Community Projects Specialist

Background

The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, a community development financial institution founded in 1983, is nationally recognized as an innovator in the field of community development finance and has a rich history of providing access to capital to achieve home ownership, business growth, climate solutions, sustainable agriculture, child care, and cooperatives that secure and protect access to affordable housing.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion have always been key to our success. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences, and backgrounds who share a passion for improving people’s lives.

Summary

We are looking for an energetic, talented, individual to fill a critical role in its housing program, “Resident Owned Communities New Hampshire” (“ROC-NH”). ROC-NH works with homeowners in and owners of manufactured-home parks statewide to convert those parks into communities that are owned and governed by residents, known as “resident owned communities” or “ROCs.” ROC-NH’s financing, training, and technical assistance help homeowners in ROCs build equity, achieve stable housing, develop leadership, and strengthen their communities.

If you are a roll-up-your-sleeves person who thrives on facilitating projects from feasibility to completion, this is the job for you. ROC-NH’s Community Projects Specialist provides information and assistance to ROCs with infrastructure projects, including but not limited to road, water, sewer/wastewater, and utility improvement projects, as well as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and community-wide weatherization efforts. This individual helps the ROC build relationships with funding partners, engineers and contractors, municipalities, and other professional stakeholders. In this role, you will foster a sense of community empowerment while helping ROCs improve their communities. The successful applicant will also be responsible for providing general governance related technical assistance to an assigned portfolio of ROCs. This position involves regular weekend and night commitments and in-state travel.

Responsibilities

Infrastructure Projects

• Coordinate and assist with planning and managing ROC infrastructure projects by working with ROC’s boards of directors and committees, civil and other engineers, contractors, zoning boards, building inspectors, and funding partners.
• Serve as a liaison between the ROC and government agencies including but not limited to the NH Community Development Finance Authority, US Dept. of Agriculture-Rural Development, NH Dept. of Environmental Services, NH Dept. of Energy, and nonprofit groups such as Granite State Rural Water Assn. and Granite State Septic Designers and Installers Assn.
• Coordinate project funding assessing all options, including but not limited to the cooperative’s capital improvement reserves, refinancing or construction loans from the Community Loan Fund, commercial banks, and loans and grants from government agencies.
• Monitor projects, in coordination with project engineers and contractors, so that all events, phases, and construction activities are coordinated to meet deadlines and meet quality and professional standards.
• Provide training resources to help ROCs develop long-term Capital Improvement Planning for infrastructure needs.
• Build self-sufficiency in communities by monitoring project related budgets and meeting minutes.
• Capture and update project related information on internal records and databases.
• Maintain a record of best practices and lessons learned for infrastructure projects.
• Adhere to policies, procedures, and regulatory guidelines, including fair lending and ethical behavior.

Technical assistance

• Provide governance support and ROC management guidance to an assigned portfolio of ROCs, including but not limited to regularly attending board and membership meetings, helping ROC boards and members navigate and apply their governing documents, monitoring ROC budgets and meeting minutes, capturing and updating important ROC related information in internal records and databases, facilitating ROC self-assessments, connecting ROCs with external resources as appropriate, and being ROC-NH’s primary point of contact for the assigned ROCs. Technical assistance helps ROCs build skills and to understand the roles and responsibilities necessary to effectively manage the ROC while fostering empowerment, community spirit, and self-sufficiency.
• Support all aspects of community financial and loan compliance, including plans to assess organizational health, troubleshoot problems, and develop goals and action plans.

Team player

• Support ROC-NH team members by sharing knowledge, acting as a back-up, and participating in ROC-NH and Community Loan Fund initiatives.
• Complete updates and summaries for databases and weekly team meeting.
• Embrace the Values of the organization: We live respect, we embrace challenges, and we advance equity.
• Contribute to information sharing through blogs and social media.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience with project-management, real estate development, and/or financing systems.
• Trades, infrastructure, renewable energy knowledge and experience a plus.
• Experience with Salesforce a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range begins at $60,000.

The Community Loan Fund’s current benefit package which includes medical and dental coverage, group life and disability options, health, and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts and our 401(k) Plan.

How to Apply

If this description is a good fit, we would love to hear from you! Please send a resume with cover letter to jobopening@communityloanfund.org.

No phone calls, please.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Visit us at www.communityloanfund.org