Community Engagement Officer

Background

DreamSpring is a nonprofit community lender dedicated to eliminating systemic wealth inequities and accelerating the economic inclusion and strength of underserved communities. Founded in 1994, the organization, which operates in 26 states, provides rapid access to capital and customized wrap-around support to the most vulnerable small business owners, focusing on communities including people of color, women, low- to moderate-income earners, people with disabilities, and start-ups. To date, DreamSpring has issued more than 42,000 loans totaling over $465 million to small businesses that support an estimated 72,000 jobs. Learn more at dreamspring.org.

DreamSpring benefits include:

• Remote, Hybrid, & Flexible Work Options
• Health Insurance – 100% Paid Employee Coverage and a Buy-Up Plan Option
• Dental & Vision Coverage
• Employer-Paid Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) to help towards out of pocket costs
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Spending Account Benefits
• 100% Paid Long-Term Disability Plan and Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• SIMPLE IRA Retirement Match 3%
• Paid Time Off – 12 Paid Holidays; 12 Paid Sick Days; 3 Personal Days, 1 Wellness Day; Starting 10 Days of Vacation (with increasing accrual schedule with tenure) and 4 Weeks of Paid Sabbatical every 7 years of service
• Annual Company Retreat Event, Bring Pets to Work, In-Office Snacks, Seasonal Half-Day Fridays

To learn more about working for DreamSpring visit our Guide Here.

Summary

The Community Engagement Officer drives awareness and visibility of DreamSpring in local communities and the engagement of prospective clients, partner entities, donors, prospective donors, capital providers, prospective capital providers, elected officials, and media. Ensures DreamSpring meets its commitment to serving the organization’s target markets and priority populations and is responsible for engaging these communities to increase awareness of DreamSpring offerings. Cultivates and steward prospective partners/donors/advocates. Generates referrals & leads for potential new clients. Contributes to the philanthropy team’s work by meeting with and cultivating donors and prospective donors. Serves as a lead local representative of DreamSpring in area media interviews and cultivates and steward relationships with local media representatives. Conducts presentations and represents DreamSpring at various events, committees, and engagements with partners, prospects, and other key audiences.

Responsibilities

NOTE: DreamSpring may unilaterally change the requirements of this job description at any time. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Builds and develops relationships with key community leaders and constituencies to increase awareness and understanding of DreamSpring’s mission, product offerings, and philanthropic opportunities.
• Makes excellent first impressions on behalf of DreamSpring.
• Manages relationships with local/regional referral partners such as banks, local chambers, and small business development centers, and others; documenting all actions and updates in the organization’s HubSpot platform.
• Identifies, attends, presents at, and organizes events pertinent to potential DreamSpring clients, target markets, or referral sources.
• Provides technical assistance workshops and seminars to clients and prospective clients.
• Develops expertise in DreamSpring’s products, services, mission and values to support in-depth presentation and to be able to answer detailed questions from small business owners.
• Interacts with board members as requested and presents information as needed.
• Cultivates partnerships and contacts with lead sources, relaying applicants or prospects to loan officers.
• Provides excellent client and partner service and manages expectations through good communication and timely response.
• Serves on local boards and volunteers for various community events.
• Supports fundraising business development, including the identification and cultivation of individual, corporate, and foundation donor prospects.
• Assists in the development of new products and services to ensure they are designed to meet the needs of DreamSpring target market communities.
• Provides local insights to Leadership Team to help develop strategies for scale and impact.
• Completes site visits within the community on behalf of lending, fundraising or portfolio quality.
• Represents DreamSpring in assigned markets at partner meetings and community events (including delivery of presentations about DreamSpring services)
• Updates communications team about activities and upcoming events for use in organizational communications
• Creates and maintains local networks and engages in meaningful dialogue with local partners and agencies to support DreamSpring goals.
• Cultivates relationships with local media on behalf of DreamSpring.
• Performs other duties as assigned

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. Regular and timely attendance is also required for this job.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• 2-4 years of experience in community organizing, banking, business assistance, communications, or lending.
• Knowledge of modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.
• Knowledge of cash management principles and/or procedures.
• Knowledge of business English, proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, and basic
• Knowledge of professional communications, fundraising, and Community Development Financial Institutions
• Knowledge of record management and basic accounting procedures.
• Knowledge of navigating working in a virtual or hybrid work environment.
• Ability to learn financial and accounting principles and procedures.
• Ability to learn lending processes.
• Ability to demonstrate outstanding client service at all times.
• Ability to set up and maintain financial accounts and ledgers and loans.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instruction.
• Ability to sort, check, count and verify numbers.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to count currency accurately.
• Ability to meet strict timelines.
• Ability to prepare and present loan documentation.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds and with co-workers at all levels.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Skill in operating business computers and office machines, including in a Windows environment, specifically Word, Excel, Access, and presentation software (such as PowerPoint).
• Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment drug/alcohol screen and background investigation.
• Must have a good driving record, valid, driver’s license, vehicle insurance and a reliable vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Communications, Marketing, Community Development, Business or related field.
• Formal credit training experience.
• Bilingual ability in English and Spanish.

Needed Attributes:

• Ability to demonstrate passion around the work of DreamSpring.
• Ability to recognize and appreciate the pioneering spirit of all DreamMakers.
• All actions, behavior and results have integrity.
• Holds oneself and others accountable for behavior, actions and results.
• Demonstrates consistency in values, principles and work ethic.
• Willingness to take on new challenges, responsibilities, and assignments.
• Able to work with a diverse group of people.
• Professional appearance and manner.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort: 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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Will have some repetitive hand and arm motions and prolonged periods of sitting.
• While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, listen, reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• This position requires frequent manual dexterity in combination with eye/hand coordination such as keyboarding and handling of equipment.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
• Ability to be on a web camera/computer screen and remain on screen for extended periods for virtual meetings.
• Work is generally performed in an office setting (in-person and/or remote).
• Travel is required.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range is $53,000 – $67,000 annually depending upon years of relevant experience and education.

How to Apply

See link to apply here.

**Thank you for your interest in a DreamSpring position. To ensure the validity of communications, please make sure that any messages claiming to be from a DreamSpring representative originate from a DreamSpring.org email address. If you believe you have received a fraudulent message, please report it to the third-party employment site and apply directly on DreamSpring’s Careers Page (https://dreamspring.applytojob.com/). We will never ask for your banking information as part of the application process. We look forward to reviewing your application. **

Please let us know how we can make our job interviews or application formatting accessible to your needs by emailing info@dreamspring.org.

DreamSpring is an equal opportunity employer. At DreamSpring, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. DreamSpring believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success.