REPORTS TO

Associate Director of Strategy

 

ORGANIZATION

Living Cities We are working in partnership with Nonprofit HR. To apply for this role, please click this link.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Founded in 1991, Living Cities is a collaborative of prominent foundations and financial institutions. We foster transformational relationships across sectors and connect leaders, stakeholders, and policy influencers committed to closing racial income and wealth gaps in America’s cities. We partner with cross-sector leaders in cities across the country to imagine and create an America in which all people are economically secure, building wealth, and living abundant, dignified, and connected lives. Our staff, investments, convenings, and networks support efforts that operationalize racial equity and inclusion in local government, create inclusive narratives, bring communities together to strategically address systemic racial inequities and build wealth among BIPOC communities through specific tactical pathways, i.e., entrepreneurship, homeownership, and access to capital.

Living Cities Closing the Gaps (CTG) Network is an initiative that brings together local government and community leaders from across the country to design and advance strategies to close racial income and wealth gaps through Homeownership and Entrepreneurship.

Living Cities’ homeownership strategy will accelerate meaningful transformations in systems that pose disproportionate systemic barriers to prospective and current homeowners of color, as well as expanding our efforts to use homeownership as a pathway to close racial income and wealth gaps.

ABOUT THE POSITION

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is committed to racial justice, has experience working with local government leaders, and has deep knowledge about the role of homeownership in addressing structural inequities that contribute to the racial wealth gap.

Partnering with an outstanding team of colleagues, local government partners, and national experts, the Assistant Director will play a vital role in promoting the spread and adoption of promising practices while leading the implementation of the homeownership strategy, alongside local government leaders in cities. The Assistant Director will lead cross-sector efforts that address racially biased systems and help build supportive ecosystems that enable the flow of capital, technical support, and opportunities to homeowners of color in cohort cities.

 

Primary functions may include:

Manage homeownership strategy implementation in cities

· Work with technical assistance partners to support implementation of cities’ workplans, and track capital flows, shifts in policies, and results and progress of workplans.

· Leverage existing and original research to generate meaningful insights and identify key themes and promising practices cities are adopting to address racial disparities in homeownership.

· Make connections across Living Cities programmatic portfolio to identify opportunities for collaboration and accelerate city and state-level results.

 

Technical assistance

· Research and leverage knowledge about innovative models and key connections with leaders in the equitable homeownership space to guide local implementation.

· Cultivate and manage relationships/partnerships with city teams, local organizations, and consultants throughout strategy development and implementation.

· Research organizations, stakeholders, and funders who identify CTG cohort cities as focus markets for homeownership efforts.

· Plan and help manage and facilitate convenings and site visits to cohort cities (virtual and in person).

· Build and manage relationships with national and local organizations with expertise and experience supporting cities to advance strategies that address racial wealth disparities.

 

 

Knowledge sharing and field building

· Uplift stories and narratives of local government, community, and private capital decision makers advancing equitable strategies to close racial gaps in homeownership.

· Provide thought-leadership inside Living Cities and in the social change field through listening, speaking, and writing.

· Help develop strategies to build Living Cities brand and influence through conferences, convenings, and social media platforms.

· Contribute to and support Living Cities overall vision, collaborating with colleagues leading and driving our homeownership strategy.

 

Communication and Storytelling

● Build and manage relationship with CTG evaluation partners.

● Partner with Living Cities’ Communication & Narrative team to co-prepare communication content; including editorials, press releases, speaking engagements, and other relevant assets.

● Collaborate with Member Engagement & Results team to identify and share key insights with funders and staff from our members institutions.

● Support Living Cities overall vision, collaborating with colleagues leading and driving the CTG Network.

 

Support the Associate Director as needed, including but not limited to, on informing the overall homeownership strategy, informing policy conversations focused on homeownership, developing, and carrying out appropriate systems to accomplish the work

 

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

· Equivalent of 8-10 years’ applicable work experience.

· Knowledge of the homeownership ecosystem, innovative capital and mortgage products, and supply of federal funding focused on homeownership and related issues.

· Proficiency in building relationships with key cross-sector stakeholders.

· Ability to use data and performance measures to improve program performance and assess impact.

· Large group facilitation.

· Experience in hiring, supervising, and evaluating staff.

· Proven ability to manage multiple demands across various projects.

· Demonstrated ability to take accountability, facilitate complex conversations, and drive to desired results with passion, intentionality, and aptitude.

· Experience and content knowledge to operationalize racial equity within an institution or system(s), drive collective action efforts, and support homeownership for people of color.

 

REQUIRED SKILLS:

· Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with a track record of career advancement into positions with increasing levels of responsibility.

· Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills, including strong social listening (in person and digital) to understand sentiment, needs, and questions of partners and stakeholders, and the ability to diplomatically communicate complex messages to a range of audiences.

· Demonstrated success managing multiple priorities at the same time, connecting dots across projects and issue areas, and executing in service of results.

· Proven ability to utilize strong organizational skills when faced with multiple time-sensitive priorities.

· Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to demonstrate confidence and enthusiasm when delivering both formal and informal presentations to colleagues, partners, grantees, and funders.

· Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate information with attention to detail and accuracy.

Intellectually curious, creative problem solver exhibiting sound judgment and deep commitment and passion for Living Cities’ mission.

Racial Equity & Inclusion (REI)

· Foundational knowledge and core concepts.

· Understands why racial equity is an integral part of Living Cities’ approach, inside and outside the organization.

· Displays clear willingness to learn and apply REI history and concepts REI Practice and Analysis.

· Engages with curiosity, humility and openness in discussions about race, equity and power inside and outside of the organization.

· Understands how the construct of race has impacted the distribution of power and resources, and recognizes its impact on current and future outcomes across systems.

· Applies REI to inform discussions and decision-making.

· Upholds racial equity outcomes, goals, and performance measures with team and on projects.

· Able to incorporate REI ideas, concepts, and history into project work and methodology.

 

SALARY

$112,000 – $140,000

This is the minimum range for this position. Experience and locality are taken into consideration when determining a salary offer.

LOCATION

New York, NY or Washington, DC

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

None

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This job operates in a professional office environment. We currently operate in a hybrid environment, with time split between Living Cities’ offices and remote environments.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

As much of our work is performed on a computer, the employee must be able to remain in a position that allows them to do so effectively. Additionally, they may require some movement around the office to access files or other equipment or technology. As collaboration and communication are a large part of our work, the employee must also be able to accurately exchange information in these situations, whether verbally or written.

We will work with each employee to provide reasonable accommodations as needed.

 

POSITION TYPE

This is a full-time position.

TRAVEL

Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.

AAP/EEO POLICY STATEMENT

Living Cities is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive team at all levels. We are an equal opportunity employer and provide opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status,

sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

OTHER DUTIES

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.