MACED seeks project specialist
June 2010
Overview
MACED is looking for a project specialist to anchor a new office in southeast Kentucky. The project specialist will develop strong local relationships, identify potential enterprise partners and entrepreneurs, conduct enterprise assessments, engage in loan underwriting, present potential deals to staff and loan committee, and contribute to evolving strategy development and learning. MACED’s enterprise development effort aims to strengthen small businesses and nonprofit organizations that contribute to growing a stronger and more diverse economy, positively impact low-income people and promote a healthy environment.
Background
The Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) is a 34 year-old multi-strategy sustainable economic development organization that seeks to create economic alternatives that work for people and places in need throughout Central Appalachia (eastern Kentucky, southeast Ohio, southwest Virginia, northeast Tennessee and West Virginia).
MACED is a fast-paced, dynamic and growing organization with a 25-person staff that manages $17 million in total assets. The organization focuses its efforts on sustainable development and change strategies that generate economic and environmental benefits to local people and places. These strategies include: 1) providing financial capital and expertise to individuals, businesses and communities, 2) conducting research and engaging in effective communications to support good public policy, and 3) demonstrating effective community economic development efforts that make a difference. MACED has recently completed a new strategic plan that focuses on two sectors (new energy and sustainable forestry), deepens our commitment to entrepreneur and enterprise development and promotes the development of a new economic vision in Appalachia.
Enterprise Development
MACED’s enterprise development program combines two of our core strategies—investing capital and providing capacity building efforts to grow entrepreneurs and community leaders. MACED provides loan capital, technical assistance and market knowledge as key tools to help build enterprises and entrepreneurs that provide important development benefits to the region. We lend between $2 and $3 million and provide meaningful technical assistance to more than 50 entrepreneurs a year.
Our efforts are currently focused in three directions—1) developing efforts to strengthen energy efficiency and sustainable forestry related enterprises and opportunities, 2) focusing on enterprises in the community services, natural resources and cultural assets areas, and 3) refining our efforts to provide effective support to micro-entrepreneurs and enterprises. The Enterprise Development team partners closely with other MACED programs with sector expertise. The enterprise development program staff will soon anchor a new MACED office in southeast Kentucky. Our technical assistance strategies include staff- and consultant-delivered one-on-one technical assistance focused on financial systems and reporting, business planning and marketing. We also provide some classroom-based training.
Our enterprise development team is currently comprised of four full-time staff. We work closely with our portfolio support team to monitor the health of our loan fund. We are working to expand the team to six full-time staff. We currently operate from two Kentucky offices, in Berea and Paintsville.
Position Description
The duties and responsibilities of the program manager include but are not limited to the following.
Program Development
• Fully understand the enterprise development strategy and seek to apply it.
• Work with ED Team and program to develop new products and markets and expand lending opportunities in accordance with the organization’s strategic plan.
• Research program-related issues when requested.
• Capture and share learning as it emerges.
Underwriting
• Conduct initial screening and spreadsheet analysis for projects.
• Perform basic due diligence, credit analysis and credit evaluations of potential borrowers.
• Develop and present loan proposals to MACED staff and loan committee.
• Collect basic data and collateral information on current borrowers as requested.
• Collaborate with portfolio support team to ensure all closing and communications issues are met.
Marketing
• Market MACED Enterprise Development products and services throughout the area.
• Develop network of contacts in eastern Kentucky to identify development opportunities.
• Attend meetings and make presentations on MACED’s behalf to build reputation and business in region.
Technical Assistance
• Provide targeted financial and other small business technical assistance to potential and current MACED clients.
• Maintain constructive and positive working relationships with loan applicants, borrowers and their representatives.
• Help applicants locate other funding or technical assistance sources if MACED is not a good fit.
• Support delinquency assistance/collections work in conjunction with portfolio support team.
Reporting and Administration
• Participate in regular MACED ED Team staff meetings.
• Use database to track key borrower and technical assistance information.
• Perform internal and grant reporting as needed.
• Assist in proposal development and grant reporting as needed.
• Maintain professional office presence.
• Coordinate administrative functions including internal accounting, billing and communications with Berea office.
• Practice safety in all aspects of the job.
• Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications and Characteristics
• Committed to sustainable development.
• BA or BS in business, accounting or related field.
• Ability and experience generating and evaluating business financial information.
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Knowledge of the Appalachian region.
• Well-organized and attentive to detail.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Able to work successfully on a team with diverse members.
• Strong word-processing and spreadsheet skills (MS Word and Excel).
• Close vision with or without corrective lenses necessary for computer work.
• Manual dexterity needed to operate computer.
Preferred Qualifications and Characteristics
• Experience in one-on-one business training, accounting software, group facilitation, public speaking.
• Two or more years in small business finance.
• Community economic development experience.
Additional Information
The position offers a competitive salary, based on experience, plus a generous benefits package. Position will be based in Hazard, Kentucky. MACED is an equal opportunity employer.
Please e-mail your resume, three references and a cover letter specifically explaining why you are interested in working in Appalachian Kentucky and why you are a good fit for this position to ProjectSpecialist@maced.org. Application review will be on-going and continue until the position is filled. For more information about MACED visit www.maced.org.
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