Program Coordinator

The Amherst Community Land Trust (ACLT) seeks its first employee to help support and lead its presently all volunteer labor force.

The Amherst Community Land Trust is a volunteer-run non-profit, providing opportunities for low- and moderate-income people to secure affordable housing, and stabilizing neighborhoods through year-round, owner-occupied home ownership in a small town dominated by a major University. As the size of ACLT's homeowner community has grown to include 7 homes in our first 10 years, we now are ready to engage a staff member who can provide focused attention to our homeowners, provide support to our board and volunteer committees, and help us realize ACLT's potential for growth.

What we are looking for

• Commitment to increasing affordable homeownership in Amherst, by working collaboratively with a team of experienced, highly skilled volunteers and board members to build organizational capacity and alliances.
• Community building experience and ability to bridge diverse cultures while helping to grow an anti-racist affordable homeownership organization.
• Ability to see both the big picture and the details, to think strategically and also keep track of documents and timelines, and coordinate with the board, donors, membership, and volunteers.

Essential Skills and Qualifications

We value all forms of experience including formal education, paid work experience, unpaid/volunteer experience, and life experience. The following qualifications will be essential in this position.

• Ease in communication, including speaking, listening, and writing.
• Ability to engage residents, members, and donors through a range of ways to support community building.
• Skill in following complex conversations and preparing summaries that capture key concepts and agreements.
• High level of organization; ability to maintain good records of agreements and transactions, including tracking which ones need periodic updates.
• Skill in working with board members and other volunteers to keep several work groups and projects moving forward simultaneously.

Desirable Skills and Qualifications

Candidates should have experience with some of the following, and interest in learning others under the mentorship of our Board and volunteers.

• Familiarity with property transactions, including meeting regulatory requirements for purchases supported with public funds.
• Fundraising, including grant writing and stewardship of donor base.
• Communications and marketing, including content development and production, using print, social media, radio and video presentations.
• Management of small business or non-profit organizations.
• Home repair and maintenance.
• Experience with anti-racist theory and practice.
• Effective outreach/demonstrated ability to engage marginalized communities and to build community.

The initial appointment will be for 20 hours per week. We expect that to grow toward full time in subsequent years. This is a flex time position, but it requires availability for board and committee meetings and community events, including some evenings and weekends.

Location: The Amherst Community Land Trust serves Amherst, Massachusetts. We expect the coordinator to live in or near Amherst where the work is located. While the Board and volunteers meet regularly online, there are several events each year that combine community building with in-person social contact. By the kindness of Equity Trust, also located in Amherst, we have space for our archive files and have occasional working meetings at their offices. Candidates must also be willing to travel around Amherst and to nearby communities for in-person meetings and gatherings.

ACLT is committed to an equitable, inclusive and supportive workplace where everyone is respected. We value having a diversity of life experiences and perspectives on our staff and board. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants who identify as people of color, working class, and/or LGBTQ+ are especially encouraged to apply.

Selection Process:

ACLT will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We plan to begin interviews with selected candidates in early February to learn more about their skills, experience, and interest and share more about the position and ACLT. Candidates invited to interviews will be asked to provide references. We expect to schedule a second interview with finalists, at which time we would discuss an initial job description and first year goals, based on the skills and interests of the individual, and the needs of projects ACLT has in motion that require time sensitive attention.