About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP)

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented eviction risk for U.S. renters, and we formed the Community Econonic Defense Project (CEDP) in April 2020 as a direct response. Over the past few years, our community organizing project evolved into a large housing stability organization that operates a continuum of eviction and displacement prevention care. Our mission is to Keep Coloradans Housed. We do this by helping to prevent mass evictions and homelessness.

Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the law firm and housing stability fund that make up CEDP will continue to operate and deepen their services for Colorado renters facing eviction. Specifically, CEDP offers a “continuum care” approach to eviction prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed. Serving 1,000 households per month, we bring together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy-experts, organizers, and technologists to provide four services:

• Rental Assistance: through the Colorado Stability Fund, we leverage public funds to pay back and future rent, reinstate leases, and avert evictions through rental debt settlements.

• Legal Services: For complicated cases with additional legal issues or difficult landlords, CEDP offers eviction defense services, paired with rental assistance dollars, to encourage settlement or stabilize tenancies and represent tenants in court when negotiation does not work.

• Rehousing and Case Management: Where legal services do not work, we provide rehousing support services through ERA funding and agency referrals.

• Policy: More broadly, we go case to cause. We work with our clients to tell their stories and amplify their voices into policy change. For example, In the 2020-2021 legislative session, for example, we drafted and, in coalition with other stakeholders and community organizations, passed the renters’ rights legislation that caps late fees, penalizes abusive landlords, and gives Coloradans access to the warranty of habitability without paying a bond.

Our model has been cited as a best practice by White House, HUD, the Urban Institute, and in the media.

As COVID moves from pandemic to endemic, CEDP is working to stabilize families who have been left behind and fight community wealth stripping through a broader Community Economic Defense model. As our team continues to scale our services at risk of eviction, we are also beginning to build a comprehensive economic, legal, and policy response to mortgage foreclosure, debt, and predatory towing across Colorado. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, these efforts will offer a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy.

More about the Role

The Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) seeks qualified staff accountant candidates with exceptional ability to support and manage complex systems across both payables and receivables functions. The successful candidate will have experience with standard general ledger and reconciliations with large volumes. Comfortable contributing to improving automation opportunities and technology systems.

To further ensure success, candidates are expected to work comfortably under pressure with tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment. You must exercise sound judgment and have strong written and verbal skills.

Top candidates will be familiar with basic housing and rental principles, understand payment processing and CRM management in social services, strong attention to detail, have exceptional time management and organizing skills, and be self-motivated and managed. Spanish language skills are desired but not required. We offer competitive salary and benefits which are detailed below.

In this role you Will:

• Have 3-5 years experience working with accounting systems including, but not limited to, QuickBooks Online.
• Bonus if you have experience using tools like Salesforce or Hubspot
• Experience working with Bill.com or similar bill payment tools
• Daily reconciliations, accounts payable and accounts receivable, and cash flow management experience
• Experience tracking, managing and reconciling returned checks
• Monitor expenses for allowable uses of grant funds, ensures compliance with accounting standards, internal policies, and donor conditions and/or restrictions
• Experience with payroll, taxes and related accounting / HR systems a plus
• Filing and organizing documentation in a system easy to review by Manager or Auditor.
• Additional duties may be assigned such as credit card and bank reconciliations, etc.
• Assist in timely monthly, quarterly, half-year, and year-end financial close
• Understand key success measures for your role and submit daily and weekly progress reports
• Maintain and update databases and tracking systems accurately and as designated
• Participate in CEDP’s ongoing efforts to improve upon existing processes by maintaining openness and curiosity about processes, systems and technologies
• Excellent MS Excel skills to assist with analysis and financial reporting
• Willingness and ability to tackle special projects independently, to ask good questions and work towards completion in rapid-change, fast-paced environment

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor Degree or equivalent post-secondary education in Accounting
• Minimum of three – five years of experience in accounting, including knowledge of Generally
  Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Understanding of Full cycle accounting
• Nonprofit accounting experience a plus
• Analytical thinker with detail orientation
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, and understanding / willingness to work in a rapid-change environment
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Advanced MS Excel Skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and the Google Suite
• A home office setup that includes a private, quiet place to conduct confidential telephone and video-conference sessions and a computer with reliable access to high speed internet
• As in-person work is sometimes required, all employees must be fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

Why Us?

Our cofounders have collaborated for for more than five years and are committed to building a company where everyone feels seen, and all employees are included in the co-creation of an environment in which they love to work.

At CEDP you’ll be:

• Joining a new firm at its founding and will be able to play a substantial role in its growth
• In a social enterprise with a sustainable business model focused on one of the most critical issues in society – access to and preservation of affordable housing
• Able to grow within the organization
• Part of a diverse team of talented advocates and activists that share your passion for diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

Equal Opportunity

• The Community Economic Defense Project is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are
• committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Benefits & Compensation

• Salary range $58,000 to $68,000 per year, based on experience.
• Benefits include health, vision, dental, four weeks paid vacation, short-term and
• long-term disability, and 401K.