Program Officer; Education, Leadership, and Engagement

The Center for Community Progress is seeking a creative, focused, detail-oriented applicant to serve as Program Officer; Education, Leadership, and Engagement. They will join a small team of passionate thought leaders and technical experts who care deeply about racial equity and justice. Recognizing the barriers vacant and abandoned properties create to fostering equitable communities, this person will work alongside some of the nation’s top experts on topics such as land banking, alternative land use, delinquent property tax enforcement, and housing and building code enforcement.

The Program Officer will serve as a core member of the Education, Leadership, and Engagement team, supporting educational events for communities across the country struggling with vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated property challenges. Recognizing the barriers these properties create to fostering equitable communities, this individual will work alongside some of the nation’s top experts on topics such as land banking, alternative land use, delinquent property tax enforcement, and housing and building code enforcement.

This position will work closely with the Education, Leadership, and Engagement staff to support the organizations virtual and in person educational events, including but not limited to maintaining relationships with vendors and venues; coordinating with event speakers; planning event details and on-site logistics; set-up, execution, and cleanup of an event; maintaining planning calendars and adhere to deadlines; coordinating registration and communicating with event participants.

The ideal applicant for the position will have a strong eye for detail, a natural comfort working with diverse audiences, and a shared passion and deep commitment to building equitable inclusive communities that provide opportunities for all. 

Key Responsibilities

• Support the planning and execution of all Community Progress virtual and in-person events, including but not limited to: Cornerstone Webinar Series; Vacant, Abandoned, and Deteriorated Properties (VAD) Training Academy; The Vacant Property Leadership Institute; Community Revitalization Fellowship Program; national Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference; and other leadership and education events
• Lead components of events, including booking venues, managing speaker logistics, placing orders, BEO review, monitoring vendors, travel planning, restaurant reservations, monitoring registration, tracking RSVPs, answering questions, and resolving issues
• Assist the Education, Leadership, and Engagement staff with event materials including developing content, ensuring production in partnership with our communications team, and managing printing and shipping of materials (e.g. programs and talking points), all adhering to event deadlines
• Assist with researching and writing to support Education, Leadership, and Engagement programming, including best practice case studies, city and state profiles, and other publications as identified.
• Discern requirements and expectations for each event
• Assist Education, Leadership, and Engagement staff with securing BIPOC-owned vendors and speakers of color, including researching, tracking, and recommending vendors and speakers based on creativity, quality, and cost
• Develop content and host trainings for Community Progress staff and event speakers using our virtual event platforms (including but not limited to Hopin, Zoom, Results at Hand)
• Assist with the development and implementation of Education, Leadership, and Engagement’s annual program plans
• Provide additional support to Education, Leadership, and Engagement staff as needed
• Regularly engage with staff, including senior management, to shape and inform leadership and educational resources and initiatives
• Attend staff and other relevant meetings as necessary
• Domestic US travel expected approximately 5-8 times per year
• Other duties as assigned by the Vice President of Education, Leadership, and Engagement

Qualifications and Experience

• A demonstrated commitment to public and community service with an enthusiasm for Community Progress' mission and a shared commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice
• Awareness of the history of unjust policies that have contributed to disinvested communities and racial inequities, and a commitment to working collaboratively with leaders in the field to develop new policies and programs that prioritize racial and economic justice is preferred (not required)
• A passion for creating and maintaining systems that help them and their teams stay organized and on top of deadlines 
• Proven experience in event planning or event coordination and working across multiple departments to ensure a successful event
• A clear and courteous communication style when working with various audiences
• Strong writing skills
• Excellent organizational and multi-tasking abilities
• Exceptional attention to detail and working well under pressure and tight deadlines
• Strong, proactive problem-solving skills, especially when it comes to troubleshooting logistical issues and technical difficulties
• The ability to remain calm under pressure without losing a customer-service oriented attitude
• Strong interpersonal skills that embody collaboration and a team-oriented approach
• Willingness to think creatively, ask questions, and share ideas
• Willingness to travel domestically for events
• Experience working in Zoom, Asana, Hopin, Results at Hand, and Salesforce is preferred (not required)

Required Experience

• A minimum of 2-3 years of experience in the public sector (local government, state government, etc.), nonprofit sector with a focus on community development or housing, public relations, communications, political science, urban planning, or other closely related experience and a Bachelor's degree[ME1] . Candidate’s additional education may substitute for experience, and additional experience may substitute for education.

Salary, Benefits, and Location

The Center for Community Progress is offering a salary for the full-time position of Program Officer between $68,000-$75,000 annually, commensurate with experience or skillsets. Additionally, the Center for Community Progress provides an excellent and comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401k match, professional development, access to flexible spending or health savings accounts, and generous personal time off benefits.

It is the preference that this position be based near one of Community Progress’ offices in Flint, Michigan; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Georgia; or Chicago, Illinois. However, Community Progress has a strong remote work culture and, in pursuit of growing a nation-leading team of highly skilled diverse experts, will consider candidates outside these regions. We are looking for a tentative start date in December 2024.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, and one of the following:

• Brief writing sample (no more than 3-4 pages)
• Short 2 page description of an event/training/learning exchange which you played a role in organizing and executing.

. All materials must be submitted using the form on our Jobs page.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex in administration of its programs or activities, nor does it intimidate or retaliate against any individual or group because they have exercised their rights to participate in actions protected, or oppose action prohibited, by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7, or for the purpose of interfering with such rights. Community Progress’ Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is responsible for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning non-discrimination requirements implemented by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7.

If you have any questions, or believe that you have been discriminated against with respect to a Community Progress activity, you may contact Courtney Knox, CAO, at cknox@communityprogress.org or at (877) 542-4842 ext. 154. You may also visit our website for more information: https://communityprogress.org/notice-of-non-discrimination/.