Job Opportunities

Project Manager Sought

Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) seeks a Project Manager to work on affordable housing and mixed-use development projects in its Real Estate Development Department. SCC is a 40 year old nonprofit community development corporation (CDC) that strengthens the city of Somerville (MA) by producing and preserving affordable housing, and by organizing Somerville residents to give voice to community needs and priorities. The organization has a strong pipeline of development activities, including four active projects in development.

The Organization and Its Programs

SCC is a membership organization that provides leadership for sustaining Somerville as a vibrant, diverse and tolerant community. We offer services and lead community organizing that supports low- and moderate-income Somerville residents in their efforts to achieve economic sustainability and increase civic participation. SCC has adopted a three-pronged approach to creating and preserving diversity and housing affordability in Somerville:

  • Develop and preserve as many affordable units as we can.
  • Organize the community to promote policies that enhance the regulatory and funding environment for affordable housing, and
  • Create access to opportunities for our constituents through financial education, counseling and asset-building programs.

Real Estate Development at SCC

SCC currently owns and oversees the management of a total of 145 rental housing units. We have developed and sold over 100 homeownership units. Over the last three years, SCC has developed 61 units of affordable housing. We will have an additional 39 units in construction this year. SCC has also acquired a strategic site on which to develop transit oriented affordable housing over retail in Union Square.

Active projects include: Saint Polycarp Village, a multi-phased redevelopment of a church campus; 75 Cross Street, an 8 unit apartment dedicated to formerly homeless families; and Washington Street apartments, a transit oriented 40 unit affordable rental project with ground floor retail space.

With an expansion planned to the subway system that will pass through Somerville, our community faces significant development pressures. SCC is exploring a range of development financing options, in order to meet our goal of addressing this pressure by developing a significant number of affordable housing units in the next 10 years.

Our Ideal Candidate

SCC seeks an experienced and dedicated Project Manager to work on affordable rental, mixed-use, and homeownership housing development projects. Our ideal candidate will be a self-starter who can work well in a fast paced and community based environment. S/he will be assigned to specific projects.

Immediate duties are likely to include: preparation of funding applications, assisting with oversight of projects in development, overseeing marketing and lease-up of an affordable rental project, and asset management. The Project Manager may also assist in identifying new projects and performing due diligence for acquiring properties. S/he will work under supervision of the Director of Real Estate Development.

The Project Manager will be expected to:

  • Coordinate planning and development of real estate projects.
  • Identify and research potential sites for acquisition, and assist with securing site control.
  • Hire, manage and coordinate work of project architects, engineers, development consultants, attorneys, and other professionals.
  • Coordinate community planning, permitting, zoning, bidding, and contractor selection.
  • Work with SCC’s community organizing department on outreach and involvement of residents in development projects.
  • Develop and manage project budgets.
  • Prepare funding applications for predevelopment, construction and permanent financing.
  • Oversee, negotiate and coordinate project finance closings.
  • Provide project management services during the construction phase, including preparing requisitions.
  • Oversee marketing and occupancy of completed projects.
  • Assure timely close-out of projects.
  • Provide staffing support to relevant boards and committees.
  • Complete other related duties as assigned.

We seek a candidate with the following Skills and Qualifications:

  • Self-motivated and able to follow through on assignments independently.
  • Goal-oriented and skilled at prioritizing and managing multiple tasks and projects.
  • Able to work in a team and with people of varied cultures and personalities.
  • Knowledge of and interest in affordable housing development, including finance and community based development.
  • Highly organized and proficient at preparing documentation and spreadsheets.
  • Interest in transit-oriented and sustainable development.
  • Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3 years of experience in development or financing of affordable housing.
  • Master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for some of the experience required.
  • Conversational knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese or Cape Verdean Creole a plus.

The Selection Process

Please submit a resume and cover letter, including your salary requirements, to: Project Manager Selection, Somerville Community Corporation, sccprojectmanager@gmail.com. No letters or phone calls please.

Deadline for submissions is June 4, 2012. Earlier applications are encouraged. Resumes will be reviewed and acknowledged as they are received.

SCC is committed to non-discrimination and equal opportunity in employment. Applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and cultures are encouraged.


Part-Time Accountant Sought

Background:

Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) seeks a Part Time accountant. SCC is a 40 year old nonprofit community development corporation (CDC) that strengthens the city of Somerville (MA) by producing and preserving affordable housing, and by organizing Somerville residents to give voice to community needs and priorities. The organization has a strong pipeline of development activities, including four active projects in development.

The Organization and Its Programs

SCC is a membership organization that provides leadership for sustaining Somerville as a vibrant, diverse and tolerant community. We offer services and lead community organizing that supports low- and moderate-income Somerville residents in their efforts to achieve economic sustainability and increase civic participation. SCC has adopted a three-pronged approach to creating and preserving diversity and housing affordability in Somerville:

  • Develop and preserve as many affordable units as we can.
  • Organize the community to promote policies that enhance the regulatory and funding environment for affordable housing, and
  • Create access to opportunities for our constituents through financial education, counseling and asset-building programs.

The Position

The part time accountant is a new position at Somerville Community Corporation, our accounting activity has increased and we are decentralizing accounting for our rental properties. The candidate will oversee the accounting for the rental housing properties, including depreciation schedules, accrued interest and any adjusting entries for the properties. He/she will oversee the additions to and release of restricted funds for the organization. He/she will assist with other accounting related activity for our Housing Development projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Business Manager, the Accounting Assistant will:

  • Perform and oversee the consolidation of the rental property accounting.
  • Provide the Business Manager with financial reports for all rental properties quarterly and assist in the annual audit.
  • Perform monthly Bank reconciliations.
  • Maintain reports for entities for which we act as fiscal agents and be a liaison to those entities.
  • Track restricted funds received by the organization and the expenses related to these funds.
  • Assist in meeting and tracking the Debt Covenant requirements set forth by Somerville Community Corporation’s lenders.
  • Assist with audit schedules.
  • Complete other related duties as assigned.

Required Skills

  • Advanced knowledge and demonstrated experience with accounting. Knowledge of Sage MIP Accounting software a plus.
  • Knowledge of Real Estate development accounting for non-profits
  • Knowledge of Fixed Asset schedules.
  • Facility with Word, Excel database applications and internet.
  • Good written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to meet deadlines and to multi- task.
  • Self-motivated and able to follow through on assignments independently.
  • Highly organized and proficient at preparing documentation and spreadsheets.

Qualifications

  • At least five years of accounting experience, preferably including experience with non-profit organization(s).
  • Degree in accounting, business management or related filed may substitute for some work experience.

To apply:

The position is open immediately. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Interviews will begin as soon as resumes are received, and the position will be filled as soon as the right candidate is found. Please submit a resume and cover letter, including your salary requirements to: resumes@somervillecdc.org No letters or phone calls please.

SCC is committed to non-discrimination and equal opportunity in employment. Applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and cultures are encouraged.


Internships and Fellowships

Through internships and fellowships, we are able to expose interns and fellows to working in a non-profit environment. Additionally, we are able to fulfill our internal need for additional workforce resources. Interns and fellows contribute greatly to our work here at Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) by adding to the breadth and depth of what we are able to accomplish as an organization.

SCC has hosted interns from high schools and higher education institutions including Tufts University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and others. We accept interns at the graduate and undergraduate level. We have partnered with year-long fellows from the Jewish Organizing Initiative, New Sector Alliance and LISC AmeriCorps.

SCC staff members work closely with interns and fellows on well-defined projects. Recent projects have included:

  • Surveying land usage in Somerville
  • Designing and conducting the East Somerville Community Mapping Project
  • Making recommendations for establishing our IDA program
  • Studying community food security in East Somerville

Generating a property acquisition strategy as part of SCC's campaign to combat displacement of low-income people along the path of the MBTA Green Line extension.

Be sure to check out some of the work completed by SCC interns and fellows.

If you would like to apply for an internship or fellowship with us, please contact Meridith Levy, Director of Community Power & Resources, at (617) 776-5931, ext. 242 or Jeremy Wilkening, Director of Real Estate Development, at (617) 776-5931, ext. 227.