning, Business, or related field (Master's preferred).
• 10+ years of experience managing federally funded housing or disaster recovery programs.
• Direct experience with CDBG-DR housing rehabilitation/reconstruction programs required.
• Strong knowledge of HUD regulations, environmental review processes, and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing high-volume applicant pipelines.
• Excellent leadership, compliance, and government client management skills.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled