Community Development Officer / Senior Community Development Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

Genesis LA was created in 1998 with a mission to provide capital and capacity to low-income neighborhoods as a means to facilitate high-impact community development real estate projects.  Our mission is to deliver financial solutions that advance economic and social opportunities in underserved communities.  We make loans to a variety of borrowers and projects generally consisting of commercial or small business real estate, community facilities, and affordable housing located in low-income communities or serving low-income individuals in Los Angeles County. Genesis LA is certified by the U.S. Treasury Department as both a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and a Community Development Entity (CDE).  Through our $125 million on-balance sheet CDFI loan fund (the Genesis Community Investment Fund), we provide real estate loans to non-profits and developers generally ranging up to $5 million per project. As a CDE, we have been awarded nearly $600 million of New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation, which has provided financing for larger scale real estate projects.  Genesis LA pairs its lending products with development services to assist potential borrowers by providing additional capacity to ensure projects move forward and can access our capital. Further, Genesis LA operates multiple community development programs and provides intermediary services to third parties, both of which are designed to support community development and drive capital to low-income and underserved communities.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Genesis LA is accepting applicants at the Community Development Officer or Senior Community Development Officer level, depending on applicant experience. The Community Development Officer or Senior Community Development Officer role will have the same core responsibilities below, with additional responsibilities as outlined for the Senior Community Development Officer role.

The Community Development Officer / Senior Community Development Officer will facilitate Genesis LA’s mission to build the capacity of community development partners and deploy capital to community and economic development projects. This position sits within Genesis LA’s Programs Department but works frequently with staff in the Lending Department who are structuring, underwriting and closing loans. The Community Development Officer / Senior Community Development Officer will design, administer, implement, and monitor community development programs and intermediary services.

Programs: Genesis LA’s programs support community development needs and are initiated by Genesis LA or co-created with our partners. These programs build the capacity of community partners, initiate and advance cross-sector collaboration, facilitate the creation of development concepts and pipelines, and implement pilot projects. Genesis LA leads and participates in a range of innovative programs and initiatives, including efforts to: scale community land trust models; expand access to affordable homeownership opportunities; advance commercial corridor revitalization projects; and build the capacity of small, emerging affordable housing developers.

Intermediary Services: Genesis LA provides intermediary services to support our partners in the community development field. This includes underwriting loans and PRIs with funders, deploying subgrants, and administering programs for third parties.

The Community Development Officer’s / Senior Community Development Officer’s work on programs and intermediary services will intersect with borrowers of loans from Genesis LA and will involve collaboration with Genesis LA’s Lending Team, which underwrites, closes, and monitors loans to borrowers.

The Community Development Officer / Senior Community Development Officer is part of Genesis LA’s 18-person team and will report to the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Investments.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support Program staff with the design of community development programs, including creating program objectives, identifying key partners, and developing scopes of work and workplans. Senior Community Development Officer will lead the design of programs.
• Manage the implementation of select programs and intermediary services, including ensuring key deliverables are completed on time, partners are aligned and supported, and program outcomes are achieved. Senior Community Development Officer will manage implementation of programs with lighter supervisorial support.
• Provide technical assistance to community development partners in group and/or one-on-one formats, including basic real estate knowledge related to real estate due diligence, the preparation of budgets and proformas, and the loan underwriting process.
• Support the underwriting of select loans in alignment with programmatic goals. Senior Community Development Officer will provide more extensive underwriting capacity.
• Engage with public and private community development stakeholders, including developers, community organizations, funders, and public officials.
• Convene community development partners to arrive at shared priorities that will guide the implementation of programs. Senior Community Development Officer will independently plan and lead facilitation for partner convenings with light supervisorial support.
• Facilitate consensus building among partners.
• Prepare content for dissemination of program information, including website, marketing materials, applications, and grant reports.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree is a plus.
• Educational experience in business, economics, finance, urban planning, public policy, or related fields is ideal.
• 3+ years of previous work experience in community development, real estate, or public policy. 6+ years for Senior Community Development Officer.
• Self-starter with an ability to work independently on complex, multi-workstream projects.
• Prior experience and/or demonstrated interest in assisting mission-driven organizations and projects.
• Ability to proactively solve problems and creatively overcome implementation barriers to achieve program goals.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and attention to detail.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a small team on overall strategies and the implementation of key activities.
• Strong organizational skills and follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple workstream and projects from start to finish.
• Capacity to prioritize multiple tasks to meet timing needs of Genesis LA, its partners, and borrowers.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment and to exhibit flexibility within a dynamic and entrepreneurial organization.
• Computer aptitude, including knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite Programs.
• Knowledge of NMTCs, CDFIs, federal, state, and local financing programs and related public policy issues is a plus.
• Knowledge of Los Angeles community development landscape, policies, and key stakeholders is ideal.

COMPENSATION:

Genesis LA offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. The expected starting salary range for the Community Development Officer position is $100,000 - $110,000 and for the Senior Community Development Officer position is $110,000 - $130,000. Compensation will be determined depending on applicant’s experience. Genesis LA offers full medical, dental and vision benefits, a 401k retirement plan with generous matching terms, 12 paid holidays and 15 days of paid time off per year.

The position is based at Genesis LA’s corporate offices in Downtown Los Angeles. Genesis LA is primarily an in-person business, with a policy for in-office attendance Monday through Thursday and the option to work from home on Fridays. Management is open to accommodating additional flexibility when needed. Genesis LA also fosters a culture of team building and bonding, with regular social activities.

The role level applicants are considered for will be determined based on application materials. To be considered for the senior role please outline in the cover letter your experience that would meet those qualifications.

Interested candidates should forward a resume and cover letter to Dina Valenzuela at [email protected]/