Description
About Locus:

At Locus, we know communities thrive when they have equitable access to capital. We collaborate with stakeholders across the community development ecosystem to invest in communities with strong aspirations, while addressing challenges like a shortage of affordable housing, limited access to fresh food, a lack of quality jobs, and clean energy innovation. We believe a capital system that centers community input and impact is essential to ensure that everyone, no matter their background, location, or economic status, can live in healthy, thriving places.

Locus is the parent organization for a family of community development enterprises, which includes a nonprofit CDFI loan fund, a CDFI bank, a fund management practice, and a national guarantee program. With offices in Christiansburg and Richmond, Virginia, Locus offers innovative and flexible financing tools and strategic consulting services to individuals and organizations in underestimated and excluded communities, most of which are low-to-moderate income. Alongside our many partners, Locus has generated over $2 billion dollars in total impact.

Locus is a nonprofit holding company regulated by the Federal Reserve. Locus Bank is an FDIC-insured, certified bank and B Corp offering products tailored to socially conscious investors. Locus Bank is a majority-owned subsidiary of Locus. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Learn more at www.locusimpact.org.

Job Description:

The Community Market Lead (CML), Southern Virginia, is a first-of-its-kind role for the organization. The CML will provide “boots on the ground” capacity to our first Place-Based Investment Strategy (PBIS) community, Southern Virginia (defined as Danville, Martinsville, South Boston, Halifax County, Henry County, Patrick County, and Pittsylvania County). This is a grant-funded 2-year position with the opportunity to continue pending funding. The preferred candidate will live within the Southern Virginia Region (Danville, Martinsville, South Boston, Halifax County, Henry County, Patrick County or Pittsylvania County). Candidates outside the region may be considered, provided they have deep ties to the community and are willing to spend considerable time there.

Requirements
Execute Grant-Funded PBIS Activities:

• Support the Director, PBIS in executing local stakeholder engagement conversations, workshops, focus groups, and convenings.
• Identify and engage key stakeholders across the Southern Virginia region:
• Complete one-on-one interviews & stakeholder conversations.
• Attend relevant community & economic development meetings and conversations.
• Collaborate with the Director, PBIS to develop the Southern Virginia Community Investment & Partnership Plan.
• Collaborate with the Director, PBIS to execute quarterly conversations with a Regional Investment Advisory Group (Beginning in 2026).

Develop a More Robust Lending Pipeline across Southern Virginia:

• Conduct ongoing loan prospecting conversations with capital seekers and provide front-end loan assessment and screening.
• For deals that appear “investment-ready,” prepare an Opportunity Overview Memo to hand off those loan opportunities to Locus’ Director, Impact Lending.
• For deals that need front-end support to become investment-ready:

-Provide technical assistance and development services and/or

-Refer to an appropriate TA provider for support.

-For deals that are not a good product fit for Locus, refer the capital seeker to other potential sources of investment.

• Attend bi-weekly Impact Lending pipeline meetings to ensure appropriate integration and knowledge-sharing with the lending team and to remain current on emerging and evolving lending priorities – overall and sector-specific – for the organization.
• Build and maintain relationships with key regional stakeholders in the public, private, and philanthropic sectors including attending sector-focused and general economic development meetings and conferences.

Connect Southern Virginia Investors to Locus:

• Refer potential banking and investor prospects (e.g., local businesses, government partners, foundations, nonprofits, high-net-worth individuals, etc.) to Locus’ Director, Investor Relations.
• Attend monthly Capital Strategies meetings to ensure appropriate integration and knowledge-sharing with the Investor Relations team.

Ensure Community Learnings are Understood within Locus:

• Collaborate, as appropriate, with the Director, PBIS, to present and facilitate internal conversations with Locus stakeholders (the board, Executive Team, and all staff) about ongoing efforts, development, and findings in Southern Virginia.

Experience/Education/Certifications:

• 3-5 years of relevant work experience related to community economic development, community and regional planning, community development finance, small business support/coaching, investing, or other comparable experience.
• Four-year college degree preferred but not required. We will consider candidates with more than five years of relevant work experience in lieu of a formal degree.
• Strong understanding of community and economic development principles and practices, especially around equitable community engagement.
• Experience engaging and building relationships across diverse audiences.

Desired experience includes:

• Must have a basic understanding of common capital products deployed in community development projects.
• Experience providing one-on-one and group business coaching and support services.
• Extensive experience facilitating community engagement processes.

Computer/Technology:

• Proficiency in Word, Excel, and Windows file management skills mandatory.
• Strong technical experience with Salesforce or other CRM tools.
• Demonstrated web research skills.
• Familiarity with Outlook or similar network-based email and calendar software.
• Extensive computer usage and Microsoft Teams communication.
• Must be able to work independently in a stable remote environment.
• Access to high-speed internet bandwidth.

Communication:

• Ability to communicate verbally across all levels of the organization in a clear, concise, and confident manner.
• Ability to write accurate, clear, and organized communications, incorporating a range of information and analysis. Ability to document workflow and procedures.

Compensation and Benefits

• $64,000 – $75,000 annual salary, depending on skills and experience
• 18 days of PTO per year
• 12 Paid holidays per year
• Medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability insurance
• 401k savings plan with employer match
• Life Insurance

Equal Opportunity Employer Locus provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.