Now hiring: Community Programs and Placemaking Lead
Job Title: Community Programs and Placemaking Lead
Organization: Public Housing Community Fund
Location: 200 Broadway, New York, NY 10038
Salary: $70,000 - $75,000 annual based on skills and experience
Benefits: Competitive benefits including flexible schedule, health, dental, vision, retirement savings plan, transit, professional development and more.
Application Deadline: Monday, July 17, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. EST
Organizational Overview:
The Fund for Public Housing, Inc., d/b/a Public Housing Community Fund, was founded as a nonprofit (501c3) organization in 2016, to support the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and its residents. The Fund creates and leverages resources and relationships to enhance the opportunities and quality of life for NYCHA residents, while uplifting the importance of public housing to our city. The Fund aims to engage people and partners to build a stronger, more equitable New York City by investing in public housing communities. We invest in programs focused on leadership development, financial empowerment, community health, and workforce training for residents of the NYCHA community.
The New York City Housing Authority, the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to roughly 1 in 16 New Yorkers across over 177,000 apartments within 335 housing developments. NYCHA serves over 339,000 residents through the conventional public housing program (Section 9), over 29,000 residents at developments that have been converted to PACT/RAD, and over 92,000 families through federal rent subsidies (the Section 8 Leased Housing Program). In addition, NYCHA connects residents to opportunities in financial empowerment, business development, career advancement, and educational programs. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.
Program Overview:
The Public Housing Community Fund is seeking a skilled and dedicated Community Programs and Placemaking Lead (Lead) to join its growing team to support and manage a groundbreaking public-private partnership program. The Lead will support a Participatory Place-Based Strategy at the New York City Housing Authority's (NYCHA) Kingsborough Houses in Brooklyn. The Lead will play a critical role in overseeing and managing a team of experts, in partnership with NYCHA Asset and Capital Management Division (A&CM), restoring Exodus and Dance, a historic frieze located at Kingsborough, while also coordinating various aspects of the program, including partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and the installation of Story Walk features. This is a full time position and grant funded.
Responsibilities:
Manage the Participatory Place-Based portion of the program, ensuring its successful implementation and alignment with the project's goals.
Advising planning and implementation of the Fund’s artist-in-residence program activities.
Develop and advance program objectives, goals, and outreach plans.
Develop and monitor program budgets and schedules.
Coordinate with NYCHA Capital and partners to facilitate the Stakeholder Advisory Group, fostering collaboration and meaningful engagement with the community and public housing residents.
Coordinate activities between the local Community-Based Organization (CBO) partner, Kingsborough residents and leadership, and NYCHA, ensuring effective communication, partnership contract management, and a cohesive approach.
Manage the Story Walk Design Consultant, overseeing their work and coordinating with NYCHA and contractors during the installation of Story Walk features.
Lead the valuation and documentation of the program, capturing its impact, outcomes, and lessons learned.
Additional duties to support the Fund's mission including community engagement activities beyond this project and future programs in similar scope and size.
Background and Project Components:
The project involves the Capital Restoration of Exodus and Dance, a historic frieze at Kingsborough Houses. Extensive research and collaboration have been conducted to understand its historical significance and potential for fostering social cohesion. The restoration process includes removing the frieze, conserving it, and placing it on a newly constructed wall and public plaza in 2024. The program also includes additional capital work, such as upgrading the surrounding area, adding lighting, and affixing historical and interpretive signage.
The Participatory Place-Based Strategy aims to complement the restoration project by promoting interaction and exchange of stories among community members. The Public Housing Community Fund will engage partners and consultants with expertise in place-based strategies to guide the design of Story Walk features and other interventions. Resident and stakeholder engagement will play a crucial role in shaping these strategies through workshops and focus-group meetings.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Coursework in public or business administration, non-profit management, urban and community planning, social sciences, or related fields, or other subject areas closely related to the program are a big plus.
- Minimum of 2 years of experience managing programs and community engagement, preferably in the context of public art, art programming, artist-in-residence programs, or public housing communities.
- Familiarity with participatory approaches and community engagement practices.
- Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills including outstanding presenting skills, and the ability to write clear and concise reports, recommendations and correspondence.
- Proficiency in utilizing Microsoft Office and Google Workspace, managing Excel/Google spreadsheets, and the ability to create compelling presentation materials using PowerPoint or similar mediums and online forms using Google.
- The ability to work in person including frequent site visits, and occasional evening and weekend meetings as necessary.
The ideal candidate will have:
- Experience in facilitating effective collaborations between community experts, non-profit institutions, and developing public-private partnerships.
- Knowledge of non-profit financial systems, budgeting, reporting and understanding of grants.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
- The skills to manage multiple stakeholders and deadlines effectively and be detail oriented.
- Flexibility to accommodate a dynamic work schedule.
- An entrepreneurial spirit, be creative and a self-starter who has a passion for service to community, diversity, equity, and justice.
If you are passionate about community engagement, public art, and making a positive impact in public housing communities, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding opportunity. The Fund works closely with NYCHA, community based organizations and public housing residents. As Lead, you will be part of a small but impactful team working closely with senior leadership at the Fund and NYCHA in a fun, exciting and ever changing work environment.
How to Apply:
Please submit a resume, cover letter, and any relevant materials that showcase your experience with program management and community-based/placemaking projects to info@communityfund.nyc with the subject line: Community Programs and Placemaking Lead Application. Deadline to apply is Monday, July 17, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Interviews will be held virtually and in person on a rolling basis. The expected start date for this position is August 7, 2023.
The Fund for Public Housing, Inc., d/b/a Public Housing Community Fund, provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences.
