COSA SPM Interview Flashcards
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
Absolutley! As you know, my name is Clarissa and I most recently served as the Regional Director for Endeavors. In that role, I supervised 9 permanent housing programs, managed a $9M budget, supervised 40 employees who with their help, we impacted over 700 clients annually. I have had 7 years of affordable housing experience with a variety of project management, program management and leadership experience. I’m knowledgable in federal, state & local funding with a proficiency in HUD funding. The bulk of our funding came through HUD contracts, specifically: CoC, ESG, and CDBG opportunities. I am very organized, I love process improvement, I enjoy working with a team and I have a passion for serving vulernable people in crisis.
Who you are, where you have been & why you are here.
On a personal level, I have been doing Pilates for about a year, my dog Luna & I love hikes and walks, I’m a big fan of Great British Bake Off which is an inspiration for me to bake. I love all things self-care, food and travel.
**I am a seasoned leader with a passion for self development. I have over 5 years of experience in contract management with a fluency in HUD CoC contracts, followed by proficiency in CDBG, HOME & ESG-CV. I have had cradle to grave experience in managing 20 annual federal, state & local contracts that totaled $9M. Additionally I have led a team of over 40. I’m passionate about serving others & look forward to seeing if this role is a right fit for me.
WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
Accountability*
Organized
Leadership
Communication
WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?
I can suffer from people pleasing tendencies which at times has has led to overcommitment of responsibilities. I’m aware of this tendency and try to communicate effectively with my supervisor on current active projects, workload and timeline for completion.
TELL ME ABOUT AN INSTANCE WHEN YOU PERSUADED ONE OF YOUR BOSSES OR CLIENTS TO RECONSIDER A BUSINESS CHOICE
I acquired a program that had a contract executed for $38K. I managed the program and found that the resources necessary to execute the contract outweighed the $38K we received. I reported on this information to include time invested by program, compliance, and accounting to ensure appropriate reporting and auditing. Our executive team deemed this contract not a best use of our resources.
DO YOU PREFER TO WORK ALONE OR IN GROUPS?
I would say it’s circumstantial, but I do enjoy working in groups. Often, I have found that to be most productive there is scheduled alone work that is involved with group work. Overall, I would describe myself as s
trong project manager skills which supports the best of both worlds with a focus on the imitation and planning stages to ensure there is a clear outline of responsibilities and schedule.
WHAT IS AN EXPERIENCE YOU HAD WHERE YOU FELT AS IF YOU HAD FAILED?
PSH* – Transition of program and cleaning up shop; I learned of the difficulty of transitioning a large program from an agency to another. I learned that we had unrealistic understanding of the mismanagement of prior leadership. We had not prepared for enough resources and created band aid solutions.*
_____
NC* I experienced mismanagement of remote programs due to a program manager been falsely reported on program success. This was my failure as I supervised this PM and that I did not require stronger internal controls to prevent mismanagement. When we identified the issues, the PM was terminated and my team and I had to take shifts in visiting the remote site and conducted an intensive management and review of all projects within the program. We quickly executed repairs & maintenance, audited all files, deep cleaned property, purchased new equipment & created systems.
From this failure I have learned the importance of checks and balance and ensuring a third party in reviewing data and progress.
WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DO YOU NEED FROM A BOSS?
In a supervisor, I appreciate clear communication, scheduled one-on-one meetings, an empathetic demeanor and accountability. I am looking for a supervisor who encourages self-care and clear work/life boundaries.
IF YOU HAD MULTIPLE PROJECTS AND LIMITED TIME, HOW WOULD YOU PRIORITIZE YOUR TASKS?
It starts with a to-do list, a clear understanding of who the stakeholders are and when are the due dates. In my experience, I have handled projects that were not only provided by my supervisor but were given by funders, internal supportive department heads and other stakeholders. It’s important to understand which deadlines are hard/ non-negotiable deadlines.
WHAT SALARY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I did complete market research on this position and found that the range for this position was from $K and $K. With the proficiency I bring through my experiences, I am looking for $K.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN FIRED?
No, I have never been fired, all my exits from employment have been voluntary resignations in order to pursue different challenges or due to promotion.
In my most recent role, I resigned at the end of October 2022. I’m so grateful for my 5 years of experience with Endeavors. There, I transitioned from a Case Manager to a Regional Director responsible of 40 employees and 9 programs with about $9M operational budgets.
WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR LAST JOB?
I was with my most recent employer for over 5 years. In that time, I grew in my roles, I started as a Case Manager and worked my way to Regional Director and supervised over 40 employees and 9 programs. The work Endeavors does is so important for vulnerable populations. The agency runs off of contracts and grants which led to high-stress environment that was affecting my personal life. To be frank, we did not have the infrastructure or resources in order to support the work we were doing. I needed time to reset and strengthen my project management skills.
DESCRIBE A DIFFICULT WORK SITUATION AND HOW YOU OVERCAME IT
Youth Resiliency Project (YRP) *
i. Startup program
ii. Difficulty increasing enrollment numbers
iii. Worked and communicated closely with CoC
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS?
In 5 years, I see myself with a business degree, a PMP and serving on at least 1 board. I would like to be serving my 5th year at an agency that supports my professional development.
WHAT IS AN EXPERIENCE YOU HAD WHERE YOU FELT AS IF YOU HAD FAILED? DESCRIBE A TIME WHEN YOU MADE A MISTAKE AND HOW YOU HANDLED IT.
Housing Stability Program (HSP)*
i. New Program, immediate ramp up, not part of development process
ii. Staff – burnt out
iii. Strained relationships between departments
iv. Returned $700K of $2M budget
HAVE YOU COME UP WITH ANY NEW IDEAS OR MODELS AS A RESULT OF NOTICING PATTERNS OR TRENDS?
Cost Containment Policies and Procedures*
