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

LISC Philadelphia is the Philadelphia chapter of LISC. LISC is a national non-profit organization, which provides financial and technical assistance to community development corporations (CDCs) engaged in neighborhood revitalization activities. LISC Philadelphia’s three community development priorities are: 1) affordable housing, 2) economic development and 3) equitable neighborhoods. As part of its theory of change, it has identified its primary roles as: capacity builder, lender/investor, convener, advisor, advocate and systems innovator. To learn more about Philadelphia LISC, please visit: www.lisc.org/philly/ 

Reporting to the Director of Housing with support from the Program Officer for Housing and the Executive Director, the Assistant Program Officer (APO) will be primarily responsible for supporting a portfolio of affordable housing projects and programs in Philadelphia, PA.  In addition, the APO will assist with other programmatic activities, including community economic development and lending, as well as administrative and organization support, such as operations, communications, and resource development. The APO and all LISC Philadelphia staff participate in cross-team collaboration to achieve LISC Philadelphia’s mission and vision in alignment with its Racial Equity Plan and Theory of Change.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with the implementation of LISC Philadelphia’s housing programs.
• Prepare and maintain Standard Operating Procedures for grants and contracts financial and programmatic management.
• Prepare requests for program actions, maintain data and files for compliance monitoring, program evaluation and reporting.
• Program administration for housing and cross-team initiatives, including but not limited to research, writing, meeting preparation, developing presentations, scheduling, and dissemination of meeting minutes.
• In collaboration with the Program Officer for Housing, help to drive and advance collaborative work models, such as the Preservation Network, including but not limited to technical assistance to working committees, research, and administrative duties.
• Support the communications and resource development activities of LISC Philadelphia.
• Coordinate with colleagues to support projects and systems level work that advance housing and community development priorities.
• Support and cultivate relationships for collaboration with core partners, community-based organizations, and other institutions.
• Participate in local and state conferences related to affordable housing and community development
• Attend housing and policy related collaboratives, such as Convergence, a multi-sector homeownership collaborative of lenders and other industry professionals.
• Assist with special projects as needed.

 Qualifications:

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in urban studies and planning, public policy, or related field is preferred, or the equivalent in professional experience.

Years of Experience

Minimum 2 years’ experience supporting programs and processes, including coordination, research, and writing, with a preference towards programs in housing and community development or a related field. Experience working in neighborhoods of opportunity preferred.

Skills and Abilities

• Keen interest in and commitment to the housing and community development mission of LISC.
• Highly motivated, solution-oriented individual who is self-directed, and able to successfully balance multiple priorities and time-bound projects/programs.
• Ability to build trust and a reputation for effectiveness and impact.

• Excellent communication, project administration, grants management and organizational skills.
• Experience building relationships, networking, and collaborating effectively with diverse populations and multi-sector housing organizations, funders and other key stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills, including use of technology and video conferencing.
• Demonstrated success developing and maintaining multiple project schedules concurrently, while introducing ways to streamline and innovate for greater efficiency and productivity.
• Demonstrated commitment to an inclusive, racial-equitable, community-based, resident-driven model of community development and decision-making.
• Demonstrated commitment to cultural sensitivity and familiarity with the racial and ethnic diversity represented in the communities that we serve in the city of Philadelphia, including but not limited to North Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, and Southwest Philadelphia.
• Ability to navigate the economic and political environments of Philadelphia and interact with a diverse range of individuals and organizations, including but not limited to, residents, community development organizations, public agencies, private developers, funders and lenders.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Excellent computer skills, including competency in full Microsoft Office Suite.
• GIS and/or Tableau (a plus).
• Experience and knowledge in government contracts management and compliance (a plus).
• Experience with, Salesforce, Form Assembly, or other technological resources to maximize efficiency and responsiveness of programming (a plus).

Compensation:

LISC provides a competitive salary ($63,500 - $79,400) commensurate with experience and location and excellent fringe benefits for this position. Travel: Limited travel may be required within the Philadelphia and/or surrounding counties. Occasional travel to work related conferences and LISC sponsored events may also be required

*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