Posted on January 22, 2013

print

Senior Associate/Neighborhood Investment

The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), located in Washington, DC and New York City, is a nonprofit public policy and technical assistance organization. We work in partnership with federal, state and local governments and communities to shape new ideas for public policy and develop and support networks of innovators. All CSSP’s work centers on increasing the chances that vulnerable children and youth will thrive and have developmental supports, access to a quality education and other opportunities that lead to a brighter future, and on helping families experience the support and financial stability they need to rear healthy and successful children.

Job Description

The Senior Associate position will be part of a team of people working on CSSP’s Neighborhood Investment and Community Change initiatives. The incumbent will have leadership responsibilities on several efforts.

The incumbent will be responsible for day-to-day management and coordination of CSSP’s work as part of a team providing technical assistance and training support to cities funded as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods initiative. In this role, the incumbent will:

• Provide strategic advice on the design of technical assistance strategies, tools and materials
• Coordinate the development of a Community of Practice among Choice Neighborhoods sites
• Assist in the development of a resource bank of high quality technical assistance providers
• Identify and document best practices in neighborhood development and housing redevelopment, in response to priorities identified by Choice Neighborhood sites
• Prepare written materials summarizing site progress as well as other technical assistance products as needed

This position will also play a senior role in CSSP’s technical assistance to cities that are planning or implementing the Promise Neighborhoods approach, as part of CSSP’s role within the Promise Neighborhoods Institute at PolicyLink. The goal of this technical assistance is to help assure that local sites “turn the curve” on desired results for children, families and communities. The incumbent will:

• Help assess the ongoing technical assistance needs and priorities of Promise Neighborhoods initiatives, so that they can successfully implement cradle-to-college-to-career pipelines of high quality education and related health and human services
• Help coordinate a team of staff and consultants responsible for the overall technical assistance strategy for Promise Neighborhoods
• Provide strategic advice and consultation about effective solutions to sites in achieving Promise Neighborhoods results
• Coordinate the development of learning products that identify the ingredients of success and lessons learned from the Promise Neighborhoods initiative, in close partnership with sites and Promise Neighborhoods Institute partners
• Supervise the planning of a national conference and other meetings of Promise Neighborhoods communities
• Help coordinate the design and implementation of leadership training for local and federal leaders of Promise Neighborhoods initiatives

As part of this work, the incumbent will assist in developing relationships with other national, state and local organizations engaged in related technical assistance; continually help local communities assess their progress in achieving desired results; work with federal partners in the on-going development of materials, strategies and products to advance the framework of creating “neighborhoods of opportunity”; and prepare written products proposing future plans, based on what has been most effective to date.

Critical Skills and Knowledge Needed for this Position
Applicants should have a minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in implementing or managing complex change processes in communities or systems. Skills that are essential and/or particularly valuable for this position include:

• Experience in managing and/or providing technical assistance
• Strong writing skills and skills in oral presentations
• Commitment to, and experience and knowledge in, developing strategies to achieve equitable results across racial and ethnic groups
• Skills in developing partnerships and relationships among diverse stakeholders, including federal, state and local public and private agencies, national organizations
• Interest and prior experience in systems of accountability and results-based approaches for achieving results for children, families and communities
• Knowledge of some or all of the many substantive areas essential for thriving communities that support strong families and contribute to successful outcomes for children, e.g., housing, neighborhood development, education, health and social services, resident leadership and engagement and promotion of constituents’ voice, economic development, collaborative decision-making, community capacity building, and other fields.

Compensation and Benefits
Starting salary is commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits including short- and long-term disability, life insurance, health insurance, retirement benefits, generous vacation, sick, and holiday leave schedules provided. CSSP is an equal opportunity employer and strongly believe that our organization and our work benefit from the experiences and perspectives of a diverse staff.

Application Instructions

How to Apply
Qualified applicants should send resume, cover letter, salary requirements and a writing sample by January 10, 2013 to:

Denise Thompkins
CSSP
1575 Eye Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
ATT: Neighborhood Investment/Senior Associate
Denise.Thompkins@cssp.org

Position will remain open until filled.