What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director Community Development position at The Endowment?

Position Title : Director of Community Development

Location : Wilmington, NC (In Office)

Position Type : Full-Time, Permanent

Position Overview : The New Hanover Community Endowment (the Endowment) is seeking a dynamic, results-driven, and forward-thinking Director of Community Development to shape and lead our community development initiatives and drive positive and lasting community change. The Director will be responsible for overseeing and deploying the Endowment’s community development-focused strategies, thought leadership, grantmaking, partnerships, initiatives, and program development, ensuring coordination with the Endowment’s other strategic pillars in social and health equity, education, and community safety.

Reporting directly to the Vice President of Programs and Grants, the new Director of Community Development will be an experienced community development leader and relationship builder who demonstrates a commitment to community change and fostering vibrant, equitable, and sustainable communities. The Director will build and oversee a portfolio of grants and other investments, and work closely with internal functional areas, including our Community Engagement, and Research and Impact teams, and external partners to promote community and economic development and cultivate an inclusive community.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership; Grants and Programs Execution and Oversight

Provide intellectual leadership to define and refine the Endowment’s theory of investment in community development in New Hanover County.
Lead the development, implementation, and refinement of community development-focused strategies to improve the quality of life in New Hanover County by fostering social, economic, and environmental development, in alignment with the Endowment’s mission and strategic framework focused on impact and collaboration. Measure and narrow or eliminate differences in impact between the majority of citizens and marginalized persons.
Lead the development, deployment, and management of a diverse grants portfolio, encompassing small community, capacity-building, operating, strategic, project, capital, and social impact grants, promoting affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization economic development, workforce development, economic mobility and access, and building resilient communities in New Hanover County.
Collaborate with the Directors of Social & Health Equity, Education, and Community Safety to identify opportunities for cross-pillar thought leadership, grants, partnerships, and initiatives.
Identify emerging trends, key challenges, and opportunities to inform the Endowment’s grantmaking and programmatic priorities.
Stay informed on local, state, and national policy and advocacy issues relating to community development, including housing, economic development, housing finance, and transportation that affect the Endowment’s community development initiatives, or the field more broadly, and could inform the Endowment’s related strategies and grantmaking and programmatic priorities.
Leverage philanthropic tools, identify funding partners, and consider recommendations for social impact investment opportunities to magnify impact on community development.
Promote evidence-based practices and scalable models for community development, particularly those that emphasize sustainability, resilience, and inclusive growth.
Collaborate with the Vice President of Research and Impact to establish metrics for success and ensure portfolio effectiveness through data-driven insights and continuous improvement.
Manage portfolio budget effectively, ensuring transparent resource allocation to achieve desired outcomes.
Present grant and program recommendations to the Vice President of Programs and Grants, senior leadership and the Endowment’s board as needed; negotiate grant agreements; oversee the management of portfolio grants, including reviewing letters of inquiry and applications, conducting due diligence and site visits, and monitoring the status and performance of grants; contribute to the ongoing maintenance of the Endowment’s grants database, grant files, and other grant-related records; prepare briefs and impact reports focused on impact
Conduct comprehensive research and develop strategic recommendations for the Endowment’s senior leadership and board on the creation and deployment of a mission-aligned investment vehicle and impact fund, leveraging external sources of funds and organizational funds to make loans and other financial instruments that catalyze community development alongside traditional grant-making efforts, and oversee the effective implementation of same. Ability and willingness to pivot to support other pillars’ grant reviews as directed by the Vice President of Programs and Grants.
Additional duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Vice President of Programs and Grants or the President and CEO.

Cross-Sector Collaboration and Community Engagement

Serve as a key ambassador for the Endowment’s community development priorities, representing the organization in discussions with local governments, housing developers, economic development agencies, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic leaders, and potential partners.

Build and nurture strong relationships with community stakeholders, including residents, local governments, housing developers, economic development agencies, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic leaders to advance the Endowment’s community development initiatives.

Facilitate collaboration across all sectors to seek comprehensive solutions to community development challenges, including housing affordability, economic mobility, workforce development, and urban planning.

In collaboration with the Community Engagement team, work with the Endowment’s Community Advisory Council to gather input, prioritize community development needs, and ensure transparency in decision-making related to community development-related funding.

Represent the Endowment in meetings with governmental, philanthropic, business and nonprofit leaders to influence policy, funding, and support for community safety initiatives.

Team Leadership and Development

Build, lead, and inspire partners and staff dedicated to the Endowment’s community development efforts.

Help foster a collaborative, inclusive, and results-oriented culture within the Programs and Grants team.

As the community development team grows, mentor and develop team members to ensure professional growth and high performance.

Collaborate with cross-pillar and cross-functional teams to ensure that community development programs are well-integrated with the Endowment’s overall strategies and initiatives to accelerate impact.

Drive data-driven decision-making and continuously improve programs based on grant performance, evaluation findings and community feedback.

Communication and Reporting

Regularly update the Vice President of Programs and Grants and senior leadership on the status and impact of the Endowment’s community development portfolio.

Support the Endowment’s communications team in sharing the story of the Endowment’s impact on community development, including developing reports, presentations, and case studies.

Ensure that the Endowment’s community development-related messaging aligns with the organization’s brand and mission.

Qualifications

At least 10 years of experience in community development, economic development, planning, or a related field.

Proven track record of ability to lead, guide and inspire teams and individuals at all levels, leveraging influence rather than formal authority when applicable.

Strong strategic and analytical abilities to drive innovation and scale impact.

Demonstrated experience in cross-sector collaboration, including working with nonprofits, government agencies, businesses and developers, and community organizations.

Strong awareness of and respect for cultural differences and a commitment to creating inclusive and thriving communities.

Exceptional written and verbal communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to present complex information and engage diverse community members and key partners effectively.

Strong executive presence with the ability to earn trust and respect across diverse interests and points of view.

Advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., planning, housing, finance, economic development, nonprofit management), or commensurate experience in community development leadership or community development-related philanthropy.

Other Attributes

A passion for making a tangible positive impact on the New Hanover Community and a fervent desire to address disparities and create safe, resilient, thriving, and inclusive environments for everyone.

Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.

Results-driven, with a focus on achieving measurable improvements in New Hanover County.

Familiarity with the New Hanover County area and a commitment to understanding the unique challenges and opportunities in the region will be a plus.

Proven ability to navigate complex systems and drive collaboration across sectors.

To Apply

Send your cover letter and resume to careers@theendowment.org and add “Community Development Director” to the RE line. No recruiters’ fees will be paid or solicited for this position. We regret that the volume of applications will prevent us from the courtesy of individual acknowledgment. Candidates who progress in review will be contacted directly.

The New Hanover Community Endowment welcomes applications from people of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, and values having a diverse staff. Employment opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to age, color, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or any other legally protected status as established under law.

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