Senior Associate (CityStart & Emergency Financial Empowerment)

The CFE Fund is seeking a Senior Associate to support the scaling of two portfolios, CityStart and Emergency Financial Empowerment (‘the portfolios’) to cities and counties across the country, and support model enhancement efforts. CityStart offers local governments a structured approach to identify financial empowerment goals, convene relevant stakeholders for sustainable success, develop actionable strategies, and ultimately craft a blueprint rooted in local insights and opportunities to expand access to wealth. The Emergency Financial Empowerment (EFE) initiative partners local emergency management leadership with government and other community financial empowerment resources to ensure that emergency response protocols incorporate critical personal finance preparedness and response.

The Senior Associate will report to the CFE Fund’s Principal leading these two portfolios. The Senior Associate will support all aspects of portfolio management, including providing technical assistance to grantees to successfully meet portfolio goals, developing technical assistance tools, managing consultant partnerships, and completing administrative tasks.

The ideal candidate will have experience in supporting program management and implementation, delivering training or technical assistance, and assisting with the development of structures and processes that help programs run effectively. This person must be well-organized, flexible, and enjoy working in a small, entrepreneurial organization. Success in this role requires comfort working with a variety of teams and internal disciplines, effective coordination of external partner engagements while meeting key deadlines, navigating complex organizations and processes, and working independently while also collaborating effectively. This role requires regular travel (approximately 6-8 trips per year).

Primary Responsibilities

Grantee Engagement

• Provide customized technical assistance to a roster of grantees to support local implementation, including sharing best practices, serving as a thought partner, troubleshooting emerging issues, and ensuring adherence to portfolio goals. Technical assistance is provided during site visits, on one-on-one calls, over email, and through document review.
• Produce learning community events, trainings, webinars, and materials, including developing agendas, organizing logistics, preparing speakers, and leading on-site execution for in-person events.

Portfolio Management

• Manage portfolio operations, including coordinating project timelines, ensuring program milestones are met, taking detailed meeting notes, supporting internal team collaboration, coordinating across multiple workstreams, and supporting scheduling.
• Support consultant and program partner engagement efforts, including working internally with CFE Fund colleagues on Request for Proposal development, applicant outreach and support, partner selection, contracting, and managing consultant scopes of work.
• Prepare project updates and resources for internal CFE Fund stakeholders that facilitate grant reporting and collaboration across programs.
• Other administrative tasks as needed.

Portfolio Growth and Expansion

• Contribute to strategic discussions to identify new opportunities for expanding the portfolios based on learnings and field needs
• Research emerging trends and best practices in financial empowerment, wealth equity, and disaster response and preparedness to help inform program innovations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Management, Social Work, Human Services or a related field, or at least six years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree.
• A minimum of five years of relevant work experience with program support, project management, technical assistance delivery to a range of stakeholders, including senior-level government partners and community-based organizations.
• Familiarity with financial empowerment, asset-building, anti-poverty efforts and/or community development and disaster response.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, timelines, and stakeholders, as well as experience using project management tools.
• Experience with event coordination, including both planning and day-of logistics of live and virtual conferences, trainings, or other learning community events.
• Experience with grant-funded program implementation and reporting.
• Ability to take initiative identifying opportunities to strengthen systems, solve problems, and move projects forward in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Advanced interpersonal and communications skills, with the ability to work closely with a wide range of constituents, including financial institutions, senior-level government partners, funders, internal staff, consultants, and community-based organizations.
• Excellent attention to accuracy and detail.
• Excellent written and presentation skills.

Location

NYC - Remote Possible

This is a New York City-based role, although exceptional candidates who must live elsewhere may be considered. New York City-based staff have the option of working in person from our NYC headquarters, or may elect a hybrid office/remote work schedule with office presence on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Remote employees must secure their own work environments and travel approximately monthly at the CFE Fund’s expense to NYC to meet with teammates.

Travel Required?

Yes

We offer a strong benefits package that includes medical and dental insurance, 6 weeks of paid time off plus holidays, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance and a competitive 401(k) plan with a generous employer match of 6%.