Homebuyer Program Manager

About the role

Department: Housing Services / Homeownership Programs. Reports to: VP of Programming. Full-time, salaried position.

The Homebuyer Program Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, quality, and performance of the homebuyer program. This role supervises housing counselors serving higher-pathway clients (e.g., mortgage-ready and advanced clients) as well as the Intake Coordinator, ensuring a seamless, efficient, and client-centered pipeline from initial inquiry through program progression. In addition to program oversight, this position directly manages the front-end client pathway, including intake oversight, underwriting readiness assessment, application screening, and client assignment into defined pathways (“tracks”). The Manager serves as the primary decision-maker for client entry and progression within the program. As the program grows, the front-end pathway and underwriting functions are expected to evolve into a dedicated role or team. The Homebuyer Program Manager will play a key role in building, standardizing, and eventually transitioning these responsibilities.

Responsibilities

Program Oversight & Staff Supervision

• Supervise and support housing counseling staff working with higher-pathway clients, including pre-purchase/mortgage-ready counselors and advanced or specialized counseling roles
• Supervise the Intake Coordinator to ensure efficient front-end client processing
• Conduct regular supervision meetings, case reviews, and file audits
• Establish and monitor staff performance goals, caseload benchmarks, and outcomes
• Provide coaching, training, and professional development
• Ensure consistent service delivery aligned with program standards and client pathways

Front-End Pathway Management (Intake, Underwriting & Assignment)

• Lead and oversee the full intake and triage process from initial inquiry through counselor assignment
• Conduct and/or oversee application screening and underwriting readiness assessments, including income, credit, debt, and asset review; risk identification and readiness determination
• Serve as the primary decision-maker for client eligibility, pathway placement, and program entry
• Assign clients to appropriate pathways or counselors based on readiness and program fit
• Develop and refine standardized criteria for client assessment and assignment

Pipeline & Workflow Development

• Design, implement, and continuously improve workflows connecting intake, education, counseling, and mortgage readiness
• Monitor pipeline flow to prevent bottlenecks and ensure timely client movement
• Collaborate with the Educational Coordinator to align education completion with intake readiness
• Build systems that support scalability and future role specialization

Client Pathway (Track) Oversight

• Implement and maintain standardized client pathways (e.g., credit repair, financial stabilization, mortgage-ready)
• Ensure consistent application of pathway criteria across staff
• Monitor client progression, timelines, and outcomes across pathways
• Identify trends in client barriers and recommend program adjustments

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Ensure all counseling activities meet HUD housing counseling standards and organizational policies
• Conduct routine file reviews for accuracy, completeness, and compliance
• Maintain program readiness for audits, monitoring, and reporting requirements
• Standardize documentation practices across the team

Community Referral Oversight

• Oversee the intake and assignment of referrals from community partners
• Ensure timely response and appropriate service delivery
• Support strong partner relationships by maintaining high-quality referral experiences

Data, Reporting & Performance Management

• Track and analyze key program metrics: intake-to-program conversion rates, client assignment timelines, progression across pathways, counseling outcomes and readiness benchmarks
• Prepare internal reports and support external reporting needs
• Use data to inform staffing, workflow improvements, and program design

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the Educational Coordinator to align curriculum with client needs and readiness gaps
• Coordinate with mortgage or lending partners to ensure smooth client transitions
• Provide feedback to leadership on program trends, challenges, and opportunities

Core Competencies

• Staff supervision & team development
• Program operations & workflow management
• Underwriting readiness & financial analysis
• Pipeline and systems thinking
• Compliance & quality assurance
• Data analysis & performance management

Qualifications

• HUD Housing Counseling Certification (required)
• 4+ years of experience in housing counseling, financial coaching, or mortgage services
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience required
• Strong understanding of mortgage readiness and underwriting basics
• Strong understanding of credit and financial capability coaching
• Strong understanding of housing counseling program compliance requirements
• Experience with client management systems (HMIS, CRM, or similar)
• Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills

Role Evolution

Current State: Oversees program operations and staff; directly manages intake oversight, underwriting readiness, client assessment and assignment.

Future State (As Program Scales): Transitions front-end pathway responsibilities to a dedicated role or team (e.g., Foundational Counselor or Intake & Assessment Manager); focuses primarily on program leadership, staff supervision, performance management, strategic growth and partnerships.

Pay

Starting salary range: $60,000 – $65,000.