Manufactured Housing and Cooperative Development Center Community Organizer/TA Provider - CASA of Oregon

 

This position is classified as Exempt and Full-Time, reports to the Manufactured Housing Cooperative Development Center Director, and is a union position represented by CWA Local 7901.
 
This position is a Grade 8 and the starting salary range is $ 48,728.75 - $ 61,681.96.

 
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
CASA of Oregon is committed to the wellbeing of Oregon’s disadvantaged.  CASA’s work culture is inclusive and equitable, builds teams, works collaboratively, makes transparent and shared decisions, and cultivates staff through professional development.  CASA is most effective when working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders at local, state, and national levels. 
 
CASA is seeking a motivated, talented, and collaborative individual. While some candidates may not have all the relevant experience, candidates who are open and enthusiastic to learning on the job will be considered. Preferred candidates will have experience managing a team, acquiring and developing real estate, leading hands-on community engagement with disadvantaged populations, and conducting public advocacy campaigns. Ideal candidates will have experience working in rural communities, writing and administering grants, and leading or participating in equity and inclusion efforts. This includes tax credit projects, bond financing, affordable housing preservation, rural development, farmworker housing, and community organizing.
 
CASA of Oregon is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. CASA of Oregon also complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [include name and/or department, telephone, and e-mail address].
 
 
EQUITY OVERVIEW
By working alongside community organizations, we are able to build and renovate affordable housing and neighborhood facilities.  We provide programs and resources that increase families’ financial well-being.  We are advocates, organizers and agents for change working throughout the state of Oregon.
 
At CASA, we commit to continually examining our role in both perpetuating and combating institutional racism because we recognize that the communities we partner with face many societal inequities. We recognize the history and ongoing impacts of racism in our country, state and institutions.
 
We celebrate the identities of all involved with CASA, past and present. We are an organization that strives to respect the race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, size, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, criminal background, religious background, marital status, military status, strengths and differences of all people.
 
We acknowledge that we will always have room to grow as an organization and as individuals in our understanding of racism and oppression, and commit ourselves to ongoing alignment of our policies and practices to advance racial equity, inclusion and freedom of expression.
 
As organizers, advocates and development consultants, racial equity and inclusion should manifest at all levels of our programs. Through collaboration, we strive to build hope, homes, and financial health to both heal and strengthen our communities.
 

POSITION OVERVIEW
The principal tasks of the MHCDC Organizer and Technical Assistance Manager are to organize the tenants of manufactured housing communities, to train them to operate a business (resident- owned cooperative) and to help residents understand the responsibilities and duties required to own and operate their community. In addition, this position will also help work with the Manufactured Housing team to coordinate all post-purchase activities in the manufactured housing communities that CASA assists and will help ensure that each resident-owned community in their portfolio receives timely and appropriate technical assistance, as well as provide guidance to the cooperatives in compliance issues. This position requires extensive travel throughout the state to meetings both during the day and evenings and in addition requires a valid Driver’s License as well as access to reliable transportation.


 RESPONSIBILITES

• Work with members of the MHCDC team to convert communities to cooperative resident ownership.
• Introduce residents to the idea of cooperative resident ownership.
• Identify leaders within the community.
• Provide direct support to residents in forming a non-profit cooperative and cooperative development, including:
  • Electing an interim board of directors
  • Forming various park committees
  • In cooperation with committees, board members and legal counsel, facilitate the production of interim and permanent bylaws, community rules, membership agreements, space leases and other corporate documents
  • Developing and conducting resident surveys
• Assist the board of directors in the selection of an attorney, Property Management Company and other service providers.
• Provide training and support to board in their governance role including, but not limited to, parliamentary procedure, working with outside vendors, financial analysis and monitoring, developing policies and procedures, forming and using committees, resolving inter-community conflict, capital improvement and funding plan, effective communications, legal and regulatory compliance, bylaws and community rule development and contract negotiations.
• Provide training to members in areas such as creating a shared vision for the community, members’ rights and responsibilities and corporate structure.
• Collaborate with national partners to develop strategies and share lessons learned.
• Develop or adapt the education curriculum, and supporting handouts for cooperative members, non-members and the board of directors.
• In coordination with Communications Manager, prepare marketing materials and press releases
• Provide direct, ongoing support to the Cooperative, post-purchase, including:
  • Assist in the election of a permanent board of directors.
  • Deliver management and operations training for the board of directors.
  • Periodic evaluations of Cooperative operations.
• Provide appropriate training and direction to the cooperative’s property management company.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Facilitates and manages ongoing board member leadership development and training by attending monthly cooperative board meetings.
• Oversees asset management of the cooperative through monitoring compliance with lender requirements, financing documents, regulatory agreements and other sources of financial, statutory and regulatory reporting requirements, including submittal of compliance reporting to investors, lenders, monitoring agencies and other stakeholders.
• Liaises with the cooperative attorney to ensure cooperative adherence to Oregon nonprofit cooperative law.
• Assists cooperative board members with annual renewals and business requirements including taxes, insurance, and state business registration.
• Works closely with cooperative board members and the property manager in the creation of annual operating budgets and short and long-term capital improvement plans, the use of replacement reserves and facilitates the reserve fund transfer requests.
• Other duties as assigned

 
QUALIFICATIONS
Education: AA or BA/BS in communications, sociology, social work, and community organizing or related field preferred. Experience in community building and organizing may be substituted for education.
 
Experience: Three years demonstrated success in community building and resident organizing required. Knowledge of cooperative formations and functions preferred.

• Is a team player who can work with other members of the department to successfully convert manufactured parks to resident ownership
• A demonstrated capacity to work independently and perform complex tasks with minimal supervision.
• Strong people skills and emotional intelligence
• Demonstrated communication, consensus-building, facilitation and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated success in creative problem-solving with small and large groups.
• Experience in developing and delivering a comprehensive education program.
• Ability to develop timelines, goals and benchmarks.
• Ability to develop tools in order to assess, monitor and measure success, including the dissemination and application of lessons learned.
• Ability to write clearly and concisely.
• Ability to work with diverse groups of residents, as well as town and state officials, attorneys, engineers, and other professionals.
• Working understanding of budgeting and real estate financing.
• Knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Excel as well as Google Workspace.
• Comfortable speaking in front of large groups.
• Calm demeanor; able to think on one’s feet and perform under pressure during difficult interpersonal conflict.
• Plans ahead, able to complete tasks and meet tight deadlines.
• Attention to detail.
• Able to understand and manage multiple complex tasks, including adaptation of training materials as necessary.
• Works collaboratively & professionally, self-motivated, flexible, enthusiastic.
• A commitment to working in a bicultural/bilingual environment.
• Strong preference for bilingual Spanish/English language fluency.
• Have a valid driver’s license and access to appropriate transportation.  This position will require regular and frequent travel to resident-owned communities across the state and will regularly require weeknight and weekend work.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

• Work is in an indoor, office setting and driving to sites at manufactured home parks and meeting areas throughout the state.  (During COVID 19, the work shall be at home until it is safe to return to normal office work).
• This position requires extensive travel both in state and to trainings out of state including day and evening work.  This position requires a valid Driver’s License and access to reliable transportation. (During COVID 19, this travel will be limited until it is safe for normal travel to occur, however in extreme cases travel to a park may be necessary during COVID.).

• Ability to: stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl;
• Lift, carry, and place items of up to 25 pounds;
• Maintain sustained concentration on computer screens;
• Use keyboards and a variety of computer peripherals;
• Must be able to drive both day and night and travel to rural areas.