The Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire (CDCSB), located in southern Berkshire County in western Massachusetts, is seeking a person to fill the position of Executive Director (ED). The mission of the CDCSB, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is to create affordable housing and economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income households in the southern Berkshires.
CDCSB resides in Great Barrington, in the valley of the Housatonic River, amidst the beautiful mountains of the Berkshires. Our new office is located in downtown Great Barrington.
CDCSB currently has one full-time member of staff, two part-time and, in addition to hiring a new ED, plans to bring a full time housing development director on to staff within the next 12 months. The Board of Directors (Board) is active, engaged and supportive. A number of committees within the Board focus on specific objectives to support the ED and the organization’s overall mission, such as finance and economic development committees.
The organization is poised to begin an exciting and challenging period of affordable housing development, with 94 housing units planned for downtown Great Barrington – 45 affordable units to begin construction in early 2020 and an additional 49 units (40 affordable) positioned for state funding.
The ED must be able to lead and represent the organization in achieving its strategic vision, mission, and goals. The ideal candidate will bring creative and effective ideas to fundraising and other income producing strategies, and work effectively with the Board, other affordable housing organizations, lending partners, community advocates and local, state and federal government officials. Experience of housing development is a plus, as the ED will support, and work in close partnership with the member of staff responsible for housing development.
MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP
Grow CDCSB membership, working with staff and Board to keep members engaged and supportive of the agency’s mission
Develop communications strategies to increase CDCSB’s visibility throughout the region, and work with fundraising staff
Lead the Board in developing short and long-range strategic plans to fulfill the CDCSB mission,
Plan, organize, lead, direct and coordinate the agency’s overall operations, adhering to the highest professional standards, consistent with the objectives and policies established by the Board
Supervise expanding staff as organization grows
Manage and maintain a cooperative, team-oriented environment including staff, neighborhood residents, local agencies and government officials
Represent the organization in South County within western Massachusetts and tri-state regional area with housing and economic development organizations, such as the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, 1Berkshire, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and others.
Meet regularly with the Board officers and committees to communicate progress toward strategic goals and meet monthly with the Board
FINANCE
Establish annual financial goals and objectives, which fulfill the mission and vision of CDCSB and work with the Finance Committee to develop an annual budget and financial controls
Oversee monthly income and expense reports for the organization and all budgets for housing development projects
Meet regularly with the Treasurer and Finance Committee to communicate on financial goals and assist the Treasurer in making monthly financial reports to the Board
PROGRAM
Oversee the delivery of all program services
Develop a strong and achievable pipeline of housing development projects, and direct/oversee all new real estate development and management of current property portfolio, in partnership with the housing development director
Initiate economic development programs or projects to address the region’s need
Assure that all services and properties meet all applicable program standards required by government and accrediting funding agencies
FUNDRAISING & COMMUNICATIONS
Maintain/grow local, regional, state and federal professional and funding relationships in community development and related fields
Research, apply for and secure a variety of funding for programs and projects, including the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) programs
Monitor contracts and communications, including reports, for funders and lenders
Develop and cultivate a network of local and regional individual and corporate donors/grantors, and oversee community engagement activities, including fundraising activities
Oversee all media, communications, and public relations policies
Liaise between CDCSB and the community and advocate for needs of constituent communities
Other Skills and Abilities
Must embrace the vision and mission of the CDCSB, and have a demonstrated capacity and passion for leading a non-profit organization in community and economic development
Demonstrate extensive experience in non-profit management, grant writing and fund procurement, as well as strategic planning and strong financial management abilities
Exhibit the ability to establish trust with constituent communities and funders
Possess strong, clear written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
Have proven experience with housing tax credit programs, zoning and conservation regulatory processes
Demonstrate capacity to build housing and economic development project teams
Minimum of 10 years’ experience that has developed a strong foundation within the fields of affordable housing and economic development.
Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications within the framework of the organization’s operating budget. Compensation is competitive with nonprofit organizations in the Western Massachusetts region.
401K and health benefits
Interested candidates should submit applications to: [email protected]. Materials should not be sent via mail. All submissions will be confidential to CDCSB. Please submit a cover letter as a separate document, describing your interest and qualifications, salary requirements and where you learned of the position. Please also upload your current resume and three references with their contact information. Only complete applications will be considered. Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted until February 28th, 2020.