The Role
The Senior Director will lead Detroit's community development organizations, facilitating collaboration, advocacy, and resource access to enhance neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Summary Generated by Built In
About
Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD) has
partnered with Mondo Unlimited to recruit a Senior
Director of the CDO Network, a leadership role that will
help strengthen and connect Detroit’s community development organizations.
CDAD is a
membership-centered organization with more than 100 dues-paying
members. The organization advocates for public policies and
resources that support nonprofit, community-based organizations
and resident-led groups working to strengthen Detroit
neighborhoods through development, land use planning, community
organizing, and other neighborhood revitalization efforts.
CDAD plays a central
role in Detroit’s community development ecosystem, bringing
together neighborhood organizations, philanthropy, government,
and intermediaries to strengthen collaboration and advance
equitable development across the city.
CDAD Website
Strategic Initiatives
Community Development Priorities for Detroit
Strategic Initiatives
Community Development Priorities for Detroit
CDO Fund Description
Strong CDOs are essential to creating and sustaining thriving neighborhoods. However, many CDOs in Detroit face challenges in accessing funding, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources needed to maximize their impact. These organizations play a vital role in preserving affordable housing, supporting small businesses, advancing youth development, improving land use, creating public space, and advancing economic mobility for residents. Without sustained investment, their ability to drive meaningful change is at risk.
In response to this need, the CDO Fund was established to provide direct financial support, technical assistance, and capacity-building opportunities to Detroit’s CDOs. Managed by Enterprise Community Partners, the CDO Fund strengthens local organizations by equipping them with the tools and resources necessary to implement impactful programs, secure additional funding, and drive long-term community transformation.
About the Opportunity
This role sits at the center of Detroit’s community development ecosystem and will help shape collaboration, investment, and policy that impact neighborhoods across the city. The Senior Director of the CDO Network will steward a network of approximately 37 community development organizations serving neighborhoods across Detroit who are grantees of the CDO Fund. This position supports the ambitions of these organizations, fosters cross-sector collaboration and elevates their collective influence on shaping public policy, and connects CDOs to all parts of the community development ecosystem in Detroit.
This position is an excellent opportunity for a talented professional to engage in meaningful issues affecting Detroit residents. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and effective team player eager to facilitate the collective vision and goals of CDAD & Enterprise Community Partners’ teams and external partners. This position serves as an adept convener and connector across philanthropy, government, and CDO leaders. This dynamic and evolving role requires flexibility, strong facilitation and problem-solving skills, and the ability to lead complex collaborations among diverse stakeholders.
Reporting
This senior leadership position reports to CDAD’s Executive Director and works in close collaboration with CDAD’s Public Policy and Ecosystem Building staff and in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners, which administers the CDO Fund.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and facilitate a cohort of community development
organizations by convening regular meetings that foster
relationships, facilitate shared decision-making, and move
the group to collective action
- Plan and coordinate
learning opportunities for CDO Fund grantees
- Build strong
working relationships across culture, age, race, and
organization size
- Connect CDOs to
wider ecosystem-level work including CDAD’s public policy
and advocacy work, ecosystem building work, and field
building activities
- Help CDOs build and
maintain partnerships with philanthropy, intermediaries,
policymakers, elected officials, and program staff working
on issues impacting neighborhoods
- Represent CDAD in
several collaborative spaces including a table of
intermediaries providing capacity-building services to CDOs
- Design programs and
strategy with the CDAD team that supports CDOs to meet their missions
- Implement strong
collaborative processes including setting strategic meeting
agendas, maintaining a culture of accountability, and
facilitating action-oriented dialogue
- Steward and track
progress, communicating key takeaways and next steps from
convenings to inform future strategy and action
Qualifications and Preferred Requirements - Ability to work with a diverse set of stakeholders,
including community development organizations, block
clubs, CDFIs, intermediaries, academic institutions,
government officials
- At least 7 years of experience in
community development, public policy, urban planning,
community organizing, real estate development, public
health, or related fields, including experience leading
collaborative initiatives or partnerships
- Experience
with a variety of facilitation techniques to bring groups
to consensus, present complex information, and move groups
through action
- Ability to draw connections between CDO
priorities and opportunities for partnership, advocacy,
and education
- Ability to work independently with
minimal direction and as part of a team
- Proven
experience in project management and multiple project
coordination
- Knowledge of federal, state, and
municipal housing programs and land use is strongly
preferred
- Deep knowledge and ties to Detroit’s
community development ecosystem, issues impacting
neighborhoods, and nonprofit management
- Experience in
conflict resolution, equity-centered work, and
healing-centered practices
- Experience in building and
nurturing networks, coalitions, or communities of practice
that encompass a range of perspectives, cultures, and
backgrounds
- Experience growing online/offline
community through art, mobilization,
and/or organizing
- Responsive to change and committed
to learning, ensuring smooth transitions when job
descriptions or priorities shift
Salary and Benefits
Salary between $85,000–$95,000, commensurate with experience
Salary between $85,000–$95,000, commensurate with experience
CDAD staff enjoy
health, dental, vision, and life insurance with a 3% employer
retirement match
CDAD is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive organization. Our core values are equity, diversity, integrity, and respect. Candidates from all equity-seeking groups are encouraged to apply.
This posting will be open until a suitable candidate is found.
CDAD is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive organization. Our core values are equity, diversity, integrity, and respect. Candidates from all equity-seeking groups are encouraged to apply.
This posting will be open until a suitable candidate is found.
Skills Required
- At least 7 years of experience in community development, public policy, urban planning, or related fields
- Experience leading collaborative initiatives or partnerships
- Knowledge of federal, state, and municipal housing programs and land use
- Proven experience in project management and multiple project coordination
- Experience in conflict resolution and equity-centered work
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The Company
What We Do
The Non-Profit Personnel Network (NPPN) is a retained executive search firm founded in 1987, exclusively serving the national non-profit sector by recruiting and placing top-quality personnel.
