Housing Program Manager

About the role

The salary range is $80,000 - $115,000 (plus benefits), depending on direct, relevant experience. This is a full-time, 30-month grant-funded position. This time-limited role will terminate on or about January 31, 2029, unless additional funding is secured to extend the position.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for approximately 10 participating cities, providing ongoing support as they develop and execute city-specific workplans.
• Guide cities through onboarding by orienting city staff to program resources, expectations, milestones, and timelines, ensuring grant activities align with program guidelines and requirements.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with city staff and partners to support cities in developing and executing workplans to implement pro-housing policies and support problem-solving and sustained engagement.
• Support the development and execution of an in-depth technical assistance initiative designed to help cities boost housing supply and pursue innovative housing policy solutions.
• Work closely with the Project Director and collaborate regularly with staff from the program’s administrative coordinating partner (external consulting firm) to support program design and execution, including development of templates for workplans, reports, and other required deliverables.
• Affirmatively support the refinement of tools and processes that support consistent and effective TA delivery across cities.
• Monitor city progress toward identified goals, milestones, and objectives, working closely with staff from administrative coordinating partner.
• Identify challenges, risks, or capacity gaps and elevate issues to the Project Director with proposed solutions or recommendations.
• Support troubleshooting and course correction to keep cities on track toward desired outcomes.
• Coordinate with the administrative coordinating partner and subject matter experts to schedule regular check-ins, meetings, and TA activities with participating cities.
• Ensure smooth communication and follow-through among cities, consultants, and internal program staff.
• Affirmatively support the preparation of subject matter experts for effective, well-aligned technical assistance engagements.
• Work with the Project Director to identify, design, and implement peer learning opportunities among participating cities, including cohorts, webinars, and shared learning sessions.
• Coordinate and implement cohort-based convenings and peer learning sessions, including developing agendas, preparing briefing materials, and documenting key takeaways for distribution to participants.
• Provide quality assurance / quality control on all technical assistance deliverables and related communications.
• Support documentation and dissemination of promising practices, tools, and lessons learned across the cohort.
• Support the Project Director and SMEs in developing content, materials, and communications needed for TA delivery and participant engagement.
• Monitor progress toward program-wide goals and milestones.
• Capture success stories, challenges, feedback, and insights from participating cities to inform continuous improvement and external communications.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to take on increasing professional responsibility with at least 7 years of relevant work experience in city government, housing development, or related fields. Hands-on experience in city or local government, including roles in mayor’s offices, city departments or close partners to local government entities, strongly desired.

Bachelor’s degree and experience, expertise and knowledge in the areas of public policy, public administration, political science, economics, urban planning, project management, or business preferred. We actively value practical experience and proven capabilities in lieu of formal education.

Experience and passion for inclusive economic growth and improving outcomes for underserved and historically disinvested people and places.

Very strong written and oral communication skills, including demonstrated ability to understand, communicate with, and authentically engage people across a wide range of different geographies, backgrounds and lived experiences.

Content knowledge in housing, local economic and community development, place-based innovation strategies, innovative finance and capital attraction, and/or federal funding sources.

Strong attention to detail, ability to plan out next steps, and successfully execute against a work plan, while remaining adaptable to changing circumstances and community or team needs.

Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a small, entrepreneurial, and fast-paced team in a fully-remote work environment with relentless positivity.

Genuinely loves working in community, meeting new people, finding common ground, and respect for difference.

Qualifications

Ability to sit for long periods (up to 3.5 hours at a time) with occasional short breaks; Ability to travel by train, plane and automobile without assistance to and from events and meetings; Minimal movement required; primarily stationary or seated tasks; Ability to use a computer, phone, or other office equipment for extended periods; and Ability to communicate effectively in writing and/or verbally with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a small, entrepreneurial, and fast-paced team in a fully-remote work environment with relentless positivity.

Benefits

AFA currently offers a competitive benefits package that includes comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance, as well as a 401(K) retirement plan with a partial employer match.