Career Opportunities

President & CEO Job Announcement

 About Community LIFT & River City Capital Investment Corp.

Since 2011, Community LIFT (LIFT), a nonprofit economic and community development intermediary has been a catalyst for change, working to advance Memphis by enabling the revitalization of its distressed neighborhoods.  We attract national dollars and align them with local resources.  Together those investments are strategically distributed in the form of grants to community development corporations and grassroots leaders for maximum impact.  LIFT also operates an affiliate nonprofit, called River City Capital Investment Corp. (RCC), which serves as its economic development arm.  RCC is a community development financial institution certified by the Department of the Treasury and primarily makes loans to spur job creation, build wealth, better educational outcomes and increase quality affordable housing.   Community LIFT has established its leading values as integrity, diversity, equity and inclusion, collaboration, maximizing resources, and excellence.

TITLE:  President Community LIFT                                          

REPORTS TO:  Board of Directors of Community LIFT

PRIMARY PURPOSE:  Performs all duties related to leading and managing Community LIFT and serves as the chief executive officer of River City Capital Investment Corporation.

Overview:

LIFT seeks a seasoned and visionary President.  The successful candidate will have exceptional leadership, communication, networking and entrepreneurial skills along with an understanding of the importance of both private and public sector engagement in building sustainable communities.  The position requires a strong commitment to upholding the role of community-based nonprofit organizations and resident involvement in a competitive city landscape and a keen ability to coalesce the public and private sectors around cross-sectoral partnerships.

In addition, LIFT serves as a fiscal sponsor for a small number of individuals, groups, and/or organizations seeking to raise tax-deductible funds to conduct a charitable project, either prior to or without incorporating or obtaining Internal Revenue Service recognition as a tax-exempt organization.  LIFT provides financial and administrative services, oversight, and the assumption of some or all of the legal and financial responsibility for the activities of groups or individuals engaged in work that relates to LIFT’s mission.

The President is responsible for supporting both LIFT and RCC programs through significant local and national fundraising.  The President will develop, maintain, and lead effective working relationships with corporate, philanthropic, civic and public entities that currently or may potentially support LIFT’s comprehensive community development agenda.  The President is also responsible for preserving the direction and focus of the organization, while promoting innovation, and should be responsive to the needs of the Memphis community.  The President will manage LIFT’s operations and supervise the staff.  These duties will be carried out with support and supervision from the Board of Directors.

I. Responsibilities
A. Vision and Leadership:

• Build and lead a vision and mission to grow the community development industry in Memphis and promote innovation within it with LIFT and RCC as strategic partners.
• Coordinate the strategic and annual planning/budgeting processes in collaboration with the Board of Directors and the leadership of RCC.
• Maintain working relationships with LIFT and RCC board members, engaging them in local community development funding support and program strategy development.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with peers and practitioners from across the country to stay informed on national best practices.
• Source investment, attract capital resources, and manage key local, state, federal and philanthropic relationships.

B. Fundraising:

• Obtain the corporate and philanthropic sectors’ financial and institutional support for LIFT activities in the region by:
• Cultivating and engaging the support of key corporate and philanthropic concerns in the interest of CDCs, CDFIs, and community development.
• Securing government funding for eligible LIFT programs.
• Creating and implementing new, as well as existing, fundraising strategies to support LIFT and community development activities in Memphis.

C. Public relations, communications and policy:

• With support from the LIFT Board of Directors, develop, implement, and lead an effective and comprehensive communication strategy that positions LIFT and our community-based partners as integral participants in Memphis community development.
• Establish a dialogue and shared agenda at the highest levels of public, corporate and foundation sectors to foster and enhance support for comprehensive community development.
• Identify and promote through BLDG Memphis policy issues and other initiatives that support the sustainability of CDCs, in concert with leading industry professionals.

D. Programming:

• Negotiate and structure partnerships across multiple programmatic agendas and with public, private and nonprofit partners.
• Oversee analysis of loan and grant requests and monitor their subsequent performance.
• Oversee LIFT’s fiscal sponsorship program with particular focus on its administrative, financial and legal responsibilities.
• Oversee and identify the right composition of programs in a portfolio that embraces a vision of building shared prosperity, sustainable communities, incorporating both people and place-based strategies.
• Expand the reach and further build the infrastructure of Memphis’ ability to grow CDC capacity building and capability to deliver on physical transformation projects.
• Identify and incorporate best practices gained from national relationships into LIFT program designs.

II. Required Qualifications

• At least ten years senior management level experience in community development or a related field, shaping real estate projects and/or growing organizational capacity.
• Strong understanding of community development and economic development including community organizing, resident engagement, financial models, and place-based strategies.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with senior level government officials, including federal, state and city government, especially within City Hall and the City Department of Housing and Community Development.
• Demonstrated success in raising significant contributions from a diverse spectrum of foundation, corporate and public sector sources.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, real estate or related fields. Master’s degree preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and comfort with speaking in diverse public forums.
• Familiarity with nonprofit accounting and ability to understand financial statements.
• Experience working with a board of directors.

III. Critical Qualities

• Visionary leadership to plan and implement a complex strategy for comprehensive community development.
• Unique understanding of how to navigate and partner Memphis and Shelby County government and their related quasi-government entities with low income, minority communities, CDCs and the private sector.
• Demonstrated excellence in managing organizational capacity and setting priorities with the ability to lead a staff of approximately seven professionals.
• Excellent interpersonal and political skills necessary to facilitate relationships in culturally diverse environments including senior level corporate, philanthropic and public sector representatives as well as grassroots and faith-based neighborhood leadership.
• Personal energy, enthusiasm and demonstrated commitment to a mission of neighborhood revitalization via comprehensive community development strategies.
• Creative, entrepreneurial, and solution-oriented approach.
• Ability to inspire trust and to motivate staff and partners through a balance of integrity and tact.

Community LIFT will offer a competitive salary and benefits package. 

To Apply

Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest, three references and resume to Ms. Amelia Crowley, Operations Manager, Community L.I.F.T., Corp., 119 Court Avenue, Suite 100, Memphis, TN 38103.  Deadline to apply is October 8, 2021.  Please reference the position in the subject line of your email. NO PHONE CALLS. Only those applicants that will be considered for the next step in the hiring process will be contacted.

Community LIFT is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from individuals who will contribute to its diversity.