Cooperative Housing Specialist

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Full Time Professional Maine

Salary Range: $30.24 To $32.64 Hourly

The Cooperative Development Institute (CDI,(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).) is the Northeast's Center for cooperative business education, training, and technical assistance.

CDI is a virtually based 501(c)3 non-profit. Our employees enjoy the work and appreciate the flexibility and independence of working from home, the commitment to continuous learning and intentional organizational culture, and the interesting and varied work. Because CDI is transparent, accountable, and participatory, our staff's ideas and opinions count. We are committed to maintaining this culture.

The Cooperative Housing Specialist works in the New England Resident Owned Communities (NEROC) program. NEROC supports manufactured-home communities that are owned and governed by their residents as cooperative businesses known as ROCs (resident owned communities). When parks go up for sale NEROC helps the residents purchase them, and thereafter advises and trains residents to run the business democratically. As a result, residents keep their housing affordable and secure, have a say in decisions, and set the direction for their communities.

The focus of the work is to guide, train, and assist ROCs in Maine with the ongoing management and governance of their cooperatives. This includes helping the members of the cooperatives’ boards understand their roles and responsibilities in order to work effectively as resident-owners of a complex business. We also help co-op leaders and members foster a sense of empowerment and community spirit.

The work is extremely varied.

• Provide technical assistance to resident-owned manufactured housing communities under the business model created by ROC USA.
  
  Duties include:
  • Assist with board meetings and periodic member meetings: agenda preparation, running efficient meetings, parliamentary procedures, democratic dynamics, task management, minutes, and financial reports.
  • Train and coach boards on using the co-op’s bylaws, community rules and regulations, and business policies related to member applications, committee structures, rules enforcement, management practices, etc.
  • Help ROCs find resources they need for the business and coach on problem-solving.
• Assist ROCs with all aspects of their financial and loan compliance duties.
• Collaborate to deliver training on best practices relating to the ROC model:
  • Cooperative principles and democratic processes, and the rights, roles, and responsibilities of members and directors.
  • Communication skills and work systems.
  • Understanding financials, budgeting, and asset management/capital work.
• Take part in the organizational work of NEROC to help the program run well.
• Communicate with officials, attorneys, engineers, and other professionals about clients’ needs.
• Help clients line up resources for infrastructure and infill projects, liaise with their project managers, or on occasion provide project management.
• Do required internal and external reporting, including to CDI funders and client lenders.
• As needed, help struggling cooperatives identify problems and develop a plan of action.
• Assist with acquisition work as needed throughout Maine.
• Other tasks and special projects, as assigned.

• Flexible availability that includes days, evenings, and occasional weekends.
• Access to reliable transportation.
• Strong relational and interpersonal communication skills, and discerning judgment.
• Highly organized and self-managing.
• Ability to pay close attention to detail, plan ahead, prioritize, and meet tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to learn quickly, process a lot of information, and apply it on the job.
• Able to work well under pressure and handle difficult interpersonal conflicts skillfully.
• Works collaboratively, self-motivated, flexible, enthusiastic.
• Shows a strong commitment to the…