If you are passionate about vibrant and inclusive communities where all residents have access to affordable housing and opportunities to thrive, and you are looking to grow in your career as a public housing professional, then the Town of Chapel Hill invites you to explore its Public Housing Manager position.The Town seeks a compassionate, experienced professional to uphold the Affordable Housing and Community Connections Department’s mission of Creating Partnerships, Catalyzing Affordable Housing, and Building Community in their next Public Housing Manager. 

The ideal candidate has public housing experience and can quickly adapt to the unique public housing structure in Chapel Hill, where public housing is a department of the municipal government. The ideal candidate will also have leadership experience or an interest in assuming a leadership role in public housing within a strong structure of support and collaboration. The next Public Housing Manager demonstrates and reflects a DEI approach to ensure community inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability in public housing. 

Utilizing collaborative relationships and key resources such as the Town's Complete Community Strategy, Affordable Housing Plan, and Public Housing Master Plan, the Public Housing Manager will confidently and passionately lead the Town’s public housing division through a season of strategic direction and opportunity. This leader is a visionary who sees and pursues opportunities with innovative methods and a collaborative approach to support the department’s mission. 

About the Community: 

The Town of Chapel Hill, founded in 1819 and chartered in 1851, was named for the Church of England New Hope Chapel, which once stood atop the hill’s crossroads. This thriving, multicultural university community has a population of over 60,000 and frequently appears in national “best place to live” listings. As home to the nation's first public institution of higher learning and a lively and successful Tar Heel sports program, Chapel Hill is a picturesque community of 21 square miles filled with trees, historic and mid-century architecture, and a thriving downtown.

Chapel Hill is a recognized pioneer in education, research, and innovation – a place where ideas are born. Home to brilliant minds, award-winning restaurants, innovative businesses, highly rated public schools, museums, galleries, festivals, and athletic events, and a vibrant music and performing arts scene, community members and visitors have abundant opportunities in this creative town. The Town’s fare-free transit system provides community members with accessible transportation. The Town also prides itself on having over 1,200 units of high-quality, permanently affordable housing integrated into the community, with several hundred affordable housing units in the pipeline for development over the next five years.

Town community members passionate about supporting the Tar Heels and showcasing their Carolina Blue are equally passionate about equity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, and affordable housing. Community members enjoy pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, greenways, trails, and over 700 acres of parks and open space. Located in the beautiful Piedmont region of central North Carolina, Chapel Hill sits within a few hours of the coast and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and is less than a 30-minute drive from Research Triangle Park and the RDU International Airport. Chapel Hill’s major employers are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC Health Care, Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of N.C. These thriving institutions help sustain a stable employment base consistently above state and national benchmarks. Chapel Hill’s emerging entrepreneurial community is led by LaUNCh, an internationally recognized business accelerator program and collaborative venture of the Town, Orange County, and the University. Demographically, the racial composition of Chapel Hill in the 2020 census was 71% white, 14% Asian, and 10% black. About 7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

About the Organization:

The Town operates under a Council-Manager form of government, with the Town Manager reporting to the Mayor and eight at-large Council members. The Town has an approved $150 million budget for FY 23 – 24 with 715 benefitted full-time positions and 200 non-benefited positions. 

The Town’s mission is Learning, Serving, and Working Together to Build a Community Where People Thrive. The Town’s RESPECT values (Responsibility, Equity, Safety, Professionalism, Ethics, Communication, and Teamwork) are a compass for accomplishing that mission. 

The Town’s strategic focus areas include Environmental Stewardship, Economic and Financial Stewardship, Affordable Housing, Connected Community, Healthy and Inclusive Community, Safe Community, and Employee Recruitment and Retention. Find more information about the Town here.

About the Department and Position:

The Town's Affordable Housing and Community Connections Department includes three operational divisions: public housing, affordable housing, and community connections, which work collaboratively to execute the Town Council's affordable housing and equitable community engagement goals. The department is committed to fostering an environment where everyone on the team is empowered to lead and achieve results consistent with the Council's goals and the department's work plan.

The Public Housing division manages a portfolio of 296 Public Housing units in 12 well-located neighborhoods. Its neighborhoods are mostly low-density townhouse-style developments with attractive green spaces, playgrounds, community gardens, and community centers. They are accessible to public transportation, parks, and downtown Chapel Hill. Infrastructure within these neighborhoods ranges in age from 30-57 years old, many of which need substantial renovation or redevelopment. 

Chapel Hill’s Public Housing serves a diverse group of residents. The division’s nearly 300 households represent 15 countries and over 13 global languages. Eighty-seven percent of residents identify as people of color. Eighty-eight percent of households have incomes below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and 52% have income from earned wages. Fifty-two percent of households have dependent children, and 41% of heads of household are elderly and/or disabled. 

Recognized regionally and nationally for their focus on innovative affordable housing and engagement practices, Chapel Hill’s Affordable Housing and Community Connections department’s work has been featured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Housing Conference, the Alliance for Innovation, the Harvard Kennedy School, the Migration Policy Institute, and ICMA. 

The Public Housing Manager will lead the Town’s public housing operations. The Managerwill chart a path forward for the Town’s aging portfolio of housing units and nurture the department’s existing efforts to deepen resident engagement and leadership development.

Reporting to the Director of Affordable Housing and Community Connections, the Public Housing Manager will lead the division’s staff team and manage a budget of approximately $4.5M budget($2.588M operating budget), the majority of which is funded byfederal grants and rents paid by residents. The somewhat unique structure of the department provides this position and the Public Housing division with a structure of support and opportunities for collaboration within the department and broader organization.

Key Priorities:

• Evaluate operations, programs, and structure through a DEI and regulatory compliance lens and advocate for necessary changes. 
• Improve key indicators of successful management of Chapel Hill’s housing inventory as identified by HUD and the Town Council.
• In collaboration with public housing residents, staff, and community partners, develop a comprehensive strategic plan to chart a sustainable future for Chapel Hill’s Public Housing operations and portfolio of housing. 
• Engage Public Housing residents to build positive relationships, listen to their needs, and develop leadership within each neighborhood. 
• Navigate staffing vacancies and goals, including working collaboratively on career progression, sustainable workloads, competitive pay, and team development. 

The following are required: 

• Five (5) years of progressive experience working in the field of public housing.
• A bachelor's degree in public administration, planning, business, real estate finance, or related field, or equivalent experience. Master's degree preferred.
• Work history across various aspects of public and affordable housing operations and progressive levels of responsibility in public housing administration.
• Knowledge of HUD regulations and experience managing substantial renovations and redevelopment projects using RAD and other affordable housing tools.

The Successful Candidate is:

• knowledgeable about public housing operations and best practices and has experience in property management and redevelopment; 
• an empowering leader equally dedicated to building a cohesive team as well as the development of individual employees; 
• a skilled collaborator who builds and sustains relationships with residents and community partners; 
• an excellent and effective communicator who confidently and persuasively engages residents, community groups, staff, and town leaders; 
• an innovative and creative problem solver with a track record of navigating challenges proactively; 
• a lifelong learner who maintains knowledge of trends and initiatives regionally and nationally; 
• an experienced financial manager who can creatively manage limited resources, including capital funding; 
• familiar with or has the willingness to learn the Mutual Learning Model; and, 
• able to manage many priorities simultaneously while remaining focused on the big picture. 

Salary and Benefits: The hiring range for this position is $76,914-$105,000.Compensation is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. View the Town’s excellent benefits package here. 

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Public Housing Manager– Town of Chapel Hill, NC title. Please note the following: 

• All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the town’s employment application portal or any other external website. 
• Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application. 
• Applicants should apply by June 22, 2024.
• The hiring team will invite successful semi-finalists to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation on July 22 - 23, 2024. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate. 
• Direct inquiries to hiring@developmentalassociates.com.

The Town of Chapel Hill is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Developmental Associates, LLC manages this position's recruitment and selection process. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select “Client Openings," and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.”