Senior Associate

The Senior Associate delivers high-quality technical assistance and support for client communities, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders who are developing housing opportunities for people experiencing and at risk of homelessness. Technical assistance efforts will include supporting counties and grantees applying for and using specific funding sources associated with housing development and rehabilitation and the development of appropriate living situations for people with service needs beyond those available in permanent supportive housing. All technical assistance efforts embrace and reflect Housing First and related approaches, reflecting best practice and models supported by the best available evidence. This role requires a combination of technical expertise, excellent communication skills, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving. The person in this position has a passion for ending homelessness and housing insecurity; understands the broader market, regulatory, and financial contexts impacting the production of affordable housing; has outstanding critical thinking, analytical and interpersonal communication skills; has excellent technical writing skills; understands affordable housing real estate, and development processes; and is self-directed and detail oriented. They have experience providing technical assistance and supporting affordable housing policy development and may have underwriting experience in local or state government.

Leadership

• Provide affordable housing development subject matter expertise, including communicating key feasibility, underwriting, and other affordable and real estate development analysis in state and local policy and market context.
• Represent client or client interests in meetings to identify and resolve problems, including speaking publicly in formal and informal settings.
• Create and assist in the preparation of tools and resources for the counties, awardees and grantees, including drafting learning materials, technical memos, and reports.
• Synthesize research findings with contextual and best practice information to offer recommendations for practice.
• Support the implementation and assessment of Housing First strategies; help with underwriting, including identification of tools, collateral, and other resources as needed.
• Analyze trends and challenges to identify areas needing additional support related to project types such as Permanent Supportive Housing, Residential Care Facilities for the elderly, and Adult Residential Facilities.
• Train and potentially supervise project team members.
• Actively participate as a Focus team leader, including supporting the development and management of the team’s operational budget along with the finance team and president, and exploration of prospective work.

Technical assistance

• Develop a thorough understanding of details and requirements associated with funding sources for housing development and rehabilitation and related projects, in order to provide expert technical assistance to local jurisdictions and other grantees applying for and using specific funding sources.
• Collaborate with administrators of public funding sources to identify and recommend new processes, procedures, program tools, and resources for counties, awardees, and grantees.
• Develop analyses and related tools and guides designed to support collaborative technical assistance initiatives and facilitate learning through trainings, workshops, and other forums to counties, awardees, grantees, and other stakeholders.

Compliance

• Review and provide recommendations on term sheets, proposals, spending plans, scopes, and delivery milestones.
• Assist in maintaining compliance with program criteria, monitor progress, and evaluate the overall efficacy of funding sources and related projects.
• Prepare accurate and timely reports as requested by clients.

What the Senior Associate will gain from the position

• Exposure to complex policy, technical, and community issues using a systems approach.
• Opportunities to apply skills to support development of housing opportunities for vulnerable populations, particularly people experiencing homelessness and people from communities most impacted by homelessness and housing instability.
• Opportunity to build skills in supporting communities to reduce homelessness and expand the supply of affordable housing and living situations for people with high service needs.
• Opportunity to deepen skills in housing market, systems, and policy analysis using data and information from multiple sources.
• Opportunity to be part of an evolving and growing consultation practice.
• Opportunity to work with an expert and dedicated team of professionals in a fast-paced and supportive work environment.
• Experience developing presentation skills using detailed technical information for non-technical audiences.
• Increasing responsibility over time.

Reports to: President and CEO

Direct reports: Associate

Status: Full-time, exempt

Requirements

• A passion for ending homelessness with a commitment to scaling affordable and supportive housing, including advancing equity for marginalized communities.
• Understanding of diversity, racism and oppression and a commitment to furthering equity and belonging.
• A bachelor’s degree in urban planning, real estate development, or a related field (graduate degree welcomed).
• At least 5 years of experience:
• In a leadership/managing role in the development and/or rehabilitation of affordable housing programs, or affordable housing finance or policy development.
• Supporting affordable housing programs.
• At least 4 years of experience actively and independently project-managing affordable housing projects.
• At least three years of experience in consulting or client management, which may include leading community processes with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated expertise in providing technical assistance and support in the areas associated with affordable housing development and/or finance, including but not limited to:
• Land Acquisition
• Oversight of Rehabilitation Projects
• Oversight of New Construction
• Relocation
• Cost Controls
• Procurement
• Engagement with Historically Disadvantaged Groups, including Tribal Entities
• Licensing and Permitting
• Operational Subsidies
• Applicant Referral Streams
• Expertise in asset and property management.
• Work collaboratively with additional systems of care, including residential adult and senior care, behavioral health, health, and other social and human services.
• Knowledge of compliance, monitoring, and evaluation processes for housing programs.
• A commitment to and focus on data-informed public policy.
• Ability to assess and interpret quantitative and qualitative data about homelessness and housing programs and systems.
• Strong verbal and analytical skills, superior technical writing skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expression, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, ages, English-speaking abilities, immigration status, and physical abilities in a multicultural environment.
• Flexibility – must be able to work with shifts in priorities on a daily and weekly basis, some weekends are occasionally required.
• Must be highly self-directed, detail‐oriented, and proficient at generating and understanding budget data.
• Willingness to do whatever is needed to support projects and staff in accomplishing work.
• Able to travel occasionally throughout the West Coast and rarely to other areas.
• Able to operate a computer for 8 hours per day.
• Able to give and receive detailed information through verbal and written communication.
• Able to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, expansive reading.
• Able to set up and maintain a safe and ergonomic workspace in home environment with minimal paper file management, including receiving occasional office supply shipments, rare shipping of equipment for repair, and carrying laptop and files or occasional all-day travel.

Benefits

• Paid time off (vacation, sick time, and 10 holidays)
• 401(k) with 4% salary match and profit sharing
• Health
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible spending plans
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• $50 per month reimbursement for phone, internet, and office supplies
• $155,000 - $175,000 (most candidates join us at the lower half of the range to leave room for growth, learning, and development; we negotiate actual salaries with final candidates based on experience in similar roles and expertise related to qualifications)