Assistant Program Officer

What We Do

With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America – great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families.

Strategies We Pursue

• Equip talent in underinvested communities with the skills and credentials to compete successfully for quality income and wealth opportunities.
• Invest in businesses, housing and other community infrastructure to catalyze economic, health, safety and educational mobility for individuals and communities.
• Strengthen existing alliances while building new collaborations to increase our impact on the progress of people and places.
• Develop leadership and the capacity of partners to advance our work together.
• Drive local, regional, and national policy and system changes that foster broadly shared prosperity and well-being.

Since 1979, LISC and its affiliates have invested approximately $29.7 billion in businesses, affordable housing, health, educational mobility, community and recreational facilities, public safety, employment, and other projects that help to revitalize and stabilize underinvested communities. Headquartered in New York City, LISC’s reach spans the country from East coast to West coast in 38 markets with offices extending from Buffalo to San Francisco and in 2,400 rural counties across 49 states and Puerto Rico. Visit us at www.lisc.org

BACKGROUND:

LISC is a national non-profit organization that provides financial and technical assistance to community development organizations working to improve housing and economic conditions in inner-city neighborhoods and lower income communities. LISC New Jersey works to revitalize urban neighborhoods and improve the quality of life of residents to increase life expectancy by addressing the social determinants of health. Visit us at Greater Newark | LISC Greater Newark

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

LISC New Jersey seeks a multi-skilled individual, with a passion for strengthening communities through effective and thoughtful investment, grant making, and related activities. As a key member of this team, the Assistant Program Officer will help in successfully implementing a holistic, neighborhood-driven approach to community transformation that ensures both people and places prosper. The position reports to the LISC New Jersey’s Deputy Director.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under supervision of the Deputy Director, the Assistant Program Officer will support:

 Program Delivery & Capacity Building

• Works closely with the LISC-NJ (LNJ) team, in particular, our Senior Program Officers and Program Officers, to coordinate and support the programs and activities built within LISC-NJ’s capacity-building toolkit. This, at minimum, includes the following program areas of focus: Community and Nonprofit Leadership/Organizational Capacity Building; Housing Development Training Institute for emerging real estate developers; Family- and Income-Wealth-Building; and Economic Development
• Coordinate and facilitate regular peer group meetings and professional development opportunities for the LNJ team and for the external participants, grantees & other related beneficiaries of the aforementioned capacity-building toolkit. Includes providing logistical and programmatic support and coordination to advance relevant LISC-NJ programs
• Attend meetings, develop agendas and maintain minutes for various projects and internal and external meetings
• Assist with crucial partner engagement functions, including:
  • Overseeing grant management and compliance, including creating grant agreements; reviewing and processing grant disbursements; reviewing financial and narrative reports and facilitating routine site visits
  • Administer, track, and update partner impact reports, and communication materials used to promote programming, includes drafting “mini-case studies” and stories to highlight program successes
  • Providing support to track progress on programmatic and funding milestones
  • Provide support to develop and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders in the community development sector and create linkages between community-based organizations by collecting information on partners, identifying new potential partners, and responding diligently to partner request and questions. 

Administrative and Special Projects

• Assist in various fundraising, development & communications activities, including, at minimum:
  • Supporting grant writing and reporting as needed
  • Updating and managing grants calendars. Includes maintaining funding data base/track funding opportunities via Salesforce
  • Supporting key stakeholder, fundraising and other related events
• Assist with general office administrative management functions, such as, at minimum:
  • Processing invoices, general office supply orders, various finance and accounts payable functions; and expense reports
  • Utilize web-based applications for project management, file organization, and communication with internal and external partners
  • Works with the Deputy Director to address other various administrative needs and other special projects as required by the Deputy Director
• Participate in peer-to-peer learning opportunities with other LISC markets and coordinate site visits as appropriate. Also attends professional development workshops, trainings, and other community events that align with individual and program goals.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent relevant work experience
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in a professional field, nonprofit preferred
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Strong organizational skills; efficient and detail-oriented; experienced and strong skills in oral communication
• Excellent computer skills including competency in full Microsoft Office suite
• Knowledge of community development
• Ability to collaborate with local partners and multiple teams
• Capacity to simultaneously work on multiple tasks and set priorities for a challenging workload
• Demonstrated commitment to working in the nonprofit sector
• Assist with other duties as assigned

Required Core Competencies

• Community Development: Commitment to an inclusive, racial-equitable, community-based, resident-driven model of community planning and decision-making for New Jersey neighborhoods.
• Program Implementation: Ability to develop and execute plans for community-articulated needs in partnership with stakeholders.
• Communication: Listens, speaks, and writes effectively to build meaningful relationships with team members and partners, and to convey information for the needs of the audience.
• Organization: Ability to design, apply, and maintain efficient systems for tracking time, tasks, resources, and other information.
• Detail Orientation: Ensures that information is complete and accurate. Able to deliver high-quality, accurate work.
• Relationship Building: Develops positive relationships and works well with others from diverse backgrounds.

 Preferred Competencies

• Judgement and Decision Making: Considers the costs and benefits of multiple alternatives to reach the most optimal outcome.
• Complex Problem Solving: Identifies complex problems and reviews related information and data to develop and influence options and execute follow-through.

COMPENSATION: 

LISC offers a competitive salary ($63,500 - $79,400 ; salary commensurate with experience and location)* and excellent fringe benefits. 

*Actual salaries may be based on several factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's skill set, experience, education, work location and other qualifications.

Our benefits include: 

Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage: Comprehensive health plans for you and your family's well-being; Disability Insurance: Long-term and short-term coverage for peace of mind; Retirement Savings: Secure your future with our 401(k) and 403(b) plans; Generous Holidays: Enjoy ample time off to recharge and celebrate; Vacation, PTO, and Sick Days: Take advantage of flexible time-off policies to maintain work-life balance; Tuition Assistance: Pursue your educational goals with support from our tuition assistance program; Referral Program: Earn rewards for referring qualified candidates to join our team; Professional Development Opportunities: Grow and advance in your career with access to ongoing training and development programs tailored to your goals.

LISC is an equal opportunity employer. LISC does not discriminate in employment on account of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military status or veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.

We will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.

LISC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE