Vice President, Residential Real Estate Development & Portfolio Strategy

Heartshare Human Services is seeking an accomplished and visionary executive to lead the long-term strategy, planning, development, and optimization of its OPWDD residential real estate portfolio. This role ensures alignment with the organization's mission, strategic growth, financial sustainability, and commitment to delivering exceptional, person-centered services.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive 5–10-year residential real estate and asset management strategy aligned with Heartshare's mission, organizational priorities, demographic trends, and OPWDD requirements.
• Establish an enterprise-wide portfolio management framework balancing operational performance, regulatory compliance, financial sustainability, person-centered outcomes, and long-term growth.
• Create executive dashboards and key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor portfolio performance, occupancy, capital investments, deferred maintenance, accessibility, utilization, and overall portfolio health.
• Present portfolio performance, strategic investment recommendations, and enterprise risk assessments to Executive Leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Lead all residential acquisition, development, redevelopment, relocation, modernization, and portfolio optimization initiatives across the organization.
• Maintain a multi-year development pipeline with defined milestones, budgets, timelines, risks, and measurable outcomes.
• Optimize the residential portfolio through strategic reinvestment, consolidation, rightsizing, lifecycle planning, and replacement of aging assets.
• Utilize predictive analytics and demographic, operational, clinical, and financial data to guide capital planning, investment decisions, and future residential service expansion.
• Evaluate and implement innovative housing models, universal design principles, smart home technologies, sustainable building practices, and accessibility improvements.
• Direct property identification, site selection, acquisition, due diligence, feasibility assessments, and adaptive reuse opportunities for new residential development.
• Evaluate environmental, infrastructure, climate resilience, insurance, operational, and long-term financial risks associated with existing and proposed properties.
• Develop long-range capital investment and forecasting strategies integrating lifecycle replacement planning, facility modernization, and organizational growth.
• Partner with Finance and Development to secure grants, tax incentives, financing opportunities, philanthropic investments, and public-private partnerships.
• Serve as the executive liaison with OPWDD and other regulatory agencies to advance residential development initiatives and ensure compliance.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with government agencies, community organizations, elected officials, funding partners, and neighborhood stakeholders.
• Provide executive oversight of residential development projects to ensure delivery on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with regulatory, safety, and organizational standards.
• Establish standardized project governance, executive reporting, post-occupancy evaluations, and continuous improvement processes.
• Ensure all residential development initiatives reflect current and future service needs while incorporating person-centered planning, aging-in-place principles, accessibility, and universal design standards.
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing residential development team while fostering accountability, collaboration, succession planning, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Identify and mitigate enterprise risks related to real estate development, regulatory compliance, finance, operations, environmental factors, and market conditions.
• Champion innovative housing solutions, emerging technologies, and strategic initiatives that strengthen Heartshare's residential portfolio.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or equivalent (required).
• Master’s degree in real estate, business or public administration, planning, or related field (preferred).
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in real estate development, affordable housing, supportive housing, healthcare facilities, special needs housing, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success leading complex acquisition, development, relocation, or portfolio transformation initiatives.
• Experience managing multi-site development pipelines and capital projects.
• Knowledge of OPWDD, HCBS, healthcare, disabled housing, or other highly regulated residential environments (strongly preferred).
• Experience presenting to executive leadership, governing boards, and public stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of real estate transactions, zoning, environmental review, land use considerations, and construction processes.
• Demonstrated success negotiating purchase agreements, leases, and development transactions.
• Strong financial modeling, capital planning, budgeting, and project finance skills.
• Experience securing public, private, or grant funding sources (preferred).
• Knowledge of ADA accessibility requirements, Universal Design principles, and aging-in-place strategies (strongly preferred).
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive organizational change.
• Commitment to person-centered services and improving the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Benefits

• Paid vacation, sick, personal days, and holidays.
• 403(B) retirement plans with employer contribution.
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Flexible spending account (Dependent Care, Medical, Parking, and Transit).
• Employee Appreciation Programs and Events.
• Tuition Assistance Program.
• Professional Development opportunities.
• Wellhub Discount.

About Heartshare

For over 150 years, Heartshare has been dedicated to championing and empowering New Yorkers society has too often overlooked and underestimated. HeartShare Human Services of New York nurtures and empowers children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.