Development Financing and Compliance Fellow

Background: This is a full-time, 9-month contract. The fellow will be introduced to various institutional sources of funding, including government, foundation, and corporate entities, and participate in building and strengthening those relationships. This fellow will help develop compliance systems for various federal, state, and local government funding programs while learning about institutional financing opportunities. Following the fellowship, they would be a ready asset to any affordable housing development team. 

The key goals of this fellowship are: 

• Research new sources of institutional funding for affordable housing (i.e. New Market Tax Credit, HOME, congressionally directed spending, and other city, state, and federal sources) 
• Identify all compliance requirements of existing and future funding sources and contribute to the development of compliance systems and procedures.   
• Manage assigned compliance activities effectively. 

Upon completion of this fellowship, the fellow will be well-situated to continue working in community and economic development roles at various levels and within different sectors.  

Overview: Habitat for Humanity Chicago (Habitat Chicago) is a nonprofit organization that works to champion healthy neighborhoods by investing in resident priorities, supporting homeownership, and building quality homes. We believe in a world where everyone has a decent place to live, and we invite people of all backgrounds to work towards this vision together in our three focus neighborhoods of West Pullman, Greater Grand Crossing, and Austin. 

Position Summary: The Development Financing and Compliance Fellow is responsible for all pre- and post- award financial grant arrangement functions and workflow processes including budgeting, reporting, and compliance with all federal, state, and municipal government grants, and ensuring Habitat Chicago complies with all deliverables. This includes financial compliance, reporting, and monitoring of subrecipients. This role is expected to utilize a high level of organizational, communication, and critical thinking skills, in addition to independent judgment in making decisions within the realm of their responsibilities. This position will serve as the funding compliance liaison to the Leadership Team, administrators, and support staff in all areas of interpretation, performance, and fiscal responsibility, as well as liaison to the grantor/agency officer as warranted. 

Key Responsibility: Funding Management (50%)  

• Explore and advance affordable housing finance tools (e.g., tax credits, public funds, etc.), developer partnerships, and new public funding to drive growth.   
• Provide leadership in executing post-award services until funding close-out while maintaining a thorough understanding of a wide variety of grants, agencies, and government guidance documents in compliance with federal, state, and municipal funding guidelines. 
• Design and implement a comprehensive plan for funding awarded to Habitat Chicago, ensuring implementation of all proposed activities and that program outcomes are met. 
• Analyze and maintain guidance documents for program staff managing each new grant award.  
• Collaborate with and assist the Institutional Giving Manager, administrative staff, and other staff throughout the grant terms to ensure legal and ethical funding implementation as well as ongoing grant-related program, financial, and administrative functions. 
• Coordinate with and assist program staff to ensure the hard copy, electronic, and/or online funding reporting is timely and of high quality. 
• Assist in monitoring the timely expenditure of funds, addressing any discrepancies and concerns with grant Programs Director and Administrator. 
• Maintain close communications with the Finance and Operations Director to support financial accounting, reporting, and audit functions related to awarded grants. 
• Lead the organization in funding compliance review and site visits by external agencies.  

Key Responsibility: Compliance, Reporting, and Systems (30%) 

The Development Financing and Compliance Fellow partners with various teams to support workstreams tied to developers, public funding, and land acquisition, ensuring all tracking and compliance reporting processes are in place and meet the needs of the organization and the various private and public partners.   

• Lead design and development of regulatory tracking processes for all grants, redevelopment agreements. Ensure accurate and on-time compliance reporting.  
• Produce data and reports for internal and external monitoring and reporting. 
• Establish systems for organizing data and budget tracking. 
• Evaluate and perform necessary budget tracking and procurement inquiries in database operating system.  
• Document policies and procedures related to specific funding awards. 
• Develop funding compliance handbooks. 
• Assist Institutional Giving Manager with completing individual documents to meet funding compliance.  
• Review funding record keeping to maintain compliance with federal CFR200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, And Audit Requirements For Federal Awards) requirements and individual grant record keeping compliance.  
• Assist the Institutional Giving Manager with quarterly and annual reporting requirements. 
• Identify areas for improvement and enhancement in funding management process and provide training.  

Key Responsibility: Teamwork (10%) 

As a key Operations Team member, contribute to our organizational health through enthusiastic collaboration, leadership, and personal integrity. 

• Maintains a “team first” outlook, supporting the success of the team and the mission in attitude, ideas, and actions; lead by example and with active, creative input for growing and improving the organization. 
• Contributes enthusiastically to all organizational events, helping as necessary with set up/take down, management, networking, various tasks, etc. 
• Engages with all members of team, program participants, and core volunteers. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

• Experience working collaboratively with various groups including senior administrators, staff, faculty, government officials, and community stakeholders. 
• Self-motivated and able to work independently. 
• Excellent communication skills, including writing, grammar, and speaking. 
• Superb organizational skills and attention to detail. 
• Ability to organize and manage information from a variety of sources and formats. 
• Ability to balance multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines. 
• Commitment to problem solving, continuous improvement, curiosity and professional development.  
• Computer competence, including but not limited to Microsoft Office and database software (Salesforce or similar database CRM experience is a plus) 
• Interest in and commitment to affordable homeownership 
• Understanding and enthusiasm for Habitat for Humanity philosophy and willingness to advocate its mission. 

Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

• Knowledge of grant accounting practices. 
• Knowledge of federal, state and municipal grant processes and related requirements.  
• Experience with grant proposal submission, pre-award process and post-award administration experience.  

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in Non-profit Management, Business Administration, Accounting, Project Management, or a similar degree 
• Experience in federal grant management including procurement and subrecipient monitoring 

Successful Habitat team members share the following characteristics.  

• Mission Driven: Mission first. We center neighborhood priorities in our relationships, decisions, and actions to advance our shared goals of affordable homeownership and neighborhood health. 
• Collaboration: We are stronger together. We encourage, welcome, and integrate varied perspectives with intention. 
• Adaptability: We listen and adjust. We are curious about and responsive to change, and innovative in our solutions. 
• Trust: We do what we say we will do. We engage in relationships honestly and with integrity, holding ourselves accountable for our decisions and actions as a reliable partner/presence. 
• Equity: We promote access and opportunity. We value diversity, create inclusive spaces, and tailor efforts to prioritize practices and resources that meet unique needs, disrupting the harm of racism and other systems of oppression. 
• Respect: We listen to foster understanding. We recognize the inherent worth and value of every individual and honor the various gifts, talents, and perspectives each person brings.   

Position Details 

Reports To: People and Operations Manager 

Hours: Forty hours a week; 9am-5pm plus evening and weekends meetings as required. 

Environment: The Habitat Chicago office is located at Cermak Rd. and Carpenter St. in Chicago. It is accessible by car or by public transit. This position will have a desk, computer, and phone line in an open office environment. Office-based employees may work remotely and/or in the office, with remote work subject to entering into a remote work agreement approval by their Director. 

Conditions: Must be able to lift 25 pounds and work at a computer for long periods of time. 

Compensation: The work performed by the fellow shall not exceed the total estimated amount of $75,000 for the 9-month contract.  

Payment. Invoices shall be issued to Habitat Chicago by the fellow after the performance of work outlined in this job description, and payment shall be due 14 business days after receipt of invoices.  

Taxes. Habitat Chicago shall not be responsible for federal, state, and local taxes derived from the fellow’s net income or for the withholding and/or payment of any federal, state and local income and other payroll taxes or other legal requirements applicable to Contractor.  

To Apply: Please submit compelling cover letter and resume to careers@habitatchicago.org with “Development Financing and Compliance Fellow – Your Name” in the subject line by 5/03/2024. Successful applicants will be contacted for interviews.