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Director,PurpleLineCorridorCoalitionNationalCenterforSmartGrowth,UniversityofMaryland

POSITIONSUMMARY:TheUniversityofMaryland'sNationalCenterforSmartGrowth(NCSG)isseekingahigh-energy,equity-focused,relationship-builderandcollaborativeleadertomanageandgrowthePurpleLineCorridorCoalition(PLCC)andadvancetheimplementationoftheCommunityDevelopmentAgreementforthePurpleLineCorridor(CDA)andit’ssharedcommunitygoals.

WorkinginclosecoordinationwiththeNationalCenterforSmartGrowthDirector,thefulltimePLCCDirectorwillfacilitatethetransitionofthePLCC,nowinit’ssixthyear,fromstartupphasetofulloperation.Thepositionrequiresrapidimplementationofshort-termtasksandpersistentattentiononlong-termprioritiesamidchangingconditions,whilecontinuallyrefiningmeasurableresulttargetsandstrategieswithourpartnersonissuesrangingfromeconomicdevelopmenttohousingtoworkforcedevelopmenttotransportation.

ThispositionisfundedthroughlocalandfederalgrantsandisbasedattheUniversityofMaryland’sNationalCenterforSmartGrowth(NCSG).Theinitiallengthofthepositionistwoyearsbasedonachievingagreeduponbenchmarksofaccomplishment,withanoptionforrenewaldependentuponfundingandotherfactors.Salaryiscommensuratewithqualificationsandexperience.

ThepositionreportstotheExecutiveDirectorofNCSG(founderandsteeringgroupco-chairofPLCC),collaborateswithandmanagesasmall,growingteamofPLCCstaff,students,andconsultants,andworkscloselywithPLCC’spartnersandUniversitystaff.Appropriatebackgroundandexperienceforthepositionisbroadandvaried.Keytothepositionwillbeleadingandcoordinatingongoingdevelopmentandfundraisingwithsteeringcommitteepartnerstosecureadditionalfundingtoimplementthecoalition’sambitiousagenda.ESSENTIALDUTIESANDRESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinateandmanagetheday-to-dayoperationsofthePLCC,includingprojectmanagement,staffing,administration,communications,grantsmanagement,convenings,committeemanagement,andpartnershipbuildingandrelations,allincoordinationwithastrongcoreteamofNCSGstaff,consultants,andexperiencedgraduatestudents.

• Leadandcoordinatefundraisingandbudgeting.Preparegrantproposals,includinglargecollaborativeprojectswithpartners,asneeded.

• SupportandstaffthePLCCSteeringCommitteebyhelpingtosetstrategicagendastomeetthegoalsofPLCC.Coordinateandoverseethemanagementofvariousworkgroups,actionteams,sub-committees,andadvisorytablesofthePLCC,allofwhichwillbedirectlyco-chairedbyPLCCmembersorNCSGstaff.

• AdministerandupdateannuallythePLCCworkplan,incollaborationwithstaff,consultants,andpartners.ManagetheannualprogressreviewandreportfortheCDA.

• Facilitatecollaborationandleveragetheskills,resourcesandnetworksofcommunityandregionalpartners,includingthePLCCSteeringCommittee,toimplementtheCDA.

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• EnsurethatPLCCprovidesanequitableandinclusivemeetingplacefordifferentideasandperspectivesandhelpstostimulateinnovativecollaboration,focuscommunityinvestmentandplan“beyondthetracks”.

• Design,implement,andcoordinatewithpartners,staff,andconsultantstoplanandexecuteevents,includingregularconveningsofkeypartnersandstakeholderssuchastheannualPLCCworkshop.

• Overseethecollecting,writing,andeditingofcontenttoensurePLCC’snewsletter,socialmedia,websiteandothercollateraladvancethework,focusonpeopleandastrength-basedcommunitydevelopmentapproach,andhelptohighlightdata,toolsandresourcestoinformcommunityinvestmentandpolicydecisions.

• RepresentPLCCtoarangeofstakeholdersandinvarioussettings(meetingsandevents)andcontributetobroaderlearninglocallyandnationallythroughwritingandspeakingengagements,asappropriate.ThisincludessomelocalcommunityeveningandweekendeventsandnationaleventssuchasRailvolution.Travelisanticipatedtoinclude1-2tripsperyear.

Thisdescriptionshouldnotbeconstruedascontainingeveryfunctionorresponsibilitythatmayberequiredtobeperformedbyanincumbentinthisjob.Incumbentsarerequiredtoperformotherrelatedfunctionsasassigned.MINIMUMJOBQUALIFICATIONS:• Amaster’sdegreeincommunitydevelopment,publicpolicy,economics,planning,community

organizing,orrelatedfield.Exceptionalcandidateswith7yearsofexperiencewithoutamaster’sdegreewillbeconsideredaswell.

• Minimumfiveyearsofrelevantexperience.• Fundraisingandgrantwritingexperience,whetherlocal,regional,ornational.• Effectiveplanning,organization,andcoordinationskillspreviouslydemonstratedinleadingalarge,

complexproject.• Experiencewithandeffectivenessinworkingcollaborativelyaspartofadynamic,multi-disciplinary

team.Evidenceofbeingaself-starter,strongnetworkerandproblem-solver.

PREFERREDJOBQUALIFICATIONS:• Acommunitydevelopment,policy,orplanningbackgroundisappropriateforthisposition,butmore

generalmanagementbackgroundandexperienceisalsovalid.• Fundraisingandgrantwritingexperienceforlargeprojectsatlocalandnationallevels.• Successinitiatingormanagingsimilartypesofprograms.• Contentknowledge/expertiseinoneormoreofPLCC’sgoalareas.• Abilitytodistillcomplexissues,needs,opportunitiesandchallengesintosuccinctandcoherentproblem

statements,decisionsandstrategies.• Demonstratedcommitmenttoracialandeconomicequityandtoworkingincollaborationwithcross-

sectorpartners.• Excellentwrittenandverbalcommunicationskills,includinggroupfacilitation.

ABOUTTHEPURPLELINECORRIDORCOALITION:ThePurpleLineCorridorCoalition(PLCC)workstoleverageMaryland’slargesttransitinvestmentinthe21stcentury,thePurpleLineLightRailscheduledtoopeninlate2022,toincreaseaccesstogoodjobsandvibrantcommunities,topreserveandgrowlocalsmallbusinessesandhousingchoices,andtoensurethatthePurpleLinecreatesequitable,sustainable,andculturallyappropriatedevelopmentthatenhancesthelivabilityof

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communitiesalongthecorridor.Timely,strategicactionisessentialforsystemslevelchangetoupliftallcommunitiesalongthe16-milePurpleLinecorridor.

PLCCbelievesachievingourlong-termvisioncallsforthefollowingelementsthatcanleadustoneeded,systemicchange:

• Acollectiveimpactstrategythatworksacrosssectors,issues,andmunicipallines.• Anewsystemofcapitalflowsthatperpetuatesequitable,sustainable,andinclusivedevelopment,

capitalizesoninvestmentapproaches(e.g.,OpportunityZones),andtracksinvestmentsalongtheline.• Policychangesthatleverageexistingresourcesandtools,whilealsoputtinginplacenewtoolsthat

cancreateasupportiveenablingenvironmentfortheresultsweseek.• Acollaborativemadeupofgrassroots,community-basedgroups,high-capacityintermediarygroupsand

politicalleadersandagenciesinwhichideasandsolutionsarecreatedalongsideandvettedbycommunitymembers,butalsoinformedbypolicyleadersandtechnicalexpertssothatstrategiesarefeasibleandsustainable.

• Anecosystemofcommunity-basedorganizationsandlocalleaderswhoensurethatcommunityculture,neighborhoodamenities,housingaffordability,naturalsystemsandotherelementsthatprovideahighqualityoflifethroughoutthecorridorarestrengthened,andnoteroded.

PLCCledthecreationofPathwaystoOpportunity:ACommunityDevelopmentAgreementforthePurpleLineCorridor(CDA),signedin2017,whicharticulatesacollectivevisionforvibranteconomicandcommunitydevelopmentalongthe16-milecorridorandadvancesstrategiestoachievethatvisionthroughthecollectivepursuitofthefoursharedgoals.Apublic-private-communitycollaborativeofmorethan40organizationsthatengageshundredsofstakeholders,thePLCCisledbytheUniversityofMaryland'sNationalCenterforSmartGrowthinclosecollaborationwithlocalandregionalpartners.SinceitsestablishmentinJune2013,thePLCChasconductedextensiveplace-basedresearch,ledthecreationofthecommunitydevelopmentagreementandservedasaforumforstakeholdercollaboration.Visitwww.purplelinecorridor.orgformoreinformation.ApplyPostingclosesAugust16,2019.Interestedcandidatesshouldsubmitacoverletterandresume(limitto2-3pages)byuploadingtotheUMDjobpostingathttps://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/72068.Applicantswillbereviewedonarollingbasis.ThepositionisexpectedtobefilledbyearlySeptember.