Manager, Policy Change, Community Impact - Hybrid (Chicago, IL)

 Position Summary:

The Program Manager, Policy Change reports to the Director, Policy Change and is a key member of the Trust’s Policy Team. The Team is responsible for developing and implementing the policy and advocacy agenda that aligns with the strategic priorities and organizational interest of the Trust, including policies related to donor advised funds and other charitable funds. The agenda will include a range of social and economic policies at the city, county, state and federal level that advance the Trust’s goals to build household and community wealth and address critical needs. The Policy Change team is responsible for building and cultivating relationships with public and elected officials and managing the Trust’s lobbying activity.

The Manager provides support in the areas of public policy research and analysis, project management, and government engagement. The Manager will be a key contributor to the development of the Trust’s knowledge base and policy expertise, to the formation of the policy agenda, and to managing relationships with external stakeholders. In addition, the Manager will ensure and facilitate internal collaboration and close communication with peers across the organization including the Community Impact, Strategic Communications, Learning and Impact, and Philanthropic Services teams.

Position Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development and execution of the Trust’s policy agenda

• Work with Director to research and identify policy opportunities, recommend Trust policy positions, develop communication tools, and execute policy action plans

• Compose issue-focused background memos to inform decision-making.

• Write talking points, position statements and background memos;

• Help plan convenings and connect grant recipients and other partners working together on the Trust’s strategic goals and policy priorities.

• Conducts landscape scans and builds awareness of grant recipient and partner policy efforts and priorities as it relates to the Trust’s policy agenda and strategic goals.

• Writes for policy maker and decisionmaker audiences and to compel partners and the general public through calls to action.

• Supports the policy team and Trust leadership in developing and cultivating relationships between public and elected officials at the city, county, state and federal levels by gathering and summarizing key background in preparation for meetings.

• Collaborates with CI colleagues and Strategic Communications to draft issue briefs, one-pagers, leave behinds, testimony, comment letters, talking points and calls to action on Trust policy priorities.

• Works with CI colleagues to conduct policy analysis and make recommendations for policy strategy and action

• Plan and execute policy-related convenings, including advisory groups or panels to generate ideas and inform the Trust’s policy position and strategy

• Builds relationships with community organizing entities and leaders, policy advocates, civic actors and donors to advance the Trust’s policy strategy

• Represents the Trust at coalition meetings, as requested.

• Support engagement and education of Trust leadership, donors, and stakeholders on priority policy issues

 

Experience and Skills

Position Qualifications:

• A master's degree in public policy, public affairs, or public administration or is preferred

• Five to seven years of experience working as a legislative assistant or advisor; policy manager or communications staff for an elected official or government agency;

• Experience working in government in a legislative or executive office at the city, county or state level is strongly preferred

• Understanding of budgeting process for city, county, state, or federal government

• Some experience with the state of Illinois’ legislative and budget process is preferred

• Expertise and experience working in one or more of the following policy areas is required: economic mobility, housing/homeownership, community economic development, workforce or higher education

• Familiarity with the network of local, state, and national actors, agencies, and organizations focusing on social and economic policies

• Ability to foster effective collaboration among diverse groups with a demonstrated commitment to racial, social and economic diversity, and inclusion

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Strong project management, relationship management, and collaboration skills, required

• Technical skills in Microsoft Office 360 (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Access, One Note), required

• Experience with Salesforce or other CRM tool preferred.

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OPEN POSITIONS with the Chicago Community Trust! *Many Hybrid*

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Sr. Real Estate Advisor, The Chicago Community Trust

 Position Summary

Community Desk Chicago ("the Desk") leverages private market expertise and trusted investor relationships to unlock capital for transformative real estate development. Currently based at the Chicago Community Trust ("the Trust"), the Desk was launched in 2019 as the result of a six-month study led by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The JP Morgan Chase Foundation (JPMCF) commissioned the study to better understand how to drive more impactful investments in communities of color.

The Desk works with catalytic real estate projects in historically underserved Black and Latinx communities to help close funding gaps based on four key beliefs including 1) strong talent and commercial development opportunities exist in communities, but face challenges accessing the necessary capital and resources, 2) communities deserve holistic development, including commercial projects that create wealth building opportunities and improve quality of life, 3) projects in communities of color should have equitable access to capital without fear of racial bias and 4) our role is to collaborate, not duplicate - partnering with the existing ecosystem to add capacity and fill gaps.

In addition to providing direct project support to community developers, nonprofits and entrepreneurs, the Desk works closing with philanthropy including the Trust and other critical stakeholders in the community development ecosystem to design and launch initiatives that increase capital flow, wealth building and real development capacity in communities. More information about the Desk can be found at www.communitydeskchicago.org.

Under the direction of the Desk’s Director, the Senior Real Estate Advisor will actively manage the capital connection for community-based real estate development projects. Specifically, the advisor will assess project financial feasibility, recommend funding strategies and manage the direct connection to project funders including philanthropy, lenders and investors.

Position Responsibilities

• Meet with community-focused nonprofits, developers and entrepreneurs to understand their development capital needs and outline potential funding strategies.
• Leveraging relevant industry and project-based data, pressure test project assumptions related to revenue, expenses, net operating income and development costs.
• Evaluate project feasibility based on key financial metrics including but not limited to debt coverage ratios, debt to equity ratios, cap rates and other relevant markers.
• Model potential capital stacks and develop recommendations for target investor types and mix, based on expected social impact and financial returns of project
• As necessary, support projects with the creation of operating pro formas, development budgets and related feasibility documentation.
• Monitor a portfolio of projects through their development lifecycle to assist with capital resources.
• Recommend new tools and resources to standardize the review of projects.
• Research investment models and trends to recommend creative funding strategies for projects.
• Support the development of an investor pool to shop investment opportunities and to help attract new capital for projects.
• Coordinate with capital market experts to assist with deal structuring and terms.
• Recommend pitch materials for projects to highlight feasibility, community impact and funding requirements.
• Assist projects with completing grant applications, loan applications and other related funding documentation to secure capital.
• Leverage the resources and network of the Trust, JPMCF, BCG and other partners to support holistic neighborhood development.
• Codify lessons learned for knowledge sharing in the community development ecosystem.
• Other responsibilities as identified to support the launch of new programs and initiatives.

Experience and Skills:

• Master’s degree in finance, business administration, urban planning, real estate or community development is preferred. Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study is required.
• 7-10 years of related work experience.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to The Desk’s mission.
• Understanding of real estate development, community development, innovative financing and complex deal flows.
• Direct experience or working knowledge of small business financing including SBA lending
• Ability to work collaboratively and build relationships with a variety of partners across Chicago, including The Trust, JPMCF, BCG, community residents, nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, developers, traditional investors, impact investors, financial institutions, and legal advisers.
• Ability to self-start and approach the role with an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Strong quantitative skill set to apply to project feasibility and capital coordination.
• Experience with business strategy to inform investment case and pitch material preparation.
• Experience in project management, with the ability to assess and resolve implementation issues and to establish best practices.
• Effective listening skills and business acumen to engage with projects and key stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills, written communication, and comfort with cross-cultural communication.
• Ability and desire to work in culturally diverse environments.
• Direct experience underwriting, evaluating or coordinating capital requests including experience with LIHTCs, NMTCS, OZ funding, TIF and other development incentives.