Executive Director, Twin Cities

Nov 19

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
St. Paul, MN

Anticipated Start Date: 2/1/2025

Description

An innovative and bold leader, the Executive Director at LISC Twin Cities will lead with purpose and energy, driving impactful growth in local programs, funding, and services across the Twin Cities. This leader will be inspiring and influential, a champion for a people-first culture, placing team and community at the forefront. With a focus on collaboration and empowerment, the Executive Director will lead initiatives that positively impact thousands of individuals and families, building a legacy of transformation, inclusion, and meaningful change. Since 1988, LISC Twin Cities has been a transformative force in Minneapolis and St. Paul, driving investments and building partnerships to support the prosperity of local communities.

Their work directly impacts one out of every five residents in these cities by addressing housing, economic stability, and community development needs. Through a commitment of over $900 million in direct investments and leveraging $2.9 billion more from public and private partners, LISC Twin Cities has propelled comprehensive community development initiatives. LISC Twin Cities’ impact includes, but is not limited to: 18,275 affordable homes and apartments created or preserved, providing stable housing for thousands of families. 1.2 million square feet of new or revitalized commercial and community spaces, creating vibrant and accessible neighborhoods. 8,000 individuals who have achieved greater financial stability through partnerships with LISC’s Financial Opportunity Centers. The Twin Cities office’s dedicated efforts have resulted in a total of $2.4 billion in grants, loans, and equity investments and $5.3 billion in additional leveraged resources, all contributing to the growth and resilience of communities throughout the Twin Cities.

With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity. LISC Twin Cities works to support and protect diverse low-income neighborhoods and long-standing communities of color through effective partnerships, programming, and funding. Within a trailblazing region, LISC Twin Cities seeks to inspire the community to reimagine what could be possible when everyone invests in people and their prosperity. LISC Twin Cities offers key capacity-building programs to strengthen community development. The Developers of Color Capacity Building Initiative provides grants and essential resources to support emerging developers of color, enhancing representation and project completion. Financial Opportunity Centers partner with local organizations to deliver employment and financial coaching, helping individuals achieve financial stability. Through Creative Placemaking, LISC integrates arts and culture into community projects, fostering vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods.

The Executive Director, an entrepreneurial and dynamic self-starter, will provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and guidance for all aspects of LISC Twin Cities’ current programmatic structure. This position reports to Joe Horiye, the West Region Program Vice President and works closely, effectively, and harmoniously with other members of the LISC national management team, programs, and affiliates. This position will be responsible for expanding LISC’s role primarily in the Greater Twin Cities area. LISC Twin Cities has a strong operating base of nonprofit and private sector funding partners that includes recent partnerships with Aeon, Bush Foundation, McKnight Foundation, The Minneapolis Foundation, Project for Pride in Living, Target Foundation, and Wells Fargo. The Executive Director manages a $5 million operating budget and a talented team of eight professionals.

This position is based in LISC’s Twin Cities office located in St. Paul and provides flexibility for working remotely as needed. The position requires a strong commitment to the role of community-based non-profit organizations as agents of positive change as well as an understanding of, and appreciation for, other key public and private partners who can offer additional resources to the work of community development in the Twin Cities. Most importantly, the Executive Director builds strong, beneficial relationships throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul and facilitates greater regional engagement and alignment with LISC and raises funds and capital locally.

This leader will also recruit, manage, and collaborate closely with a diverse, skilled, and broadly representative 21-member Local Advisory Committee that provides civic leadership and strategic guidance on investments, policies, and programs while supporting resource development efforts. To be successful, this goal-oriented leader must be a strong implementer of operational and programmatic excellence who can effectively partner with colleagues on the LISC national team collaboratively, strengthen cross-team communication, increase revenue sources and philanthropic funding, and instill a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director will have the following primary responsibilities:

Leadership and Management

Lead and manage a professional staff of eight and a Local Advisory Committee (LAC) to carry out LISC’s strategy and operate its programs.
Coordinate strategic, programmatic, and annual planning/budgeting processes in collaboration with the LAC and LISC’s West Coast Program Vice President.
Implement a multi-year national and local strategic plan with oversight from the Western Region Program Vice President.
Recruit, build, manage, onboard, and engage a diverse, skilled, and broadly representative LAC membership and team.
Ensure the staffing model is fully optimized for optimal performance and efficiency.
Build and maintain positive relationships with national LISC; take part in national LISC leadership structure and meetings.
Bring visibility to local innovations and programs within the national LISC structure.
Maximize the use of national LISC resources and expertise in the Twin Cities.

Community Development and Program Activity

Manage and implement LISC Twin Cities’ signature programs, catalyze public-private partnerships to provide technical assistance, innovative programs and problem-solving.
Assist in engaging a wide variety of community partners to help bring holistic and integrated services to specific neighborhoods with local government, state agencies, other private and quasi-public financial institutions and intermediaries, advocacy groups, and community-based organizations.
Develop and implement inclusive strategies for expanding affordable housing, economic mobility, and leverage LISC’s financial resources to catalyze a pipeline of affordable housing, small business, and other real estate projects and catalytic programs.
Promote effective community development strategies to attract resources to targeted under-served populations and neighborhoods.
Identify and incorporate best practices gained from national LISC interaction into Twin Cities program designs.
Identify, increase, and implement opportunities for investment (grant, equity, debt) by LISC and its affiliates.
Ensure programs are designed and operated with intention regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, responding to the needs of the community.

Public Policy and Advocacy

Provide leadership on housing and community economic development policy issues in the Twin Cities.
Advocate on behalf of LISC and the policy networks at the local, state, and federal levels to secure the tools necessary to advance a comprehensive redevelopment strategy.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships at the highest levels of local, state, and federal government as well as in the corporate and foundation sectors.
Develop and maintain partnerships with community organizations and other advocacy groups engaged in public policy issues.

Fundraising

Strategically cultivate and steward a portfolio of existing funders, including philanthropic funders, financial institutions, corporations, and city, county, and state governments.
Identify and cultivate leadership from key corporate, foundation, and other prospective donor sectors who share an interest in affordable housing, economic mobility, lending, and community development.
Spearhead and achieve the annual multi-million-dollar fundraising goals to ensure operational sustainability and meet the outcomes for programmatic work.
Work with the Local Advisory Committee to raise sufficient funds annually to finance LISC Twin Cities’ operations, program activities, and projects.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will possess most of the following qualifications:

A passionate, enthusiastic commitment to LISC’s mission of forging resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America and advancing racial equity.
At least 10 years of senior-level experience in community development, real estate, capital development and community revitalization, and other related fields; experience in the Twin Cities is preferred.
Proven experience in shaping affordable housing and real estate projects through development or lending and growing organizational capacity.
Proven experience in relationship building and engaging directly with stakeholders in the community, including local elected officials, legislators, public agencies, social service agencies, corporate and business leaders, and key funders.
Ability to lead a local team that works closely and effectively with a national organization.
Demonstrated management experience, including staff development, financial management, and office administration, with an ability to attract and sustain philanthropic funding from individuals, corporations, and government entities.
Demonstrated ability to build successful relationships with constituents from communities of color and all socio-economic backgrounds.
Experience in empowering, building, and maintaining productive relationships with volunteer leaders comparable to a board of directors or an advisory committee.
Excellent interpersonal communication skills with an effective and persuasive ability, including strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Experience building relationships, networking, and collaborating effectively with ethnically/culturally/socio‐economically diverse populations and organizations.
Ability to work with a flexible schedule and travel as needed.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. An advanced degree would be an advantage.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

$165,000 - $190,000

How to Apply for this Job

Apply Now

About the Organization

In the Twin Cities, and across the nation, there is an increasing need for resilient, inclusive communities that offer affordable housing, access to quality education, healthcare, and pathways to economic prosperity. The ongoing shortage of safe, affordable homes, combined with limited access to job training and healthcare, continues to impact neighborhoods throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul. Post-pandemic inflation has exacerbated these challenges, leaving many families struggling to stay in their homes and maintain financial stability.

These pressures are particularly acute in historically underinvested communities, where opportunities for growth and revitalization are critical. For 45 years, LISC has supported people and places in need to achieve stability and resiliency—the very attributes everyone, and every community, requires. In 2023, LISC had another year of unparalleled support, investing $2.4 billion to catalyze opportunity in hundreds of historically underserved urban and rural communities and doubled down on their work to create affordable housing, catalyze financial opportunity, and promote climate resiliency. Working with residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America–great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families.

As America’s leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), LISC creates opportunities for people to thrive: better housing, living wage jobs, quality schools and childcare, safer recreation space, and vibrant places to shop and grow. To achieve these opportunities, LISC serves holistically as investor, capacity builder, advisor, convener, and systems innovator that pools public and private dollars to be invested in people and places. LISC offers an array of financing, consulting services, and project support across all program areas, including financial investments of grants, loans, and equity for economic revitalization projects; management and strategic services for partners; and policy and program expertise, development, and implementation.

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