Executive Director

Executive Director

The Providence Revolving Fund (PRF) seeks an Executive Director to lead this community based organization focused on preserving the City of Providence’s architectural heritage and stimulate community revitalization through advocacy, lending, technical assistance and development in historic areas.

About the Providence Revolving Fund

Led by a board of community members with expertise in banking, real estate development, law, historic preservation, architecture and social services, PRF works with neighborhoods and downtown advisory committees in the purchase, development and renovation of housing in low to moderate income areas and redevelopment of commercial properties. PRF is committed to historic preservation, community revitalization, and affordable housing. PRF manages a $12,000,000 historic preservation fund for neighborhood and downtown revitalization in Providence. After 35 years of service and capable leadership, the current Executive Director recently announced his retirement.

Since its inception in 1980 by the Providence Preservation Society, the Providence Revolving Fund has purchased and developed 63 buildings and has made loans for the renovation of over 470 historic properties; financing $33 million for renovations and leveraging an additional $250 million in total development. The PRF has prepared hundreds of Historic Tax Credit applications, and provided technical expertise to homeowners, builders, governmental authorities, commercial building owners, and architects.

This is an exciting opportunity for an individual to build on the success of the last 38 years, and working with the board, staff and community, strategically cultivate and create new long-term alliances, community programs and historical preservation projects, while improving and diversifying funding sources.

Position Summary

The Executive Director is accountable for the overall leadership, direction and management of the organization’s resources to accomplish key goals, further the mission and build relationships throughout the community.  Reporting to the board of trustees, this position leads a team of professionals who advocate for and support Providence’s historical preservation and community revitalization.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Leading the operations of the Providence Revolving Fund. Guiding the organization through an organizational transition, while navigating the changing political, urban redevelopment and financial changes and challenges. 
• Initiating programs to serve the community and, in conjunction with the board, developing policy and strategic initiatives to further PRF’s mission.
• Under the general direction of the board, responsible for the planning and development of opportunities identified in strategic planning and development of subsequent years’ action plans to achieve the organizations goals and objectives.
• Managing the Capital Fund, ensuring a transparent process, and developing new sources of funds to expand the capital pool and achieve the objectives of the organization.
• Leading as well as supporting the work of others to attract other investors, either in the form of financial contributions, institutional investments in the area, or partnerships which leverage the resources of other individuals or organizations.
• Recruiting, hiring, leading, developing, mentoring and motivating staff.
• Preparing the annual operating budget; securing sources of income and developing fundraising strategies to support the mission and objectives of organization.  Ensuring financial sustainability and sound financial practices.
• Identifying endangered historic properties and underserved areas for preservation and development.
• Relationship and partnership building; collaborating with public and private entities including the Providence Preservation Society, existing funding sources, city and state government, for-profit and non-profit developers, neighborhood leaders, downtown business and labor leaders and other community organizations. Work with community representatives and collaborators, both current and future, and help to enlist and sustain them as critical participants to achieve common goals.
• Managing and communicating within and outside the organization; serving as the primary external contact, chief advocate and spokesperson for PRF.

Education

The successful candidate must possess a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree.  A graduate degree/further education is preferred.

Experience

The Executive Director will have at least 10 years of progressive leadership experience that includes some combination of one or more than one of the following: community development, real estate finance, urban real estate development, and historic preservation. The Executive should have experience interacting with public-private partnerships, working with civic and/or non-profit entities, as well as a strong business and managerial background. 

They must have excellent business, financial and leadership skills, including a proven background in managing and supervising professionals in a collaborative, team-oriented work environment.  The Executive Director must have a track record of building and leveraging relationships within and among a diverse group of stakeholders in a community or business/nonprofit setting and must be able to advocate and facilitate for historic preservation and community revitalization, preferably in a challenging urban context involving an economically disadvantaged population. Knowledge or experience with a variety of incentives available for real estate development such as Historic Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, New Market Tax Credits, Tax Abatements, Tax Increment Financing, and Transfer of Development Rights is preferred.

Key Qualities

Our preferred candidate is a passionate, energetic leader and a skilled communicator who can engage others in the community and build and strengthen relationships among all stakeholders, and be more of a generalist than a specialist. Our ideal candidate possesses the following attributes:

• The ability to internalize the values of the organization and to express and represent these values in carrying forward and greatly expanding the PRF’s decades-long effort to improve the lives of Providence residents.
• Skill at programmatic entrepreneurship and openness to new approaches and opportunities.
• A strategic thinker who is innovative and able to creatively achieve desired results, with a demonstrated capacity for implementation of complex projects.
• A true collaborator and key influencer, committed to the principle that community, government and private sector leaders and their constituents are equal and accountable partners in a successful revitalization effort, and that their views and priorities must be solicited and fully taken into account.
•  A keen, analytical problem solver with political acumen and experience in strategic planning and organizational development.
• A strong relationship and network builder, with the communication and interpersonal skills suited to building and nurturing relationships with people of different perspectives and socio-economic backgrounds.  Ability to build and manage relations with strategic partners and to motivate and leverage positive change through the investment of technical and financial resources.
• Personal integrity, honesty, and respect for others as demonstrated throughout their career.