Chief Executive Officer

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Madison Park Development Corporation (MPDC) seeks a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead our dynamic organization. MPDC is a highly successful and well-regarded nonprofit community development corporation (CDC) that serves the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston with its real estate development and community action programs, and its cultural and community facilities. The new CEO will succeed current CEO Jeanne Pinado, who has led MPDC for 20 years. Jeanne will step down at the end of 2019.

The Organization and Its Impact

Founded in 1966, MPDC plays a central role in developing and preserving quality, mixed-income housing in Roxbury, and promoting the renaissance of Dudley Square as a thriving neighborhood business district. 

MPDC’smission is to foster a vibrant, healthy Roxbury that supports the well-being and advancement of the community. MPDC carries out our mission through: 1) real estate development and asset management, which produce and preserve affordable and mixed income housing, community and commercial spaces; 2) community action, which builds community cohesion through health and wellness initiatives, violence prevention, civic engagement, and resident and youth leadership; and, 3) community spaces, at Hibernian Hall, where we nurture the arts in Roxbury, presenting high quality theatre, dance, music, film and spoken word, and at the Dewitt Center, a community center at the heart of Madison Park Village. 

To date, MPD has developed and preserved over 1300 units of affordable and mixed income rental and homeownership housing; at its original home, Madison Park Village, and elsewhere, including properties in Roxbury as well as in the South End, Dorchester, and Mattapan neighborhoods. MPDC developed commercial and non-residential properties, including the historic Hibernian Hall, 2201 Washington Street, and the Dewitt Center and played a key role in the relocated and expanded Tropical Foods Supermarket. With a robust pipeline and projects under construction, MPDC will continue to preserve and build new mixed income housing at Madison Park Village and nearby, and oversee the operations of the properties in its portfolio (see http://www.madison-park.org/what-we-do/real-estate-development).

Hibernian Hall provides attractive cultural space and arts and culture programming, and offices for MPDC and others. At the Dewitt Center, there are a variety of programs and spaces including a technology center, gym, meeting spaces, and after school programming. MPDC serves more than 3000 residents of all ages with our community action programs.

MPDC is financially stable and strong, with a 2019 operating budget of $7.8 million and net assets of more than $23 million in operations alone, and a total of $86 million in assets, including all properties at the end of 2018. 

Key Opportunities and Challenges for a New Leader

The CEO leads a staff of 40 people. They directly supervise senior staff, including the Chief Financial Officer, the Vice President of Programs, the Vice President of Real Estate, and the Human Resource Manager, and regularly convene the senior management team. They report to the Board of Directors, made up of Roxbury residents, local leaders, and outside professionals.

Our new CEO will build on Madison Park Development Corporation’s rich history, and respond to current opportunities and challenges at MPDC and its community, as summarized below:

Respond to Change in Roxbury and in Boston. Roxbury and Boston look very different than they did twenty years ago. A stronger market means that MPDC has competition for development opportunities, and potential challenges to its role as a leading developer and property owner in Roxbury. Local residents fear loss of their homes, and seek housing security and local economic development, while poverty and public safety remain ongoing community issues. MPDC’s CEO will exert leadership, through making strategic choices, and continuing the work to build social and economic supports, and contribute to a healthy, thriving Roxbury. The CEO will oversee MPDC’s real estate development, its partnerships and all of our programs, together with board and staff leaders. 

Community Relations and External Communications. Through assuming a leadership role in local community planning efforts, and publicizing MPDC’s current activities, with support from the development and communications team, the CEO will engage with community to develop a long-term vision for MPDC, for Dudley Square, and Roxbury. They will exert new energy, building on the strong local community, and local and national funder relationships that the outgoing CEO has developed. They will use MPDC’s platform as a leading Massachusetts CDC and NeighborWorks network organization to actively direct and influence local, statewide, and national policy.

Manage a Growing Organization. With a larger staff and more programs come growing pains, including ongoing needs to integrate programs and build or modify systems, in order to continue to be productive. The new CEO will work collaboratively with MPDC’s talented and committed board and staff leaders to take the organization forward. They will develop effective structures to communicate with, engage, and support all board and staff. They will oversee senior managers, and maintain a positive team spirit in the organization.

Build on and Maintain Key Community Assets. MPDC’s new CEO will become the head of one of the largest property owners in Roxbury, and steward of an important affordable housing resource, key community facilities, and a financially strong nonprofit. They will ensure that the organization manages its financial resources and its properties well. The CEO will oversee the budget and work with our Finance and Investment Committees. They will collaborate with staff and board to raise new funds, and decide where to target use of MPDC’s assets, in order to meet key community needs. At a time when federal funding is uncertain, the CEO can use MPDC’s strong financial position and resources wisely to innovate and support community development more broadly in Roxbury.

Our Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate will bring an appreciation for the legacy of MPDC’s founders and for the last fifty years of MPDC’s development, as well as their own creativity and innovation to the organization. They will embrace and connect with the residents of our housing and the many voices of our community. Our dedicated new leader will bring a sense of humor to the everyday challenges and opportunities of the job. 

Our ideal candidate will have many of the following skills, experiences and qualifications: 

Passion and energy to lead MPDC’s ongoing evolution. The CEO will bring enthusiasm and excitement for MPDC’s mission, and dedication to community-based development and engagement. We seek a confident and collaborative leader, who would enjoy building and maintaining strong and trusting relationships with our board of directors and active committees. They will demonstrate the vision and strategic thinking skills required to take a leading nonprofit into its next phase of growth and change. MPDC’s CEO should be able to identify developing community needs, and create responsive and innovative programming. 

Strong community relations, political skills and cultural fit. We seek a partnership builder, who knows or can quickly embrace Dudley Square and Roxbury. The CEO should be adept at communicating one on one with residents of our community. They will feel comfortable in local partnerships, and in national coalitions; as well as in front of funders, legislative leaders, and others. Our new leader will understand MPDC’s history, and be familiar with doing business in Boston; or they will demonstrate an ability to quickly learn the local environment. They will establish personal credibility in the neighborhood and in the larger Boston community, and represent us well.

Talent for and experience with internal leadership and management. The ideal candidate will demonstrate experience managing staff and building a strong team, in an organization of similar size to MPDC. They will set direction, and bring leadership and strategic focus to the entire staff, and particularly to senior managers. We seek a good communicator and an active listener, who can show patience and warmth as they facilitate cross-departmental integration and support the development of staff. 

Understanding of MPDC’s core business. Our next CEO will have a complete understanding of affordable housing development and community-based development, preferably in Massachusetts. They will have some familiarity with commercial development, coupled with some understanding of health equity, community engagement, arts and culture, and other programs that address resident needs in low and moderate income communities. 

Financial management and fundraising experience. MPDC’s leader must be comfortable managing our business and our assets. They will be skilled at reading complex financial statements and will have developed budgets for organizations that are similar to MPDC in size and complexity. They must be able to explain budgets and financial statements to a layperson, and be well-grounded in the “business aspects” of nonprofit management. The CEO will have successfully raised funds, and be adept at “making the pitch” for funding, preferably from corporations, foundations and individuals. 

A depth of educational, cultural and work experiences. We seek candidates who bring at least 10 years of demonstrated leadership experience in community development, affordable housing development, community development finance or related work. A Bachelor’s degree in a related field is highly desirable; a Master’s degree is preferred. 

Additional years of experience and on-the-job training may be substituted for degrees. Work experience in multilingual and multicultural communities is preferred. Spanish language skill is a plus. 

The Application Process

Qualified candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter documenting their experience and interest to: Madison Park CEO Search, Ann L Silverman Consulting,http://annlsilverman.com/mpdc-ceo/. All applications will be reviewed and acknowledged as they are received. MPDC seeks to fill this position by fall of 2019.

MPDC offers a competitive salary, commensurate with experience and qualifications, plus a generous benefits package. See www.madison-park.org for more information. 

Madison Park Development Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. Roxbury residents, people of color and women are encouraged to apply.