JOB TITLE: SPM, POLICY AND RESEARCH ESTATE PLANNING

DEPARTMENT: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

REPORTS TO: DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

FLSA: EXEMPT

SALARY RANGE: $82,080 to $95,790


About the Center

The Center for New York City Neighborhoods, Inc. (the “Center”) is a not-for-profit that promotes and protects affordable homeownership so middle- and working-class families can build strong, thriving communities. We meet the diverse needs of homeowners by offering free, high-quality housing counseling and services, coordinating a network of service providers across the city, and providing free or low-cost loans for homeownership. 

Through its work, the Center supports and expands homeownership across New York by developing programs that focus on underserved communities. We have successfully delivered over $500 million to homeowners in several state-wide interventions, in response to physical, financial, and health crises, working with both the city and state to expand protections for New Yorkers. By helping homeowners individually and systematically, the Center achieves lasting change. To date, the Center, together with its partners, has helped more than 250,000 low- and moderate-income (LMI) families with a median annual income of $46,000 keep their homes and gain financial stability, preserving over $10 billion in neighborhood property value across New York. 

Position Summary

We are looking for a Senior Program Manager for Policy and Research Estate Planning who will oversee the estate planning research portfolio at the Center. The Senior Program Manager for Policy and Research Estate Planning is an exempt position that reports to the Director of Public Affairs and could, in the future, have supervisory obligations over smaller portfolios. As such, the Senior Program Manager for Policy and Research Estate Planning will represent the Center in internal and external meetings and events as needed, to promote and advance the Center’s effort to strengthen the support systems that create affordability and prevent displacement. 

The Senior Program Manager for Policy and Research Estate Planning will also serve as the Center’s leading contributor in racial equity research topics like heirs' property, intergenerational wealth transfer, and the racial homeownership gap They will build upon the original Black Homeownership (BHP) research project addressing heirs' property issues affecting low- to moderate-income communities in New York State.. This will include:

• new research to inform the development of innovative lending products to fit the specific needs of scam victims,
• the creation of new vulnerability-measuring indices to inform targeting efforts for direct outreach, as well as 
• helping the Center identify and fill gaps in our solutions portfolio.

 Assist in writing and occasionally delivering testimony related to the Center's policy goals before the City Council, State Assembly, Senate, and other governmental bodies.

This role position will collaborate closely with the Center’s Advocacy and Public Affairs team. This team is responsible for leading our advocacy initiatives, which aim to expand access to capital, equitably increase housing supply, and provide greater support for underserved communities throughout New York City.

Essential Functions 

• Lead researcher for the Center’s work supporting intergenerational wealth building with thorough research and creation of compelling narratives that directly address heirs’ property and racial equity.
• Work with internal and external partners and experts to draw on lessons learned in BHP work to date, and outline how to build an Estate Planning Solutions Portfolio that is responsive to local needs and legislative context in other markets
• Serve as a key figure in our direct public engagement efforts to strengthen our estate planning program delivery. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Leading the planning and directing focus groups to explore barriers to estate planning and later, applying those findings toward refining future outreach efforts
  • Supporting the organizing and hosting of estate planning workshops across our service delivery area to disseminate vital program information and identify prospective clients
• Collaborate with internal partners on the creation and dissemination of a new toolkit that will help other regions heavily impacted by heirs’ property to replicate our program and advocacy solutions. 
• Support the Policy and Research team’s annual agenda, which can include short-term pilot programs and external research collaborations around the topics of affordable homeownership, consumer protection, community development, racial equity, and housing climate resiliency.
• Support information continuity by supplying the Executive and Advocacy teams with timely updates, talking points, and explainers regarding developments in the estate planning and heirs' property landscape.
• Work with the Senior Program Manager for Policy and Research and the Director of Public Affairs to set strategy for and develop the Center’s policy and research agenda and priorities, in consultation with Executive leadership and other key staff members.

• Support the Center’s data management, data retention, and advocate for good data practices at an organization-wide level. Collaborate with the Program Analysis Working Group to improve program analysis organization-wide.
• Assist in drafting and sometimes providing testimony related to the Center’s policy objectives before the City Council, State Assembly, Senate, and other government entities.
• Participate in events, conferences, and networking opportunities with colleagues and peers to stay updated on emerging trends and best practices, while also sharing key insights and lessons learned throughout the organization.
• Other tasks and duties that are reasonably related to job responsibilities. 

Skills & Qualifications

• Minimum of six years of experience in the nonprofit, public, or community development sector.
• Lived experience or professional experience working with and engaging our core constituencies, communities of color in neighborhoods across New York City. 
• Expertise in housing policy, homeownership, mortgage lending, and consumer protection.
• Passionate about promoting affordable homeownership and an equitable New York 
• Familiarity with data management and analysis tools, such as R, Python, STATA, or SQL, is required
• Written and verbal presentation skills are critical, and any applicant should amply demonstrate experience and abilities in both these areas.  
• An advanced degree in public policy, urban planning, or a relevant degree, or experience in housing policy, law, or finance is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing a team.
• Highly skilled at synthesizing progress, successes, and challenges for senior leadership as well as recommending approaches and solutions  
• Demonstrated ownership by showing initiative, acting conscientiously, and putting team results above individual accomplishments
• Demonstrated growth mindset through resilience, engaging in expansive thinking, and showing curiosity
• High level proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drive, Asana, and other standard office tools, or a willingness to become proficient within a relatively short period.
• Work collaboratively by demonstrating the ability to work in teams, exhibiting emotional intelligence, and having positive energy. 
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to work independently, motivate, and coordinate a team, possibly across departments.
• Able to multitask and work efficiently to meet diverse organizational needs.  

Essential Mental and Physical Functions:

• Regularly required to speak English clearly and hear the spoken word well.
• Regularly required to physically operate routine office equipment such as telephones, computers, etc.
• Regularly required to lift heavy equipment such as boxes, posters, etc., especially for special events.
• Frequently required to travel throughout New York and utilize public transportation.
• Regularly required to utilize near vision ability to read data and documents, including spreadsheets and reports, in printed form and on computer screens.

Work Environment

• Noise level is consistent with levels usually present in an office environment.
• Hazards present are consistent with those common to an office environment.
• Remote work may be required when public health concerns are elevated.