North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) is accepting applications for the position of Director of Development Services. To apply, please submit your cover letter, resume, and responses to application questions to jobs at nasco.coop by Friday, July 27, 2018 . Applicants selected for interviews will be contacted by August 3, and interviews will be held remotely from August 6-12. We anticipate an early-mid September start date for this position. Questions may be directed to jobs at nasco.coop.

Position Description

The Director of Development Services provides technical and training services to support the development and expansion of housing cooperatives. The DDS will work primarily with NASCO-member co-ops which are looking to acquire, renovate, or build residential property, and provide them with analysis and guidance throughout the real estate development process in a cooperative context. The DDS will also support and promote cooperative housing development by conducting research, building relationships with key partners, and connecting co-op organizers to resources and opportunities.

The Director of Development Services will work closely with the Director of Properties to grow the NASCO Properties (NP) portfolio. NP acts as a “co-op of co-ops” to purchase residential properties and lease them in perpetuity to local partner cooperatives. The DDS will work withn co-ops looking to lease property from NP to develop their business plans and organizational  systems. The DDS will support the Director of Properties in real estate acquisition projects, lender relationships, and compliance reporting. The DDS will also support asset management functions of NP through site visits, maintenance planning, and providing technical assistance to leasing co-ops.

Along with other staff, the Director of Development Services will support NASCO’s educational programs by providing training and technical services for NASCO members and participating in NASCO Institute and other conferences and events.

NASCO staff operate under a collective management structure. The DDS will participate in shared management duties as part of the management team, including: hiring, staff evaluation, planning and budgeting, fundraising, board and committee support, and organizationaln leadership.

Duties

Co-op Development Support (30%)

• Plan and manage all co-op development programs and services of NASCO
• Provide technical assistance to housing co-ops to support their development of new properties, including:
• Feasibility analysis
• Financial and capital planning
• Governance and operations planning
• Consulting on loan applications and secure financing for closing
• Train co-op Board, Staff, and members on real estate development process and opportunities for co-op growth
• Develop, expand and broaden access to cooperatives with consideration for racial justice, economic justice and historically disenfranchised people.

Advocacy and Partnership Development (10%)

• Promote cooperatives with key stakeholders and partners
• Build relationships with potential development partners including lenders, funders, campuses/universities, and existing cooperatives
• Oversee the Kagawa Loan Fund, including communicating with investors, the trustees, and borrowers. Increase investment and lending of the Kagawa Loan Fund

Asset Management (30%)

• Develop capital replacement plans for NP-owned properties
• Provide bookkeeping and budgeting assistance for NP-owned properties
• Complete annual and quarterly compliance reporting for mortgage lenders
• Make site visits to NP co-ops and provide on-site assistance or training to co-op leaders
• Respond to general inquiries regarding NP services and partnership

Governance (5%)

• Liaise to Co-op Development Committee
• Attend NASCO Board meetings as needed
• Report to the NASCO Board of Directors on the Co-op Development Program

Management Duties (5%)

• All NASCO staff participate in the management of the organization, including hiring, evaluation of other staff, and planning
• Represent NASCO professionally to partners, members and affiliates in various forums such as conferences and events
• All NASCO staff are expected to follow all management policies decided by the staff collective and codified in the Staff Handbook, as well as all NASCO policies and decisions set by the board

Fundraising (5%)

• Create and maintain relationships with organizational funders and partners
• Coordinate grant applications
• Recruit sponsors for NASCO Institute and other programs. in coordination with the other staff

Other Program Duties (15%)

• All NASCO staff are expected to travel on a regular basis, though will not be required to travel more than one weekend per month
• All NASCO staff are expected to conduct visits to member cooperatives (currently, each staff member is responsible for visiting 12-15 co-ops per year) and to attend meetings of the family boards on request
• All NASCO staff are expected to participate in NASCO’s fundraising efforts
• All NASCO staff are expected to participate in preparation for NASCO Institute and attend NASCO Institute (Thursday to Tuesday) each year

Required Experience/Skills

• Clear commitment to the mission of NASCO, including a commitment to anti-oppression
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
• Ability to travel in order to attend Board of Director meetings, trainings for members, staff retreats, or other functions up to once per month
• Commitment to building a sustainable and socially just cooperative movement
• Familiarity with property management or community development
• Housing development experience including lender relations, affordable housing finance, proficiency in creating pro forma budgets, and general knowledge of housing law
• Previous experience in loan applications or real estate development
• Able to attend initial training and orientation in Chicago at the NASCO Main Office

Preferred Experience/Skills

• Knowledge of flat management structures and/or collectives
• Experience working with and reporting to volunteer boards
• Familiarity with group equity and/or student and/or affordable housing cooperatives
• Working remotely with co-workers, boards, and clients
• Willing to be located in Chicago at the NASCO Main Office

Location, Salary, and Benefits

The NASCO office is in Chicago, IL, and we have a preference for this position being Chicago-based.

Salary is $41,728 annually, paid on a monthly basis.

This position is not exempt from Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requirements.

Forty hours of work per week are expected, with some nights and weekends. This position includes travel responsibilities.

Benefits include paid time off (fifteen days of vacation in the first year, ten paid holidays plus the work days between Christmas and New Year's, and sick time), health insurance, reimbursement for public transit commuting and reimbursement for childcare.

NASCO is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, transgender/genderqueer/non-binary people, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Application Questions

Please attach a document with your responses to each of the following questions. (Maximum of 250 words for each question.)

1.  Why do you want to work for NASCO?
2.  What is your experience with cooperatives?
3.  Describe your experience working with volunteer boards and your familiarity with non-profit governance.
4.  What experience do you have with financial analysis and accounting?
5.  This position requires analyzing complex technical issues, and reporting on those issues to groups with varying levels of experience. What experience do you have in presenting technical financial information to audiences with and without financial expertise?
6.  What experience do you have with cooperative development? This may include organizational development, business planning, and/or managing real estate transactions.
7. What experience do you have with cooperative development education? What classes, workshops, or events have you attended on this topic, either as student or instructor?
8. Describe your experience managing large, complex, long-term projects. How do you ensure timeliness and accountability? How successful have you been with delegating tasks to coworkers?
9. Do you have any questions about the requirements of this job? For example, working at NASCO involves significant travel, on average once or twice a month, usually overnight and often sleeping in co-op common areas and in your sleeping bag.