Program Manager Position

Question 1

            As the program manager for the City Council’s housing program, I was in charge of developing program-related policy issues. This role enabled me to design and implement internal business processes to address issues such as safe and affordable housing and housing supply. For instance, I oversaw the development of policies to address social housing projects, subsidized for low income earners. During the process, I learned that there is a gap between household incomes and housing costs, especially among the minorities and immigrant populations. Therefore, the identified policy issues were built with the goal of ensuring stable, decent housing, one that is at pace with population growth. The supply for housing is also another factor that required evaluation, mainly due to discriminatory public policies that limit homeownership among minority communities.

The main stakeholders and senior management involved in the housing program include housing providers/enablers, landowners and developers, specialist groups (e.g. community groups, residents associations. etc.), businesses and business representatives, and partner organizations (e.g. universities). These parties were identified from the virtue of their ability to provide reliable information on the current state of the housing market because they are familiar with their local areas. I worked with the stakeholders and senior management by conducting telephone interviews to collect information on the availability and affordability of local area housing across the city.   

            During the development and implementation of policy solutions, I encountered three obstacles, which include the relationship between developers and the government, inequalities in the housing framework, and sustainable urban development. The central government’s funding for housing projects for low- and medium-class households is not always at par with the demand. Additionally, developers seek to make high profit margins from the construction projects, yet, some are unable to monitor and manage the construction works appropriately. Inequalities, such as income differences and social background of buyers, also make it challenging to implement policy solutions aimed at achieving safe and affordable housing. Further, land saving issues and density control are a hindrance to farmlands conservation efforts because the same agricultural properties are needed for commercial projects.

The first obstacle was addressed by developing rules and policies governing construction projects, including penalties for mis-management, while the second challenge was tackled by proposing and preparing a budget for government funding of affordable housing projects. The third obstacle was addressed by developing compact city planning to ensure resource-efficient construction projects that balance between the demand for housing and the city’s development land capacity.

Question 2

            I ran a competitive award program aimed at offering government grants to local business startups in the tech industry. The goal was to ensure a fair and impartial process, whereby all applications were evaluated according to the criteria indicated during the opening of the competition and that none of the competitors received an unfair advantage. I developed the competitive criteria according to the goal of the grant, which was focused on reducing carbon emissions. The winner also had to present a commercially viable and innovative idea towards the same. Once the applications were received they underwent a two-step peer-review process, with the aim of determining funding eligibility. A panel of three reviewers would score every application according to the review criteria.

Tech startups which had operated for 12 to 24 months with annual sales amounting to not less than $5,000 were eligible to apply. Therefore, the competitors were required to show proof of business earnings by submitting audited accounts together with letters of intent, relevant assurances and certifications, and budget summaries (with 3-year sales forecasts). The award decisions were made according to the ability to minimize environmental pollution or improve on sustainability and as per the minimum requirements outlined in the competitive criteria. Businesses that stood out should have been able to demonstrate creativity, environmental sustainability, innovativeness leading to record reduction of carbon emission levels, diversity in the workplace, and managerial competence. A 5-point scale rating was used, whereby the winning applicants were required to achieve 4.5 points out of 5. As the award program manager, my role was to ensure the process was conducted according to the stipulated procedures and grant administration policies, ensure ethical and legal compliance for the grant program, and support relationships with program funders.

            I ensured the integrity of the competition by putting in place guidelines that the reviewers were supposed to follow for overall fairness and consideration of the applications. For instance, the eligibility criteria stipulated that applicants must be local businesses registered within the State, awards must not exceed $100,000, all applications are reviewed by an independent review panel, and that all late applications are treated in the same manner. I also ensured all submissions were reviewed through a two-step peer review process while a rating of not more than 1 point was awarded to each of the five measurables. All the staff in charge of handling the applications signed a document recusing themselves from any conflict of interest in the review process. This practice helped ensure the competitive award program attracted many qualified applicants, whose merit determined their rating and the prize to be won.