Grant Administrator

Job Description:

Grant Administrator

Description

Description

The City of Costa Mesa is seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Grant Administrator to join our talented Economic and Development Services Department. As a key driver of the City's housing and community development strategy, your work will leave a lasting impact.


SALARY :
Current : $92,040 - $123,360 annually
Effective January 2026 : $93,900 - $125,832 annually
Effective April 2026 : $95,784 - $128,352 annually

WHY WORK FOR COSTA MESA:

The City of Costa Mesa, with the motto "City of the Arts", is one of California's most eclectic and vibrant cities. Located just one mile from the Pacific Ocean and in the heart of Orange County, Costa Mesa is a great place to live , work and play. The City offers exceptional employee benefits, opportunities for training and development, and prides itself on its Core Values of Integrity, Sustainability, Compassion, Innovation, Inclusion and Collaboration.

THE POSITION :

Under general supervision of the Economic and Development Services Director or designee, the Grant Administrator provides professional and technical administrative assistance in managing the annual cycles of the HUD Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan processes, oversees funding processes for subrecipients, including procurement, contracting, fiscal and programmatic reporting, and compliance responsibilities. This position will also have the opportunity to participate in other grant or revenue generating activities driven by City Council priorities related to affordable housing development. This position is the primary lead for Federal CDBG, HOME, CalHOME funding, while also working with other City departmental staff in collaboration of programmatic and operational aspects of funded projects.

The Grant Administrator exercises a considerable degree of independence, judgment and discretion in preparing, coordinating and monitoring the effective operation of the administration of grant funds, primarily associated with the Consolidated Plan on behalf of the City. The ideal candidate will have highly-developed communication skills combined with a thorough knowledge of local, state and federal laws, codes, and regulations related to grant administration.

There is currently one (1) full-time vacancy.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS:

Applications must be completed and submitted online. This recruitment will remain open until filled and may close without prior notice, therefore prompt application is encouraged.

The first application review date is August 27, 2025

Candidates are requested to provide specific information regarding their education and experience as it relates to the position by completing all fields of the application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete . Additional documents will not be reviewed during the application evaluation process. If selected to proceed further in the recruitment process, an opportunity to provide work samples, letters of recommendation, etc. will be appropriate during the interview process.

Based upon the information presented on the application, a limited number of candidates who possess qualifications most pertinent to the position will be invited to participate in the selection process. The selection process may include but is not limited to the following components: application review and evaluation, written examination or exercise, physical examination, practical exercise and interview evaluation. Please notify the Human Resources Division 72 hours in advance of the test date if you have a disability which requires accommodation for the testing process. The eligibility list will be in effect for one (1) year, unless exhausted sooner. The eligibility list from this recruitment may be utilized to fill lower-level vacancies which occur during the life of the list.

It is recommended you use a personal email address on your application instead of a work email address. Notifications during this recruitment will be sent by email only (regardless of the notification preference selected during the on-line application process). Notifications will be sent to the email address that is listed on your online application.

All employment offers made by the City are contingent upon establishing proof of a prospective candidate's legal authorization to work in the United States and successfully passing all components of the pre-employment process which may include, but is not limited to: comprehensive background check, criminal history check (Live Scan fingerprint check), polygraph examination, post-offer psychological evaluation and post-offer medical evaluation (may include drug screen).

Note: The provisions of this job bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provisions contained within may be modified or revoked without notice.

Essential Functions

These functions may not be present in all positions in this class. When a position is to be filled, the essential functions will be noted in the announcement of position availability. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind work assignments as needed.

Assists Director or designee to identify resource needs and to evaluate the effectiveness of housing programs and recommend improvements which are consistent with the City’s Community Development Objectives and goals as it pertains to affordable housing and community development grants and related funding opportunities

Prepares HUD Consolidated Plan, annual action plan and CAPERs. Responsible for successful administration of the IDIS data reporting system.

Monitors all CDBG, HOME and former Redevelopment Agency housing projects to ensure adherence to federal guidelines and/or affordability covenants.

Coordinates grant administration with various divisions and departments of the City, and other governmental agencies including administration of State and County Housing and/or Homelessness related grants and programs, as applicable.

Collects, organizes, and catalogues information regarding grant availability, grant requirements, funding cycles of grantors, program and activity accomplishments, and may work with other departments and external stakeholders to apply for eligible grant opportunities.

Coordinates the submission of grant applications, tracking of application, and receipt of grants.

Prepares grant monitoring reports for submission to grantee and/or other regulatory agencies; prepares environmental compliance documents, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and work with City Attorney and other City departments to prepare grant agreements.

Collaborates with staff, agency partners, and advisory committees to evaluate and prioritize City administered community development funding sources; monitors sub-recipient’s performance and compliance with terms and conditions of grant awards.

Prepares staff reports and presents to advisory bodies and review authorities including, but not limited to, housing-related ad hoc committees, Planning Commission, and City Council.

Participates in the annual budget preparation process; budgetary monitoring and control; prepare payments for financial processing and reimbursement reports to funder agencies.

Assists the Department to periodically update policies and planning documents for the City’s housing grant programs, such as the Consolidated Plan, General Plan Housing Element, and local continuum of care planning efforts.

Evaluates effects of current and pending legislation on department programs and operations; develop response and legislative proposals; act as liaison with State and federal officials; may assist with the design and preparation of informational materials and literature.

Acts as a liaison with external auditors on the conduct of the “Single Audit” and preparation of the “Single Audit” report.

Oversees monitoring, reporting, and compliance with Owner Participation Agreements and related documents for private development projects as well as financial assistance programs previously funded through the City’s former Redevelopment Agency. Tasks may include but are not limited to monitoring letters of credit, making necessary drawdowns, tracing expenditures, and ensuring Agency and developer/owner compliance with schedules and terms.

Assists the Director or designee in the implementation, management, and expenditure of in-lieu fees collected under a City-administered inclusionary housing program. These efforts may include coordination with affordable housing partners, preparation of requests for proposals, and oversight of City agreements, consultants, and actions related to public-private partnerships resulting in the development of affordable housing projects.

Provides formal or functional supervision to subordinate staff members as assigned.

Perform other related work as required.

Qualification Guidelines

A typical way to obtain the requisite knowledge and abilities to perform the duties and responsibilities of this classification is as follows:

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business or public administration, or a closely related field.

Responsible professional experience equivalent to four years of relevant full-time experience in a public agency. Municipal experience and supervisory experience is highly desirable.

An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience that provides the desired knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform essential functions may also be considered.

LICENSE AND/OR CERTIFICATE:

Class C California Driver's License. Revocation of license during employment may result in disciplinary action or reassignment.

For a list of requisite Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, please click here .

Supplemental Information

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE DISASTER SERVICE WORKER:

In accordance with Government Code Section 3100 - all City of Costa Mesa employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

PHYSICAL TASKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

Please contact Human Resources for a summary of the essential tasks and environmental factors for this classification.

Employee accommodations for physical or mental disabilities will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

The City of Costa Mesa is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To view 2025 benefit information for all groups, Click Here

New employees contribute 9% of their salary on a pre-tax basis towards the 2%@60 or 2%@62 CalPERS retirement formula depending on eligibility.

Employees receive the following health insurance flexible benefits contribution:

• $1,650 monthly
• Effective January 1, 2026 $1,700 monthly
• Effective June 1, 2026 $1,800 monthly

The City does not participate in the Social Security system; however, federal mandate requires new employees to contribute 1.45% of wages to Medicare. As a condition of employment, all new employees are required to enroll and participate in the direct deposit program.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary:

$92,040.00 - $123,360.00 Annually