CEO, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC)

About Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation

Established in 1979, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (“DBEDC”) acts to build a strong, thriving, and diverse community in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhoods. Working closely with neighborhoods, residents, businesses, and partners, DBEDC accesses resources to:

• Develop affordable across income levels;
• Create and sustain economic development opportunities for businesses and individuals; and
• Build community through organizing, civic engagement, and leadership development.

Real Estate Development

DBEDC develops housing and commercial projects that are important to the community and clearly respond to community needs. To date, DBEDC has built or preserved over 1,114 units of housing and over 160,000 square feet of commercial space. Click here for a map of DBEDC’s real estate portfolio.

Economic Development

Economic development takes many shapes and forms, and DBEDC is active in a number of important disciplines and initiatives focused upon job creation, wealth creation, and economic growth, including:

• Access to Capital
• Small Business Technical Assistance
• Reentry Program
• Workforce Development Program

Community Engagement

Since its inception, DBEDC has engaged more than 3,100 residents and families through resident initiatives, youth and seniors programming, public policy advocacy, summer camp, and technology classes.

Based in the Uphams Corner, DBEDC has a staff of thirty, total assets of $229 million, and an annual operating budget of approximately $5,500,000, exclusive of rental property operations. DBEDC is overseen by a highly engaged 16-member Board of Directors comprised of community representatives and local business leaders. Since 2015, DBEDC has been led by its CEO, Perry Newman, who will retire from his position effective June 30, 2022.

Opportunity Going Forward

The CEO will have the opportunity to lead a prominent, long-standing, well-respected, sizable, and innovative economic development corporation which has had tremendous impact on its Dorchester community and the City of Boston since 1979. Situated in vibrant Uphams Corner, priorities for the CEO include:

• Capitalizing on DBEDC’s significant financial strength and solid reputation as a premier CDC in Greater Boston to expand its real estate development and program opportunities independently or in partnership with others.
• Creating strong connections to the new City government and leaders to ensure that DBEDC’s perspective is heard, so the organization is well-positioned to advocate proactively on behalf of its constituents and to secure ARPA-related funds for projects.
• Developing and delivering on a comprehensive vision and strategy aligned with DBEDC’s mission and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
• Enhancing DBEDC’s connections with and profile within the community by serving as a tireless and visible champion of the community and its residents locally, City-wide, and throughout the Commonwealth.
• Expanding DBEDC’s role as an advocate for affordable housing and economic development and more proactively engaging its constituents as advocates.
• Leading, empowering, and mentoring a collaborative team of highly skilled, experienced mission-driven professionals enthusiastic and passionate about their community and work.
• Improving internal communications to expand cross-department awareness, support, and collaboration.
• Refining standard business practices to increase productivity, transparency, and accountability.
• Enhancing DBEDC’s marketing, public relations, and external communications to increase its name recognition and position it as a premier Boston-based CDC fully committed to equity and inclusion.

Desired Credentials/Profile of the Ideal Candidate

• A minimum of seven years of senior leadership, or equivalent experience, preferably at a nonprofit of comparable size and scale.
• Knowledge of and passion for community development, real estate, economic development and/or community engagement and advocacy.
• Lived experience in or professional affiliation with the DBEDC community or a similar urban community would be advantageous.
• Understanding of the political dynamics aligned with the sector and real estate development

Skills and Experience

Visionary and Strategic Leader

• Agile and proactive strategic thinker and risk taker able to develop and deliver on a comprehensive vision and strategy for a complex community and economic development corporation.
• Adept at identifying opportunities in a rapidly changing climate and positioning DBEDC to adapt to the ever-evolving landscape.
• Able to understand and articulate the interconnectedness and value to the mission and vision of all of DBEDC’s real estate development activities and resident services.
• Charismatic and driven leader who can motivate the community, staff, board, and collaborators to achieve noteworthy results.
• Skilled at considering and evaluating creative development and programmatic initiatives.
• Driven by results, with a proven ability to establish and achieve goals aligned with strategy.
• Highly accountable and willing to hold others accountable to consistently high expectations.

Community Champion Committed to Equity and Inclusion

• Determined and visible champion of the DBEDC community and its residents.
• Supportive, respectful, and nurturing community represent who has an innate sense of the community’s advantages and challenges.
• Willing to challenge the status quo and advocate for meaningful change to benefit the community.
• Well-positioned to understand, speak and advocate on behalf of the community because of lived or professional experience aligned with the DBEDC community.
• Passionate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and able to bring an informed lens to DBEDC’s DEI work because of prior training, experience, and implementation of best practices.
• Past experience living or working in an urban community akin to Upham’s Corner would be ideal.

Consummate Communicator, Networker, and Relationship Builder

• Confident external representative and public spokesperson with the ability to understand and engage the communities served by DBEDC.
• Eager, outgoing, informed, and visible leader committed to ensuring that DBEDC is at the table (particularly with the City of Boston) and willing to take a leading public role in the affordable housing sector.
• Energetic and culturally competent networker who is able to create, nurture, and sustain collaborative partnerships and co-lead joint ventures across diverse groups.
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills to represent and advocate on behalf of DBEDC and its constituents.
• Ability to bring established personal and professional connections with the City and the community would be ideal.

Experienced Business Manager with Real Estate Familiarity

• Strong understanding of business management best practices with the ability to enhance DBEDC’s standard operating procedures.
• Knowledge and experience with leveraging affordable housing as part of a bigger economic development strategy.
• Real estate development and management enthusiast with the ability to grasp and communicate the intricacies of residential and commercial real estate projects.
• Able to grasp and inform the financial complexities, risk management and tolerance, competitive and political landscape, and legal obligations associated with real estate deals in the City of Boston and the Commonwealth.
• Able to secure and leverage the public and private resources needed to advance DBEDC initiatives, particularly its lending programs.

Empowering and Decisive Leader of People and Culture

• Able to maximize and empower the contributions of committed staff members, placing trust in their competence.
• An emotionally intelligent and culturally competent leader who can develop and model a team culture built on respect, inclusion, and tolerance.
• Able to hold self and all to equally consistent high levels of accountability.
• Strong people skills with the ability to connect with each staff member while creating a collaborative team environment.
• Supportive, empathetic, respectful, and mentoring leader committed to each staff member’s professional development.
• An active listener with the ability to learn and consider before taking action, but also equally comfortable making the ultimate decision.

Compensation and Benefits:

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a starting salary range of $190,000 to $240,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. DBEDC also offers a comprehensive and generous benefits package.