Position Reports to: Vice President, Community Engagement 

Location: This position is based in New York. This is a fully remote and must reside within commutable distance to NFF’s New York office.

Department: Community Engagement

 

For over 40 years, Nonprofit Finance Fund has provided these nonprofits and their leaders with capital, consulting, and thought leadership. As a community development finance institution (CDFI), we work with nonprofits, partners, and systems to build racial equity and community wealth and well-being. Our vision is a world of equitable prosperity, where communities of color and other systematically excluded communities have the capital, community assets, knowledge, and agency to thrive. You can learn more about our work to achieve that vision by reading our Strategic Plan for 2024-2026 and our commitment to racial equity. 

None of this work would be possible without the incredible people who work here. Our team consists of a diverse group of passionate professionals who care deeply about racial equity and community wealth and well-being. You can read more about what it’s like to work here – and read a few examples of “a day in the life” for NFF staff” – on the careers page of our website.  

Thank you for your interest in NFF. We hope you’ll join us. 

 

About the Opportunity: 

We are seeking a Senior Director, Community Engagement to join NFF’s Community Engagement team. This team drives NFF’s engagement strategy in regional communities and is responsible for developing and sustaining strong relationships with nonprofits, networks, and collaboratives, aligned with NFF’s mission and strategy and in priority geographies and sectors. The department maintains relationships for the purposes of learning about community strengths, needs, and trends, strengthening NFF’s client services work, fostering innovation in NFF’s products and services, developing partnerships and representing the services and mission of NFF externally, and identifying strategic opportunities for NFF to deepen its impact with communities. 

The Senior Director, Community Engagement will lead the development and design of engagement strategies to strengthen NFF’s presence and relationships with community serving organizations and leaders in New York and other community engagement projects. This work includes new and innovative outreach strategies for NFF to build relationships that support community nonprofits, especially those led by and serving BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and person of color) communities. This position will lead engagement efforts and implementation to advance strong and impactful enterprise-wide priorities. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced relationship builder who centers community, innovation, and equitable practices and is looking to grow NFF’s community engagement strategy.  

This position is based in New York. It is fully remote and must reside within commutable distance to NFF’s New York office. There is a potential for up to 20% travel. Travel will mainly consist of local in-person partnership meetings and community-based events within the region. It is expected that that remaining time will be focused on building external partnerships and supporting internal coordination. There will be limited overnight travel required.  

The Senior Director, Community Engagement will report to the Vice President, Community Engagement who is based in Los Angeles. 

 

What you’ll do: 

Lead authentic community engagement 

• Lead the development and implementation of community engagement plans and strategies for the local New York market; serve as an internal expert and leader on community needs and strategically prioritized community issues (green energy and environmental justice, community owned real estate, equity in government contracting, and affordable housing). 
• Support other NFF departments with the development of programs and client services that are responsive to and reflective of the needs and interests of community organizations; communicate the needs of the community to effectively inform NFF programs and services that appropriately address community needs, align with community aspirations, and advance NFF goals 
• Develop strong rapport and trust with community organizations and leaders to determine alignment between NFF’s mission and strategy and community needs; deepen NFF’s presence and relationships in the NY market with nonprofits, local government and other community development stakeholders; engage with local advocacy efforts aligned with NFF’s broader advocacy priorities; lead conversations with partners and community members in a way that demonstrates empathy and garners understanding of their experiences and needs  

Translate community needs into opportunities 

• Conduct in-depth analyses, assessments, and community/sector research to inform Client Services work; align the learnings from community relationships with development of future opportunities for client services, such as capital structuring, lending, financial consulting. 
• Support the development of strategic opportunities in partnership with leadership from Client Services, Development, and Investor Relations departments. 

Facilitate internal collaboration and community learning across departmental staff  

• Direct and lead community engagement projects to successful completion and in a way that is relational and collaborative, such as local network/coalition strategy, internal cross-departmental community information sharing for NY and multiple other markets. 
• Share insights, trends, and community needs with internal and external stakeholders to inform Client Services work (Financing and Consulting), Development, Marketing & Communications, Advocacy, and other opportunities   
• Liaise with other NFF departments to ensure alignment around Community Engagement plans and activities 

 

Who you are:  

• You have a minimum of 9 years of professional work experience preferably in the fields of community development, nonprofit management, nonprofit community engagement, or other relevant work experience  
• You have a proven track record of leading, planning, and directing impactful community engagement strategies in the nonprofit sector directly working with nonprofit and systems leadership 
• You have demonstrated success in supporting community development, nonprofit financing, or capital strategies in New York with a particular focus on human service providers, environmental sustainability, affordable housing, or charter schools 
• You are a strong listener centering on the needs of NFF’s clients and approaching partnerships with an asset-based mindset; you cultivate authentic relationships creating trust and long-term partnership 
• You are a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills; you have excellent written and verbal communication skills  
• You are a strategic thinker; you combine strategy and innovation to successfully design and implement processes, systems and policies that support the organization's overall vision and growth 
• You are able to solve problems and think creatively; you demonstrate capacity to provide pragmatic solutions and have the drive and leadership to implement ideas through to successful conclusion  
• You enjoy collaborating with diverse team members who are working together to re-envision how we combine investments and financial expertise to drive change in communities 
• You embody NFF’s mission, core values and commitment to equity 

 

Compensation: 

At NFF, we are invested in discussing the depth and breadth of each candidate’s background and experience during the interview process and using that information to determine the best offer while considering internal pay equity. The salary range for this position is $140,000 - $145,000. If provided an offer, NFF will determine salary compensation based on relevant skills and years of experience. NFF also takes into consideration internal equity in setting salary bands for each role. NFF provides an attractive benefits package that currently includes up to 18 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays, unlimited vacation time off, health insurance with NFF funded health reimbursement account on medical plan, and employer contributions toward retirement plan. In addition, NFF provides flexibility to work remotely and access to a “work from home” fund, and flexible spending accounts including medical, commuter, and childcare benefits. 

 

Please Note: 

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We do not currently sponsor for immigration or work permit applications. 

All salaries are commensurate with experience and include an attractive benefits package. 

Nonprofit Finance Fund is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in its workforce. We encourage candidates that will help us live out this commitment to apply. 

NFF is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or military or veteran status in accordance with federal law. In addition, NFF complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which it maintains facilities. NFF also provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable laws. If you require assistance and/or accommodation to use our online tools to search and/or apply for jobs, please contact [email protected]. We would be happy to work with you. 

This job posting provides a general list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required for this position. It does not represent a contract for employment and NFF reserves the right to change the description and/or posting at any time without notice. 

When applying, please DO NOT include any of the following information with your job application: Social Security number; driver's license number or state-issued identification card number; financial account number, or credit or debit card number.