Program Officer – ACRE New Hybrid; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Local Initiatives Support Corporation; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 62,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Local Initiatives Support Corporation is seeking a Program Manager for the ACRE program in Milwaukee. This key role involves managing resources for emerging developers, facilitating training sessions, and developing community engagement strategies. The ideal candidate will have experience in community development or real estate, strong communication skills, and a commitment to fostering equitable neighborhoods.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage

Disability Insurance

Retirement Savings

Generous Holidays

Tuition Assistance

Professional Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in related fields.
• Knowledge of community development policies.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development and execution of the ACRE program.
• Manage financial resources for program initiatives.
• Facilitate weekly classes and coordinate with academic partners.

Skills

Oral Communication

Written Communication

Networking

Collaboration

Analytical Skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

LISC is one of the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. LISC works with residents and partners to close gaps in health, wealth, and opportunity so that people and places can thrive. We do this by acting as a conduit for grants, loans and equity--and by providing technical assistance and capacity building--to locally rooted organizations that carry out the work in communities.

BACKGROUND

LISC Milwaukee is a local office within National LISC, the nation's largest nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). LISC Milwaukee has 30 years of experience working as a catalyst for community reinvestment in Milwaukee. It helps resident-led, community-based development organizations transform underinvested neighborhoods into healthy places to live, work, worship, do business and raise families. Increasingly, we also work with and lend to for-profit entities that share our community development mission and goals. LISC and its affiliates have invested nearly $275 million in Milwaukee neighborhoods and over $783 million in Wisconsin - fueling affordable housing, economic development, and community-led revitalization efforts. LISC opened the LISC Milwaukee office in 1995, making 2025 the 30 th anniversary of LISC in Milwaukee. Learn more by reading our strategic plan .

LISC is seeking a team-oriented individual to help deploy the targeted strategies and tools that comprise the work of the Milwaukee office. This is a key position within the LISC team and critical for the success of the ACRE program and support of its alumni, emerging developers, and community partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Responsible for successful development, execution, and alignment of the Associates in Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) program, alumni support, networking events, continuing education opportunities and resources in collaboration with our partners and other members of the LISC team.
• Administer financial resources for ACRE alumni, emerging developers, and nonprofit partners. This includes management responsibility over a $1 million Program Investment Loan (PIL) pool to provide early project investments, initiating additional loan intakes, and promoting other tools from LISC and our affiliates .
• Organize, convene, and facilitate 26 weekly classes each year, trainings, workshops, meetings, events, and orientations that drive program priorities and implementation. To accommodate the ACRE schedule and our partners, occasional weekend work and regular weekly (Wednesday) evening hours are required.
• Coordinate fund development for the ACRE program and related emerging developer initiatives to ensure program growth and innovation, including funder identification, cultivation, grant writing, reports, and compliance as needed.
• Facilitate project-specific technical assistance, directly or in coordination with other LISC team members, and by referral to qualified partners and providers.
• Prepare and oversee grants and contracts for programs, which may include administering government and private grants/consultant agreements, managing contracted partners, and monitoring grant and consultant performance to ensure program alignment.
• Provide oversight on disbursements and financial reporting of borrowers, grantees, and consultant contracts, including troubleshooting and providing recommendations if issues arise.
• Support ACRE academic partners, guest speakers, and students (to include some grading, homework, quiz and exam administration, and other administrative functions).
• Track and evaluate progress on programmatic milestones and contract compliance.
• Develop and disseminate resources by drawing on the content expertise of LISC staff, other offices, partners, and industry best practices.
• Prepare clearly written and visually appealing reports, such as private funder narrative/financial reports, compliance reports, and other required reports as assigned.
• Support the Executive Team to develop, launch, and manage new programmatic initiatives, including drafting concept papers as needed.
• Represent LISC Milwaukee in coalitions, working groups, and other forums.
• Build and maintain mutually trusting relationships with and among partners, including funders, community organizations, businesses, government officials, anchor institutions, consultants, and contractors.
• Coordinate with LISC national program teams to advance emerging developer and contractor initiatives and promote shared resources.
• Assume responsibility for special projects and other assignments, as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university or relevant commensurate work experience.
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in real estate, finance, community development, small business development, or related disciplines required.
• Working knowledge of the economic, political, and social environments in Milwaukee, especially of historically disinvested neighborhoods, organizations, and community development efforts.
• Working knowledge of community development policies and programs.
• Demonstrated success in managing multiple projects and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with clients and co-workers is required.
• Experience building relationships, networking, and collaborating effectively with community-based organizations and diverse stakeholders.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including speaking publicly in diverse forums.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to learn and use other software and applications of LISC, social media platforms, and IT tools.
• Excellent research, writing, editing, and analytical skills.
• Fluency using, understanding, and presenting data to inform decision making.
• Commitment to accuracy, attention to detail, timely reporting, and deadlines.
• Work simultaneously on multiple tasks and set priorities for a challenging workload.

Compensation

LISC offers a competitive salary ($62,300 - $77,900) and excellent fringe benefits.

*Actual salaries may be based on several factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's skill set, experience, education, work location and other qualifications.

Our benefits include:

Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage : Comprehensive health plans for you and your family's well-being; Disability Insurance: Long-term and short-term coverage for peace of mind; Retirement Savings: Secure your future with our 401(k) and 403(b) plans; Generous Holidays: Enjoy ample time off to recharge and celebrate; Vacation, PTO, and Sick Days: Take advantage of flexible time-off policies to maintain work-life balance; Tuition Assistance: Pursue your educational goals with support from our tuition assistance program; Referral Program: Earn rewards for referring qualified candidates to join our team; Professional Development Opportunities: Grow and advance in your career with access to ongoing training and development programs tailored to your goals.

LISC is an equal opportunity employer. LISC does not discriminate in employment on account of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military status or veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.

We will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.

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