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CLOSED - Director of Program Management & Strategic Initiatives - Piedmont Housing Alliance

This position closed August 18, 2023.

Position: Director of Program Management & Strategic Initiatives
Reports to:
Deputy Director of Justice & Programs
Position Status: FT, Exempt
Salary: Based on related skills & experience. Base salary starts at $92,000, commensurate with experience. Additional opportunities for bonuses up to 20% of base salary.
Location:  Office in Charlottesville, VA, with Hybrid in-person/Remote Work Policy

To apply: Please submit a resume, cover letter, and references. This position will close on August 18th; however, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. We will not contact references without your permission.

ABOUT PIEDMONT HOUSING ALLIANCE

 Piedmont Housing Alliance’s mission is to create affordable housing opportunities and foster community through education, lending, and development. We are the backbone nonprofit affordable housing organization in the region and operate through a collaborative approach as evidenced through a broad range of partnerships from new housing development to recently jointly opening Charlottesville’s first Financial Opportunity Center. Our work reflects our core values of  Home, Justice, Respect, Hope and Community. Over the last five years, Piedmont Housing has increasingly deepened its focus on racial equity as a primary lens for the organization’s work – internally, programmatically, and through advocacy - and we strive to become an anti-racist organization.

We define anti-racism as a practice – a continual, active effort to identify, evaluate, and dismantle the beliefs and structures that perpetuate racism.  

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Program Management & Strategic Initiatives (DPMSI), reporting to the Deputy Director of Justice & Programs (DDJP), will oversee the operational aspects of the following: Resident Services, Community Building & Engagement, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) programs and services, and the Financial Opportunity Center. The DPMSI will also support organizational planning, strategy, and program integration of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) activities.

This position will directly supervise 3 staff and indirectly supervise 15+ staff. The DPMSI will ensure programmatic fidelity to Piedmont Housing’s mission and Strategic Plan goals (we are actively creating our 2023-26 Strategic Plan) - with a specific focus on, but not limited to, all areas of responsibility listed below.

The DPMSI will be part of Piedmont Housing’s Leadership Team, whose purpose is to deliberate on strategic directions and lead organizational change through an anti-racist lens, collaborative visioning, and by stewarding organizational success and community impact.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Economic Opportunity

  • Directs and manages Housing Counseling & Home Ownership, Financial Coaching, and Education, Economic Opportunity & Community Wealth-Building, and Down Payment Loan and Asset-Building programs and other resources while also serving as a liaison to the Piedmont Community and Trust (PCLT)

  • Manages relationships with lenders, realtors, and other professionals in the homebuyer education field to develop referral sources

  • Oversees effective administration of down payment loan program for affordable home ownership, the delivery of homeowner education workshops, financial education classes, and financial literacy group education classes

  • Establishes and updates intake and follow-up procedures for coordinating and providing housing counseling services, including accountability for compliance requirements with HUD, Virginia Housing, DHCD, FHA, and National Industry Standards. Responsible for updating SOPs and Work Plan

  • Maintains HUD Housing Counselor, Financial Coaching, and Train the Trainer certifications.

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

  • Supports developing and implementing a Framework for Transformation to an Anti-racist Organization, a guide and planning document with clear goals, strategies, and outcomes. 

  • Co-develops and co-implements strategic, JEDI-based efforts focused on transforming three overall facets of the organization’s work:

    • Internal Process – staff and Board culture; policies and procedures; staff and Board education 

    • Program Efficacy – from housing counseling to rental housing development; from community building to resident leadership; from client lending to wealth-building initiatives 

    • External Influence – anti-racist practice mandates that our focus extends beyond the boundary of our work; we must build allies and Influence to tackle entrenched, systemic hurdles  

Strategic Initiatives

  • Ensures the coordination of community outreach, special projects, and marketing activities.

  • Lead process to become a Certified Organization for Resident Engagement & Services (CORES)

  • Program delivery, including but not limited to food delivery, Community Building and Engagement (CBE) cohorts at Alliance Management properties and the greater community, etc.

Leadership & General Management

  •  Supervises and manages staff, fostering high-performance teams

  • Manages budget and implementation plans, ensuring efficient use of grant funds.

  • Develops monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting to the Deputy Director of Justice & Programs and funders

  • Participates in grants and funding applications.

  • Acts as a liaison with community partners, funders, and internal teams.

  • Aligns program success measures with the strategic plan and ensures goal completion.

  • Ensures compliance with certifications, contracts, and agreements.

  • Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

While this position leads several vital areas of our work, it is not our expectation that candidates have a mastery across all areas; instead, we encourage candidates to apply who have self-awareness and humility around areas they will need to grow in and the motivation and aptitude to lead the learning required to hit the ground running.

  • Minimum of 3 years of experience in financial and administrative management and compliance of federal, state and local grants

  • Leads and innovates, with motivational and entrepreneurial style, to advance strategic goals and mission impact.

  • An excellent communicator, both written and oral, able to listen for understanding and speak with confidence, sensitivity and tact. 

  • Thrives in building and maintaining collaborative relationships. 

  • Detail-oriented, with a high capacity for problem-solving, planning and organization.

  • Committed to process improvement and building capacity of staff and clients.

  • Demonstrated experience in managing budgets and program implementation.

  • HUD Certified housing counselor (or willing to achieve certification within six months of employment) that can serve as a financial coach for housing counseling and FOC clients as needed.

  • Proven ability to work with efficiency, adaptability, and good humor.

  • Project Management certification and/or training is a plus.

  • Direct experience in affordable housing, social services, or related field is a strong plus.

CONDITIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT

  • Successful completion of a criminal background check and 10-panel drug screen.

  • This position requires the willingness and ability to travel within the service region (Charlottesville city and Albemarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Greene, and Louisa Counties).

  • Candidates must own or consistently have a vehicle available for use for local and out-of-area travel as needed.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW 

Piedmont Housing offers a highly competitive salary and benefits package which includes:

  • Generous Paid Time Off

    • Four weeks PTO (sick + vacation); goes to five weeks after two years of employment

    • One extra PTO day on (or near) an employee’s birthday

    • 11paid holidays

    • ½-day Fridays during the summer months

    • Sabbatical opportunities for Director Level positions

    • Four weeks of parental leave (birth or adoption)

  • Opportunity for merit-based bonuses (up to 20% of salary)

  • Retirement

    • 3% salary contribution to 403B by PHA

    • Match up to 2%

  • Medical

    • Paid medical + dental insurance for employee

    • Dependent Care FSA

  • Training/Coaching

    • Opportunities for Executive Coaching for Director Level positions

    • Access to regular, paid training/travel opportunities through NeighborWorks Training Institutes (and other national intermediaries) as well as Virginia-specific opportunities to support skills and leadership development

Piedmont Housing Alliance is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a team that uplifts and values inclusive policies and equitable practices. Candidates of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities are encouraged to apply.


HOW TO APPLY


Please submit a resume, cover letter, and references by filing out this form. This position will close on August 18th; however, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. We will not contact references without your permission.


The Spark Mill is conducting Piedmont Housing Alliance’s Director of Program Management & Strategic Initiatives search. The Spark Mill is a Consulting Firm that supports organizations through change and champions diversity, equity, and inclusion while supporting agencies with strategic planning initiatives, change management, and people operations.