Director of DC Community Anchor Partnership & Strategic Partnerships

COALITION FOR NONPROFIT HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

POSITION
Director, DC Community Anchor Partnership and Strategic Partnerships

POSITION SUMMARY
The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED) seeks an energetic, innovative, and experienced professional to join our team. The Director of the DC Community Anchor Partnership (DCAP) and Strategic Partnerships will work, under the direction of the President & CEO, to lead a high-impact collaborative of prominent anchor institutions, working with government and community partners, to leverage their business operations for inclusive economic development in DC. Specifically, DCAP is first focused on promoting equitable small business growth by partnering with local universities and health systems to expand procurement with DC minority-owned businesses, creating jobs and wealth for residents of color, while promoting a strong, diversified local economy and corporate objectives. CNHED is looking for a driven, entrepreneurial leader who can continue to advance DCAP’s impact, while expanding the focus to address a wider range of partners and priorities, and promoting long-term sustainability of the partnership.

THE ORGANIZATION
CNHED is a dynamic, member-driven association whose mission is to foster just and equitable community development solutions to address the needs and aspirations of low- and moderate-income District residents. Formed in 2000 from the merger of two predecessor organizations, CNHED represents 140 public, private, and nonprofit organizational members working to advance affordable housing, small business development, and workforce development within the District. Through the power of convening and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, CNHED advances high-impact solutions to advance equitable communities.

As the District’s economy grows but continues to leave long-term residents, especially those of color behind, new partnerships with prominent institutions are needed to advance equitable communities. “Anchor institutions” in DC such as universities and hospitals hold $2 billion in annual spending, 120,000 jobs, and $10 billion in endowment investments, significant economic resources that can promote community development. CNHED’s DC Community Anchor Partnership (DCAP) was initiated in 2017 to collaborate with these cross-sector partners to use their procurement power to promote the growth of local, minority-owned businesses. Since starting three years ago, DCAP expanded institutional spending with local, minority-owned businesses from $5 million in FY17 to $15 million in FY19, a three-fold increase, with new leadership alignment and policies/practices that will help this focus continue to grow over time. The effort, a featured initiative in the Mayor’s DC Economic Strategy, is co-convened with the Office of the DC Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and receives financial support from a variety of prominent funders such as Citi Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, and LISC.

RESPONSIBILITIES
• Oversee strategic direction and day-to-day operations of high-impact, high-visibility cross-sector partnership
• Hire, manage, and evaluate core team of anchor engagement, business engagement, data analysis consultants executing collaborative activities
• Prospect new revenue sources, write grant proposals, draft timely funder reports, and examine options for long-term sustainability of DCAP, in collaboration with President/CEO
• Manage and grow relationships, in collaboration with President/CEO, with university and hospital leadership staff (administration, finance, procurement, major internal buyers, community relations, DEI/sustainability, public relations, etc), community partners (business support organizations, capital providers, workforce development organizations), and District agencies
• Co-facilitate annual leadership committee, triannual procurement working group meetings, and triannual community advisory board meetings to align partners towards shared vision and promote peer learning
• Oversee execution of annual action planning process, with anchor engagement consultants, that works with each DCAP anchor member team to prioritize annual metrics/targets, procurement categories, and supplier diversity strategies
• Oversee execution of business qualification service, with business engagement consultants and community partners, that identifies, screens, and matches qualified local minority-owned businesses with anchor member contract opportunities
• Develop a minority-owned business capacity building strategy to expand pipeline of competitive businesses who can meet procurement needs, assessing and formalizing referral relationships with business support organizations and capital providers based on business needs and partner capacity, in collaboration with VP of Economic Development
• Manage impact collection and promotion activities, with data consultant, to compile and aggregate outcome data from anchor members and businesses, while developing annual impact report, dashboard, and communications materials that can tell the story of impact achieved to continue to continue to boost momentum over time
• Expand DCAP’s database of DC minority-owned businesses, the largest that exists, with data consultant and community partners, with focus of expanding emphasis on Wards 7 and 8, smaller micro-businesses, and businesses serving disadvantaged workforce
• Grow DCAP team by developing an internship program to provide research and learning opportunities from college and graduate students at DCAP university partners
• Develop and address policy implications of DCAP by assessing ecosystem needs, providing testimony to DC Council, and supporting CNHED advocacy activities, as needed, in collaboration with broader CNHED team
• Participate in and represent CNHED at national conferences, local convenings, and peer networks to promote impact, best practice learning, and continuous improvement
• Explore expansion of DCAP to more private institutions including universities and hospitals, as well as government agencies, local corporations, and others, helping scale pipeline of opportunities for partnership
• Explore expansion of DCAP beyond procurement into areas such as inclusive workforce development and housing impact investing, helping scale institutional-community partnerships to address wider needs facing District residents and to advance CNHED’s broader vision of equitable communities

SKILLS SET SOUGHT
• Strong commitment to social, economic, and racial justice
• Ability to quickly understand complex issues and develop solutions to large-scale problems, with both a clear vision and tangible actions that make an impact
• Ability to lead and manage teams of diverse individuals and organizations with different priorities and backgrounds, helping guide them towards strategic objectives
• Ability to take initiative, problem-solve, and think strategically, both independently and in a team environment
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with ability to set, manage, and meet multiple deadlines simultaneously
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with executive presence and meeting facilitation experience
• Ability to be nimble and adaptable within a fast-paced work environment
• Ability to commit to long-term change, celebrating quick wins and showing persistence amidst obstacles towards vision of equity
• Knowledge of community development field and roles of anchor institutions and/or corporations preferred

QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in inclusive economic development strategies
• Experience collaborating across public, private, and nonprofit sectors a plus
• Experience with corporate social responsibility, supplier diversity, and anchor institution strategies a plus
• Exposure to workforce development, affordable housing, and impact investing a plus

CAREER DEVELOPMENT
CNHED offers and encourages regular opportunities for career development by subsidizing employees to attend training courses and to obtain certifications. This high-impact role will provide many opportunities for advancement within and visibility outside of the organization.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The salary range for this position is flexible, commensurate with experience, education, and track record of accomplishments. CNHED offers a competitive benefits package including 100% individual health, dental, and vision insurance, employer retirement contributions, paid vacation and sick leave, a transportation subsidy, and an optional deferred salary retirement plan. This is a non-exempt position.

TO APPLY
Please email a resume and cover letter to jobs@cnhed.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. We encourage people of color, Native Washingtonians, women, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities to apply.