Lead Safe Ombudsperson

Lead Safe Ombudsperson City of Cleveland — Office of the Senior Advisor for Lead Accountability

Position Overview The City of Cleveland is seeking a Lead Safe Ombudsperson to serve as a structured, independent, and confidential channel for residents, landlords, and contractors to raise concerns about the city's lead-safe housing program. Reporting to the Senior Advisor for Lead Accountability, this position will support accountability and transparency across the Departments of Public Health, Community Development, Law, and Building and Housing, as well as the city's partnerships with external lead-safe housing organizations.

This role is a direct response to the Mayor's commitment to rebuilding trust with Clevelanders on lead poisoning prevention and to ensuring that no resident who reaches out for help goes unanswered.

Under administrative direction, is responsible for planning and adminstering a specific project or program for a City department. Serves as the administrative supervisor on projects or programs. Plans, assigns, supervises, and reviews activities of subordinate personnel. Monitors the project or program's operating budget and assists in the annual preparation of same. Designs, implements, and monitors procedures utilized in program evaluation. Develops and secures commitments from other City departments and agencies to provide services to program participants. Provides technical assistance or reviews program policies and procedures. Maintains current information and oversees the preparation of project status reports. Prepares financial and narrative reports and program applications. Communicates project/program status and information to municipal officials and/or public and private entities. May supervise employees assigned to the respective project. Performs other related duties as required.Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Business or Public Administration, Social Sciences, or closely related field preferred.  Two (2) years of any equivalent combination of education, training and experience in program administration required.  Must be able to lift and carry thirty (30) pounds.  Valid State of Ohio Driver's License required.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for residents, landlords, and contractors who have concerns, complaints, or questions about the city's lead-safe housing programs
• Receive, log, and follow up on complaints through multiple intake channels including phone, online, and in-person
• Maintain confidentiality of individual cases while identifying and reporting aggregate trends and systemic issues to program leadership
• Deliver quarterly reports to the Lead Safe Advisory Board on complaint patterns, program gaps, and recommendations for improvement
• Accept questions and feedback from the Lead Safe Advisory Board members
• Coordinate with staff across CDPH, Building and Housing, Community Development, and Law to resolve complaints and track outcomes
• Help residents navigate the lead-safe housing system, including referrals to appropriate city departments, the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, and the Lead Safe Resource Center
• Identify patterns in complaints that signal systemic problems and bring those findings to the Senior Advisor for Lead Accountability
• Support the city's broader goal of rebuilding public trust in lead poisoning prevention programs

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Experience in program administration, community outreach, or public-facing government roles
• Familiarity with lead-safe housing policy, tenant rights, or public health strongly preferred
• Direct experience in lead abatement construction a plus, such as experience as a licensed Lead Risk Assessor, Lead Abatement Contractor, or similar field role — this background helps the ombudsperson understand the technical concerns residents and contractors raise
• Strong attention to detail and case management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including experience working with residents who may be frustrated, confused, or in difficult circumstances
• Collaborative work style with experience coordinating across multiple departments or organizations
• Commitment to confidentiality, impartiality, and fairness

The City's guiding principles are as follows: Placing Clevelanders at the Center, Empowering Employees to Do Purposeful Work, Defining Clear and Pragmatic Objectives, Leading with Trust and Transparency, Striving for Equity in All We Do, and Embracing Change. All City employees are responsible for embracing and carrying out these principles in all that they do.

Salary : $70,000 - $85,000