Community Real Estate Consultant

San Francisco / Oakland
September 2023

WHO WE ARE

Communities on the margins of opportunity deserve a trusted partner on their journey towards financial growth and stability. As a locally invested, collaborative partner in social justice and financial equity, Community Vision provides nonprofits, small businesses, and social enterprises with strategic investment and guidance, to deepen work, scale impact, and strengthen our communities. We know that supporting community-owned and community-governed projects creates shared prosperity and builds collective, and self-directed, economic and political power. This position will put you at the forefront of exciting organizational growth and the re-envisioning of how we carry out our work; creating greater efficiency internally and deeper impact externally. Community Vision is dedicated to anti-racist practices and to building an anti-racist organization. This includes treating colleagues with respect, supporting the vision of the organization, and acting as ambassadors of our values.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Community Vision’s consulting and training team builds racial and economic equity and security​ of place across California by supporting and delivering community-led real estate strategies and​ related learning programs. The Real Estate Solutions department’s innovative approach provides​ customized advising, support and training (workshop and cohort programs) in two key areas —financial management and real estate consulting services — to community-based nonprofits and​ small businesses.

The Community Real Estate Consultant will support Bay Area and/or Central Valley nonprofit​ organizations and small businesses around planning and implementing their real estate projects.​ This can include guidance around establishing a project vision, leasing, buying, financing and​ fundraising, escrow and due diligence and assembling a development team when needed.​ Additionally, the consultant will participate in the delivering webinars, workshop and cohort​ learning sessions.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

  • Build trust-based, collaborative relationships with nonprofit leaders, board, staff and their communities, to develop their understanding of the real estate process and identify and implement real estate solutions for their organization
  • Support real estate projects with needs and feasibility assessments by preparing and analyzing space and location needs, financial models for program and organizational budgets and forecasting, project sources and uses, real estate pro forma and occupancy cost projections, and financing scenarios
  • Determine clients’ ability to take on debt and/or fundraise for a project and assess overall financial ability and organizational capacity to own and/or lease and manage real estate
  • Looking across market and non-market sites, support clients in identifying and analyzing sites and securing program/office space under favorable lease or ownership agreements
  • As needed, assemble development teams to deliver projects including project manager, legal counsel, architect, and general contractor. May coordinate some predevelopment activities by soliciting bids, evaluating responses and securing vendors/providers
  • Prepare and deliver written feasibility reports/analyses and summary presentations as necessary for clients. Further, prepare project summaries for external funder reports
  • Present at real estate development and financing related webinars, workshops, and cohort gatherings. Develop new offerings, tools, and resources in coordination with training staff
  • Develop professional services, resources, and funding referral networks, and navigate clients to these networks and opportunities as needed
  • Collaborate with Community Vision staff to coordinate client strategies and services
  • Pursue professional development opportunities and maintain needed job knowledge, skills, and competencies by participating in educational programs and learning networks

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Ideal qualifications

  • 4+ years of community development experience or 4+ years experience consulting with a​ basic understanding of the real estate development process
  • Experience with providing technical assistance and advising to organizational leaders that​ places a strong emphasis on a ‘trusted advisor’ approach to relationship management
  • Understanding of community and traditional financing, integrated capital strategies, and​ philanthropic fundraising is a plus
  • Ability to design and explain financial models (pro forma, budgets, etc.)
  • Basic understanding of nonprofit finance and organizational/management structures
  • Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines
  • Experience delivering training and group presentations. Experience developing educational​ experiences for adults is a plus
  • Understanding and ability to work with a range of nonprofit partners that reflect the diversity​ of the Bay Area, Central and Northern California
  • Enthusiasm, entrepreneurial spirit, and a passionate commitment to work in community​ development and the nonprofit sector
  • Understanding of the issues facing and operating structure/culture of nonprofits.
  • Ability to​ work with a range of nonprofit clients that reflect the diversity of the Bay Area, Central, and​ Northern California
  • Relationships in or authentic understanding of Bay Area communities of color, low-income​ communities, and/or other disinvested communities

MORE ABOUT THE POSITION

The Community Real Estate Consultant is a full-time exempt position. This position reports to​ the Interim Co-Director of Real Estate and Training. The salary for this position is between​ $80,000 -$120,000 annually, depending on experience and if outside of the Bay Area salary will be​ adjusted based on cost of living of the region. Benefits include: 100% health insurance premium​ coverage for employees and a contribution towards dependent coverage, dental insurance, long-term disability and life insurance, transportation and cell phone subsidies, employer contributions​ towards retirement savings, three weeks’ vacation, and a commitment to work/life balance. Occasional evenings and out of area travel may be necessary. Position involves regular computer​ and telephone use plus some minimal lifting. The position can be based at either of Community​ Vision’s offices in San Francisco or Oakland. All staff are working hybrid until further notice.

Send resume and cover letter via email to jobs@communityvisionca.org. Subject line to read: Community Real Estate Consultant. Cover letters should discuss your interest in the position and in working at Community Vision.  Position is open until filled. For more information on our programs and services, please visit our website at: communityvisionca.org

Community Vision is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing applicants and employees with a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Community Vision are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations where we operate. Community Vision will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and encourages applicants with these characteristics to apply.