About The Right To The City Alliance (RTTC) 

Right to the City Alliance (RTTC) emerged in 2007 with a strong and powerful vision to 1) halt the displacement of low-income people, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, LGBTQ communities, and youth of color, and 2) protect and expand affordable housing in tandem with a broader movement to build democratic and just healthy communities for the 21st century. Since its inception, RTTC has grown to encompass over 90 community-based racial, economic, gender, and environmental justice organizations in 26 states and 45 cities. Representing true grassroots power and leadership of the most impacted, RTTC’s member organizations weave together local on-the-ground organizing, policy, and advocacy campaigns to build a robust and unstoppable national movement for inclusive, healthy housing and community development. 

Organizational Work Culture

We take the work seriously, but not ourselves: Right to the City is committed to a work culture of care and balance. We understand that rigor and rest are compatible and necessary to reach our movement-building goals. We actively work to audit our policy and culture in service of our commitment to racial justice and feminist praxis. Principled struggle and generative conflict are core commitments, and we take a transformative approach to resolving harm. While we take our commitments seriously, our work environment commonly includes jokes, laughter, celebration, and all other manner of enjoyable human experiences. 

Position Summary

The Right to the City Designated Capital Pooled Fund serves the mission of the alliance and our grassroots and base-building member organizations to remove land from the speculative market by providing access to long-term patient and flexible capital investments and technical assistance in financing and collective stewardship practices for community-controlled projects. The RTTC National Organizer of Capital Strategies will oversee the work of our Right to the City Designated Capital Pooled Fund, guide our lending process for investment capital to member organizations in the alliance, accompany member groups through their underwriting and diligence processes, and provide technical assistance related to the development and establishment of cooperative and land trusts structures that incorporate transformative organizing practices.  We are looking for someone to join our energetic, visionary, and solutions-oriented national staff team to help build the powerful movement we need to win the right to the city and liberation for our people.  The ideal candidate will be multifaceted, able to adapt to changing conditions, believe deeply in self-determination and community power, and embody a commitment to both personal and systemic transformation.  

This position Reports to the Associate Director for Capital Strategies and participates in the Team(s): the Capital Strategies Team within the Resource Development Strategies Department.

Job Responsibilities

1. Oversee the lending process for our RTTC Designated Loan Fund 

Work with the RTTC Credit Committee to accept, review, and approve potential loans to member organizations that demonstrate preparedness to accept capital investments for community-controlled land and housing projects. (approx 35% of the work plan)

Area 1: Work with the RTTC Credit Committee to move potential member projects in our waterway through our lending process  

• Using our established lending process, work with the RTTC Credit Committee to identify a strong pool of potential projects that meet our criteria for accessing capital from our Designated Capital Fund.
  • Build relationships with selected projects to better understand their needs and assess their readiness for capital investment.
  • Collect required planning and financial documents for the application review period and accompany member groups through the credit memo and loan approval process.  
• In coordination with the RTTC Credit Committee, determine potential projects ready to receive capital investments from our RTTC Designated Capital Fund using our application process, office hours, follow-ups, and annual landscape check-ins with RTTC members. 

Area 2: Work with the RTTC Credit Committee and external partners to move investment capital to member organizations’ land and housing projects that demonstrate a readiness to accept investment capital for their community-controlled land and housing projects 

• Identify projects in our waterway that are best positioned to obtain capital investments through other established partnerships we have created. 
  • For example, identify RTTC member projects best positioned to access capital from Seed Commons’ General Pooled Fund. 
• Coordinate with the RTTC Credit Committee and Seed Commons staff to ensure efficient processes and progress in accordance with the intentions and goals of our capital fund program to support our member groups. 

2. CLT and Co-op Technical Assistance 

Develop and provide Technical Assistance to RTTC member groups (approx 35% of the work plan)

Area 1: Research, create, and develop materials for CLTs and co-op projects for effective governance and stewardship processes that mirror our Transformative Organizing methodology 

Provide staff support to member-led Stewardship Development Working Group. This Working Group will serve as a space for members to learn about the practical skills needed to successfully take land/housing off of the speculative market and to sustain that community for the long term. This will be a space for members to share resources, get group support for troubleshooting issues they’re facing, and build relationships with one another. Topics covered and areas of support include:

• Governance structures and processes for managing decommodified land and housing projects
• Conflict resolution practices within the decommodified communities
• Acquisition and finance strategies
• Rehabilitation, new construction, and property management that centers resident autonomy and restorative justice practices. 

Support member groups in identifying the different areas of technical assistance needed to be loan-ready for pre-loan approval. Work with the Associate Director of Capital Strategies to provide the required support in this phase of the application process.   

After the loans are made, we will continue to partner with and support the projects that have received lending to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the community-stewarded projects supported through our Designated Capital Fund.

• This includes providing technical assistance and/or helping the projects secure additional technical assistance through local or national partnerships. 

Area 2: 

• In coordination with the National Campaigns Team, lead the Stewardship Development Working Group to create space for peer-to-peer support learning and strategy development opportunities that ensure our national campaign strategies and loan fund work are in sync.
• Lead monthly meetings and collaborate with member groups doing CLT and cooperative work, and develop agendas, resources, and materials to foster a learning space where member groups can share learnings about their work and connect it to our Transformative Organizing methodology.  

3. Systems and Infrastructure 

Develop and maintain systems and infrastructure (approx 20% of the work plan) 

Area 1

• Nurture staff tracking for accountability to agreed-upon benchmarks
• Maintain a tracking system of loans, loan amounts, and terms for the loans going out. Keep a record of meetings, updates, deadlines, and next steps as it relates to capital money going out to member organizations 

Area 2

• Provide regular reports to the Capital Strategies Team, RTTC staff, and RTTC member groups through the different spaces established across the alliance.   
• Write program updates that can be sent to funders, individual donors, and investors. 

4. Maintain internal and external relationships and partnerships 

Team meetings, All Staff Meetings, Advances, and External Meetings (approx 10% of the work plan) 

Area 1

• Participate in weekly Capital Strategies meetings
• Participate in All Staff Meetings, Advances, and Training as needed
• Participate in Department and Cross Team meetings as needed 

Area 2

• Participate in outside trainings and capital strategies spaces established by partners to advance our internal capacities for our work.
• Lead and represent the Right to the City Designated Capital Fund work in different external meetings and spaces to advance the organization's and fund's mission and goals.  

Common Expectations for all positions: 

RTTC intentionally builds collaborative and transformative culture through:

• Organizational participation: (Approx. 10% of time)  team planning, staff meetings and trainings, national convenings, collaborative projects across teams, and HR/administrative tasks common to all positions.   
• Evolution of the work: Work areas may change over time based on organization and movement needs and always in consultation with the organizer.
• Transformative Praxis: Participate in RTTC’s transformative justice program to align our practice with our values and principles. Build staff unity, cohesion, and principled struggle amongst all team/staff members.  

Location & Travel: Location is negotiable. RTTC has concentrations of staff in the following areas: Philly, Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn (physical office), and the SF Bay Area. Travel is required; frequency and duration of travel is negotiable. On average, this position will be expected to travel [1-2 times per month for a total of 5-10 days per month, year round].

RTTC’s current COVID Safety Travel Policy does not require staff travel; however, that policy is in the process of being updated. All staff will be provided with at least two months' notice if and when this policy changes and work-related travel is reinstated. Travel is generally required for all RTTC staff; frequency and duration of travel are negotiable. On average, this position will be expected to travel [1-2 times per month for a total of 5-10 days per month, year round]. 

Qualities We Are Looking For 

• Bold Vision. You bring fierce imagination and deep commitment that we can and will create the world our communities need. You can share that vision in ways that inspire and compel.
• Swiss Army Knife. You are resourceful and creative, willing to do what it takes to make a project succeed. You can handle a lot in a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment.
• Interdependent. You can work independently, self-managing your time, while maintaining close communication with remote teams
. You are flexible and know that changing the world doesn't always happen between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Low ego, high impact. You are disciplined, rigorous, and more group-centered than self-centered. You have excellent attention to detail and focus on the big picture.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Experienced in writing business plans, including work on financial documents (e.g., projections, budgets, capital plans) and analyzing business opportunities 
• Experience and knowledge of trends in non-extractive financing, CLTs and housing co-ops, and democratic self-governance. 
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in base building & organizing experience work on local or statewide campaigns 
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in leading on all aspects of campaign development and implementation for local or statewide campaigns - overall strategy and vision, narrative/comms, fundraising, coalition building, political education, etc  
• Minimum of 5 years of experience building and leading multi-sector, multi-regional / geographic coalitions
• Experience and comfort with using spreadsheets.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to write and speak a second language, preferably Spanish
• At least 3 years experience and demonstrated ability to lead real estate financing plans
• Strong facilitation skills
• Some fundraising/grant-writing experience and maintaining relationships with institutional and individual funders is helpful 
• Some training and/or experience in lending and underwriting

General Requirements

• Support the mission, vision, and goals of the Right To The City Alliance

• Experience and familiarity with housing justice, gentrification, displacement, and anti-eviction work and/or grassroots base-building organizations and transformative organizing
• Experience in multi-racial, multicultural settings
• Knowledge of common computer applications: MS Office, Google Docs, Adobe Acrobat, Dropbox, Mac environment, and Zoom video teleconferencing systems
• Access to reliable internet, phone, and remote office arrangements. RTTC provides for the costs of home offices.
• Drivers license and auto insurance

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time position.  The salary range starts at $101,200 - $105,800 Compensation commensurate with experience and competitive with our sector.  RTTC offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package, including 100% medical, dental, and life insurance, employer contribution towards employees’ 401k retirement plan, wellness benefits, staff development resources, and ample sick and vacation paid time off. 

How To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample or work sample through our hiring portal at: https://righttothecityalliance.rippling-ats.com/.   References will be asked for candidates who advance in the process.  Applicants for this position will be required to submit to a background check. Candidates will only be contacted if our hiring team chooses to pursue an interview.

Right To The City Alliance is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  Applicants from communities heavily impacted by gentrification, displacement and housing insecurity are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, ability, age, or veteran status.