Director of Economic Development
Salary Range $110,000 to $130,000
OUR STORY
Since opening our doors in 1965, MAAC has focused on helping individuals and families create the lives they want and deserve. For more than five decades, MAAC has been a champion for underrepresented communities throughout San Diego County, providing families in need with resources to achieve self-sufficiency and improve their living conditions. While the organization first began in the southern region of San Diego, MAAC now operates 35 sites across the county, from San Ysidro to Fallbrook. With an annual operating budget of $46 million, MAAC employs nearly 600 staff who provide life-changing services to 70,000 individuals annually through programs in five core focus areas: Education, Economic Development, Health & Wellbeing, Housing, and Advocacy & Leadership Development. Through our wide array of programs, MAAC has grown to become one of the largest nonprofit social service organizations in the community. For more information, please visit: http://www.maacproject.org/
Working under the guidance of the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Economic Development will further define and develop the infrastructure and systems to support MAAC’s goals around economic development. Specifically, the Director will develop opportunities for increasing and strengthening pathways towards economic mobility individuals receiving services through MAAC’s network of human services programs.
The Director of Economic Development will serve as a key member of MAAC’s leadership team, providing expertise in the evaluation of economic and labor market trends, as well as innovations pertaining to workforce development and asset-building programming. They will lead grant and revenue development opportunities, and partner with other organizations as required to best position MAAC for funding.
Key strategic priorities include:
- Place the people and communities we serve at the heart of our economic development efforts.
- Market and promote MAAC as a strategic partner to deepen and scale impact.
- Ensure MAAC is viewed as a key player in high-level conversations around the County pertaining to workforce development, homeownership, overall access to economic opportunity, and inclusive economic recovery.
The ideal candidate will have a deep passion for expanding access to economic opportunity, financial self-sufficiency and community development. They will possess a strong work ethic, enjoy dynamic problem-solving, operate with a mission-first mindset, and exhibit a track record of cultivating meaningful and productive relationships with diverse partners. MAAC seeks a Director who will inspire others to exceed organizational goals, while constantly working to better understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities for the communities we serve.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Management
- Directs multiple publicly and privately funded programs including but not limited to a clean vehicle financing and adoption program, zero interest social loan program, early childhood education pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship program, career pathways programs, and utilities assistance programs.
- Responsible for creating, managing, and monitoring the budget, ensuring all spend goals are met.
- Develop and monitor systems, processes, and procedures to ensure compliance with rules, regulations, and grant requirements.
- Train staff on grant requirements, reporting, and operations.
- Lead with a hands-on and highly supportive approach.
Fundraising and Revenue Development:
- Launch creative and innovative programs that support existing fundraising efforts.
- Identify new revenue streams, steward existing funders, and engage with prospective funders.
- Apply for grants, solicit foundations and respond to requests for proposals (RFPs).
- Partner with other nonprofit organizations to pursue funding opportunities where appropriate.
Strategy and Culture
- Serve as an ambassador of the organization, working to enhance and elevate MAAC’s profile.
- Engage and connect with the team and stakeholders to understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities for the communities we serve.
- Build out MAAC’s economic development department, which currently includes twenty-four staff members and a yearly budget in excess of $1.5 million.
- Further develop and elevate MAAC’s existing programming, including Next Level Parent and Youth, Electric Vehicle Access, Lending Circles, and Energy and Water Assistance Programs.
- Craft and implement strategies to market and scale programs to meet goals.
- Instill a culture of workforce development and economic empowerment by ensuring economic development programs are tightly integrated across MAAC’s organizational structure and programming at every level.
- Ensure all MAAC team members, board members, volunteers and supporters understand the organization’s economic development initiatives and assist in promoting them however appropriate.
- Make presentations to civic leaders, businesses, community groups, program participants, local governmental officials and the media.
Operations & Administration
- Assist in staffing meetings and committees; prepare collateral and marketing materials.
- Coordinate activities with other departments and agencies.
- Prepare and make regular reports to MAAC senior leadership and Board on progress towards the organization’s economic development goals.
- Participate in MAAC’s annual budget process.
- Continually monitor program outcomes to ensure quality services.
- Supervise and motivate staff, including coaching, mentoring and professional development.
- Participate in special projects and perform additional tasks assigned.
ATTRIBUTES & WORK STYLE
- Passionate: Driven by MAAC’s mission to maximize self-sufficiency for families and individuals; keeps the wellbeing of those MAAC serves at the heart of all programmatic efforts.
- Community-minded: Skilled at connecting with people across the community and possesses a high level of emotional intelligence.
- Team Player: Fosters a respectful, transparent, and collaborative work environment; actively participates in joint problem solving; willingly cooperates with co-workers.
- Growth Mindset: Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for personal and professional development; says “yes” to appropriate new opportunities and ideas for MAAC.
- Reflective: Skilled at receiving and giving feedback and performance critiques.
- Metrics-Driven: An innovative thinker, pairing ideas with solutions and measurable outcomes; leads with a focus on continuous learning and improvement.
- Tact & Diplomacy: Patient, and willing/able to have the difficult conversations as required.
- Meticulous: Superior attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
- Agile: Ability to adjust to changes and to work effectively in a fast-paced office environment; initiate action and work independently, as well as part of a team.
- Communicative: Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Analytical: Ability to carefully study issues, identify trends and formulate new ideas.
- Reliable: Punctual and consistent; arrives to meetings prepared and on time; honors work commitments; follows through on what was agreed upon; meets deadlines.
- Business Savvy: Exceptional mind for optimizing workflow and managing people, systems, procedures, and programs.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
- Minimum 5 years of work experience required; preferably in the fields of workforce development, social services, public policy, or community organizing/engagement.
- Experience working with special populations, diverse communities, and those with high barriers to economic mobility.
- Track record of managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, adjusting to shifting priorities, and demonstrating confidence when working with diverse stakeholders, including nonprofit, public sector, corporate, faith-based, and philanthropic stakeholders.
- Existing relationships with community-based organizations in San Diego County preferred.
- Working knowledge of resources, programs, and systems currently in place to provide financial capability support to economically disadvantaged individuals and communities.
- Familiarity with and sensitivity to the obstacles and barriers to education and employment faced by many individuals and communities around San Diego County.
EDUCATION & ABILITIES
- Bachelor’s Degree required or Master’s degree preferred.
- Working knowledge of systems change strategies and approaches.
- Bilingual English / Spanish is highly desirable.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to present data visually.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings/weekends and travel when required.
- Ability to read and interpret governmental statutes, regulations, and grants.
- Strong and engaging meeting/event facilitation skills preferred.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with all organizational levels within a diverse environment.
- Must be able to regularly travel throughout San Diego County as required.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint) is essential.
VALUE-BASED BEHAVIORS
Listens attentively to others. Asks clarifying questions to gain a better understanding of the other person’s views and underlying assumptions
Works effectively in a team environment and actively participates in joint problem solving; willingly cooperates with co-workers
Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for personal and professional development
Attends work consistently and punctually. Arrives to meetings prepared and on time; honors work commitments; follows through on what was agreed upon; meets deadlines
Honors the private and confidential matters of co-workers. Protects the proprietary information of MAAC systems
Follows rules, regulations, and policies; positively contributes to implementing changes
Deals with issues directly, in a respectful and timely manner. Focuses on resolving the issue while not criticizing the person. Follows rules, regulations, and policies; positively contributes to implementing changes
HEALTH STATUS
Must have a physical examination, TB clearance and a drug screen by a doctor/clinic designated by MAAC as well as immunization records for influenza*, pertussis and measles as required by state and federal regulations prior to the first day of employment.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS
The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this class, an employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit, talk or hear both in person and by telephone, uses hands to finger, handle or feel objects or controls, reach with hands and arms. An employee also is regularly required to stoop, kneel, bend, crouch or crawl, climb or balance and lift up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.
Mental Demands
While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret information; analyze and solve problems; observe and interpret people and situations; use basic math; learn and apply new information or skills; work under intensive deadlines and interact with MAAC management, administrators, staff, teachers, parents, family members, children and others encountered in the course of work.
BACKGROUND CLEARANCE
All positions are subject to a background/education check, DMV check, NSOR, exclusion and debarment checks prior to hire and periodically throughout employment as required by various funding sources.
Note: California Start law requires background criminal checks on anyone who works in a licensed childcare facility who is not a client. Must have or obtain a current criminal background check clearance, signed criminal record statement, and signed Acknowledgement to Report Child Abuse form prior to the first day of employment.
TRANSPORTATION
Must have and maintain a valid California Driver’s License, daily use of a personal, insured vehicle, and have and maintain a motor vehicle driving record acceptable to MAAC’s insurance carrier. Incumbents will be enrolled in the California DMV Pull Program.