Join Our Team

DU Staff 2017 and CH Staff 2016

Join Our Team

About the Community Empowerment Fund
CEF is a non-profit organization operating in Durham and Orange Counties that is working to end the racial wealth gap by supporting people experiencing homelessness or financial insecurity. We work alongside approximately 250 volunteers and 3,000 Members in their pursuit of employment, secure housing, and financial stability. We are valued by Members and partners for our ability to meet people where they are and walk alongside each individual to achieve personal goals, as well as our collaborative approach to address systemic racism and oppression which causes gaps in our local communities. We are passionate about sustaining transitions out of homelessness, and combine flexible relationship-based support with innovative matched savings accounts, referral networks, resource databases, and programs to support Members in achieving their long-term dreams. Learn more at www.communityef.org.

To discourage practices of negotiating that have historically reinforced larger systems of inequality, CEF posts the amount we are able to offer for each position. All employees have the opportunity to earn raises based on increased competencies in their positions and all employees will receive a 2% annual cost of living increase. Please do not apply to a position if the compensation listed does not meet your requirements.

In addition, CEF anonymizes all applications in order to create a more equitable hiring process. This means that the hiring committee does not know the name or contact information of candidates. CEF also redacts the names of educational institutions that candidates have attended. Internal candidates are always welcome to apply to posted positions. Their experience with CEF will not be redacted which means that hiring committee participants may be able to identify these candidates. For internal candidates, you should expect that your work or volunteer experience at CEF will be considered in the candidate evaluation process. CEF is committed to maintaining a fair and equitable hiring process for all candidates.

Open Positions:

Finance & Operations Manager

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled.

Position Overview

Working closely with CEF’s executive and board leadership the Finance & Operations Manager will oversee financial management and oversight, manage CEF’s financial coaching & Safe Savings programs, and ensure the organization is complying with all audit and legal recommendations. The Finance & Operations Manager will be responsible for leading organizational budgeting processes, the preparation of financial statements and projections, supervising financial record-keeping and accounting, oversight of CEF’s operating budget, check-writing, and payroll. The Finance & Operations Manager will have a combination of on- and off-site work; some tasks and duties will be performed in both CEF’s Chapel Hill and Durham offices, and other tasks can be completed remotely. The Finance & Operations Manager will report to the Executive Director, lead the Finance Committee, be an active member of the Resources & Financial Coaching team, and is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Position Responsibilities 

Lead CEF’s financial systems and management:

  • Lead CEF’s organizational budget and financial planning, including creating projections and calculating changes, creating program-specific budgets as needed for grants and contracts, and reporting actuals to budget on a monthly basis
  • Oversee and update CEF’s internal financial management tools to be in line with recommendations from CEF’s auditors and external accountant
  • Provide oversight for CEF’s internal accounting practices, ensuring that all income and expenses are entered correctly into Quickbooks, filed correctly both electronically and in paper files, and that monthly reconciliations are completed–this includes being responsible for ensuring that payments are processed in a timely manner
  • Manage CEF’s Safe Savings program including ensuring that deposits and withdrawals are processed in a timely fashion, auto-save transactions are processed, and volunteer Advocates understand the program and how to support interested Members
  • Manage payroll processing, including correctly allocating time off and benefits
  • Communicate status of organizational finances as needed to Executive Director, Board, staff, and funders, through the generation of financial statements and reports and concise analysis

Manage CEF’s Financial Coaching & Safe Savings Program:

  • Create and maintain CEF’s financial coaching curriculum: including developing new curriculum, keeping curricula up-to-date, and supporting volunteer Advocates as they work through sessions with CEF Members
  • Train staff and volunteer Advocates on how to utilize financial coaching curricula, how to support Members with financial planning, and how Safe Savings accounts work including day-to-day procedures
  • Advise volunteer Advocates on how to support Members in developing budgets, setting savings goals, financial management, financial planning, and account management including working directly with Advocate/Member pairs as needed
  • Maintain all records for CEF’s Safe Savings accounts–this includes: 
    • processing auto-saves
    • communicating with Members about their accounts
    • performing monthly reconciliations with Salesforce and Quickbooks
    • filing necessary paperwork
  • Attend and actively participate in bi-weekly Resource & Financial Coaching team meetings

Bookkeeping Tasks:

Weekly Duties:

  • Log operating revenue and expenses in Quickbooks 
  • File all expense and revenue documentation
  • Prepare & print checks for ED’s signature (minimum of 2x/wk, this includes bill payments & Safe Savings transactions)
  • Prepare bank deposits & make deposits at local financial institutions
  • Reconcile Quickbooks to CEF’s matched savings account records in Salesforce

Monthly & Ad Hoc Duties:

  • Review bank statements for accurate accounting records prior to reconciliation by contract accountant
  • Lead CEF’s annual financial audit
  • Prepare and send invoices

Support Executive Director with operations management and HR:

  • Manage personnel documentation, including personnel roster and timesheets
  • Lead coordination of organizational insurance (general liability, workers comp, cyber security, directors and officers’ insurance, etc.)
  • Manage organizational accounts/subscription services (G-Suite, Slack, Asana, Salesforce, etc.) and create staff/volunteer accounts as needed
  • Assist with coordinating organizational employee benefits including health insurance, retirement, etc. This includes managing the annual renewal processes, researching benefit options, etc.
  • Assist with managing hiring processes – this includes checking the hiring email, maintaining a job description template, editing and posting job descriptions, anonymizing applications, helping to create evaluation rubrics for each hiring process, and working with hiring committees to communicate with candidates. Other related hiring tasks may also be required
  • Additional work, as needed

CEF Team Member

  • Attend and participate in all regularly scheduled team meetings, caucuses, retreats, supervision, and other activities in Durham and Chapel Hill (remote and in-person)
  • Work collaboratively with team members when necessary
  • Engage actively in program design and project management efforts to improve CEF’s outcomes, impact, and methodologies
  • Embody CEF values and guiding principles, participate meaningfully in meetings, work collaboratively with coworkers, and engage in CEF in ways that are informed by social justice frameworks including, but not limited to relationship-based support, trauma-informed care, harm-reduction, and motivational interviewing
  • Lead CEF’s financial procedures, including timely reporting of expenses, clear communication around debit card needs, and participatory budgeting, and ensure staff comply with procedures

Position Qualifications (Required unless indicated as “preferred”) 

  • 3-5 years of experience leading nonprofit finance systems, including direct experience with budgeting, entering income and expenses into Quickbooks/bookkeeping, and pulling financial reports
  • Experience developing and managing organizational budgets of $1M-$2M
  • Minimum of 2-3 years of experience with Quickbooks Online
  • Minimum of 2-3 years experience with project management and coordinating a team, including volunteers
  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills 
  • Experience with Salesforce, preferred
  • Strong aptitude with spreadsheets required, including proficiency in G Suite (Google Sheets and Docs) and Microsoft Office Suite (Word and Excel)
  • Self-motivated, with exceptional organizational abilities and attention to detail, with ability to follow through on many simultaneous projects
  • Clear analysis and understanding of racial equity, structural racism, socioeconomic inequity, and white supremacy culture, particularly in relation to communications and nonprofit organizational structure
  • Commitment to CEF’s mission

An ideal candidate will have

  • A commitment to shared leadership, embodying CEF’s values and guiding principles
  • Affirming, empowering, collaborative, and listening-based leadership style, with a strong sense of self-direction and accountability to the community
  • Ability to take initiative and complete duties independently 
  • Experience and comfort working with people across abilities and neurological differences, and from diverse racial, socioeconomic, educational, cultural, religious, gender, and ethnic backgrounds and identities
  • Experience with work management software (ex. Asana, Slack)

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried position. The Finance & Operations Manager is expected to work an average of 40 hours per week and will be paid $55,000 annually. This position is also eligible for 100% employer-paid health insurance; 100% employer-paid term life insurance; a 401(k) plan with 4% employer match; optional employee-paid dental and vision; paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave; and a professional development stipend. See an outline of CEF’s benefits here. All CEF staff are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit weekly negative test results. This position is expected to start on May 1, 2023.

To Apply 

Please submit a cover letter outlining why you are a great fit for this position, resume, and 3 professional references to hiring@communityempowermentfund.org with the subject “Finance & Operations Manager.” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will remain open until filled. 

CEF is an equal opportunity employer, and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQI identified people, and people with lived experience with homelessness or poverty.

Advocacy Manager

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled.

Position Overview

The Advocacy Manager position is a cross geography position that is tasked with managing CEF’s advocacy initiatives, in alignment with CEF’s Strategic Plan. The Advocacy Manager will work with the Executive Director and frontline staff to determine overall advocacy goals and will provide guidance to ensure CEF’s mission, guiding principles, and values are represented in targeted campaigns and that campaigns and initiatives center on those with lived experience, especially CEF Members. An ideal candidate will not only be passionate about equitable and affordable housing but have demonstrated experience in inspiring others to get involved and advocate for safe and affordable living conditions. The Advocacy Manager is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Position Responsibilities 

Advocacy:

  • Spearhead CEF’s organizational advocacy vision with the Executive Director
  • Work with Office & Community Organizers to ensure campaigns have synergy across geographies and to determine relevant trainings and workshops for Members and volunteer Advocates involved in CEF’s advocacy efforts
  • Build and manage relationships with outside organizations to strengthen CEF’s advocacy efforts and represent CEF at coalition meetings, conferences, and other events
  • Work with local stakeholders, elected officials, and their staff to advance campaigns
  • Monitor legislative and regulatory develops that impact CEF’s mission and develop advocacy positions and talking points in response to changes 
  • Ensure that advocacy initiatives do not lead to lobbying
  • Coordinate outreach and communications related to advocacy campaigns – including phone banking CEF Members, creating social media posts, and sharing stories and highlights in CEF’s newsletter, annual reporting, and other internal communications
  • Manage relationships with local media outlets to ensure coverage of advocacy campaigns and wins
  • Share updates and progress with CEF staff monthly at all staff meetings

Supervision:

  • Lead the Advocacy Team including managing work plans, offering mentorship and guidance, and working with frontline staff to implement program strategy
    • Office & Community Organizers (OCO) – 2 people
    • Support Office and Community Organizers in supervising and supporting volunteer Advocate and paid intern teams
  • Facilitate and lead Advocacy Team meetings
  • Facilitate annual performance review process for all direct reports 

Office Support:

  • Provide a consistent and welcoming in-office presence for Members and Advocates, and responsive support for Pod Leaders during office hours. (The amount of weekly office hours will vary based on seasonal needs by will generally be 2 hours/week.)
  • Ensure office policies and safety procedures are followed, and implement capacity-building changes and improvements to office hour-related procedures and practices
  • Work one-on-one with Members in the office as necessary, using CEF’s relationship-based support model
  • Support the Office and Community Organizers with duties to ensure COVID-19 and safety protocols are followed by staff, volunteer Advocates, and Members
  • Learn the staff support procedures for each geography and perform those duties fully

CEF Team Member

  • Attend and participate in all regularly scheduled team meetings, caucuses, retreats, supervision, and other activities in Durham and Chapel Hill (remote and in-person)
  • Work collaboratively with team members when necessary
  • Engage actively in program design and project management efforts to improve CEF’s outcomes, impact, and methodologies
  • Embody CEF values and guiding principles, participate meaningfully in meetings, work collaboratively with coworkers, and engage in CEF in ways that are informed by social justice frameworks including, but not limited to relationship-based support, trauma-informed care, harm-reduction, and motivational interviewing
  • Follow CEF financial procedures, including timely reporting of expenses, clear communication around debit card needs, and participation in budget creation

Position Qualifications (Required unless indicated as “preferred”) 

  • 3-5 years advocacy experience including establishing and managing campaigns
    • Experience with housing advocacy is strongly preferred
    • Experience organizing in Durham and/or Orange Counties, North Carolina strongly preferred
  • 2-3 years of experience with facilitation
  • 1-2 years of experience as a supervisor
  • Excellent interpersonal & communication skills 
  • Ability to work effectively in varied professional, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts with people across abilities and neurological differences, and from diverse racial, socioeconomic, educational, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds
  • Ability to design and implement systems that build towards efficient, collaborative, and effective cross-sector partnerships with community
  • Ability to work independently, satisfy deadlines, and effectively prioritize tasks for both long-term and short-term projects
  • Exceptional organizational abilities and attention to detail, with the ability to follow through on many simultaneous projects
  • Commitment to CEF’s mission
  • Clear analysis of structural racism and socioeconomic inequity, and willingness to continue to learn and grow 
  • Strong aptitude with Microsoft Office/Google Suite including proficiency with spreadsheets
  • Experience with work management and database software (ex. Asana, Slack, Salesforce, and Google products) and willingness to learn new technologies
  • Strong group management, team facilitation, and both individual and group supervision skills including an understanding of complex group dynamics, preferred

An ideal candidate will have

  • A commitment to shared leadership, embodying CEF’s values and guiding principles
  • Affirming, empowering, collaborative, and listening-based leadership style, with a strong sense of self-direction and accountability to the community
  • Compelling, authentic, and clear verbal and written communication
  • Ability to take initiative and complete duties independently, while knowing when to ask for support 
  • A proven track record of being deeply rooted in the community served
  • Preference for someone living in the Triangle area and well-versed in local issues
  • Whole person and healing-centered approach to community building

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried position. The Advocacy Manager is expected to work an average of 40 hours per week and will be paid $52,000 annually. The position requires in-person work, including occasional weekend responsibilities, and the person is expected to live locally. This position is also eligible for 100% employer-paid health insurance; 100% employer-paid term life insurance; a 401(k) plan with 4% employer match; optional employee-paid dental and vision; paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave; and a professional development stipend. See an outline of CEF’s benefits here. All CEF staff are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit weekly negative test results. 

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter outlining why you are a great fit for this position, resume, and 3 professional references to hiring@communityempowermentfund.org with the subject “Advocacy Manager.” We strongly encourage sharing your experience managing advocacy campaigns in your cover letter. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will remain open until filled. 

CEF is an equal opportunity employer, and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQI-identified people, and people with lived experience with homelessness or poverty.

CEF: Community Empowerment Fund

Chapel Hill: 919-200-0233 Durham: 919-797-9233

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