Vice President of Strategy & Development

Vice President of Strategy & Development

ABOUT US

Founded in 1991, Hope Solutions, formerly Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, is a vibrant and socially responsive non-profit agency that provides permanent housing and vital support services to over 2,000 homeless or at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County. Over 40 faith-based communities support our work, although there are no religious requirements or affiliations to receive services.

Are you seeking a new role that fully utilizes your talents and potential—while helping to make the world a better place? If so, please read on!

What are you passionate about?

At Hope Solutions—we envision a world in which everyone has a place to call home and the support of a strong community so that they can live with dignity and reach their full potential. We strive to be inclusive and responsive to community needs. We are committed to excellence and accomplish our work with integrity, respect, compassion, and humility.

Hope Solution's mission is to heal the effects of poverty and homelessness by providing permanent housing and vital support services to highly vulnerable families and individuals.

Could our mission be your mission?

Learn more about us @ hopesolutions.org 

TEAM SNAPSHOT

We're adding to our team of passionate folks—who are on a mission to help make the lives of others better—through services and support that lead to a higher quality of life for our clients. 

We'd like to learn more about you—apply for the role! What's our team like? 

Here's a snapshot of some of the folks at Hope Solutions who help advance our vision to achieve—secure housing and the dignity of self-sufficiency for the homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County.

A FEW OF US...

Deanne—Chief Executive Officer—Resides with her husband and three children. Enjoys hiking, camping, reading, cooking, and cheering at her kids' games.

Alex—Chief Operating Officer—Lives with his wife, son, and dog (and loves when the grandkids visit!). MSW and macro social worker who enjoys reading, baseball (Go Giants!), cooking, hiking, jazz, and family time.

Christina—Chief Financial Officer—Resides with her husband, son, two daughters, and their dog. MPA, Non-Profit Graduate Certificate, and 20 years in finance; enjoys traveling and family time.

Beth—Director of Clinical & Support Services—Resides with her sister and son. Licensed psychologist with 30 years working with children and families; enjoys singing, cooking, gardening, and traveling.

Bill—Vice President of Programs—Resides with his partner. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 25 years’ experience working with underserved populations, specialized training in somatic psychotherapy and end-of-life care; enjoys reading, gardening, and meditation.

Cayla—Director of Evaluation & Learning —Resides with her husband and children. MBA in Business Analytics that thrives on spreadsheet analysis, dashboard creation, and reading.

Debbie—Director of Development & External Relations—Resides with her husband, two teenagers, and a rescue mutt. Leads external relations and development with 20 years in marketing and communications.

Dominick—Director of Re-Entry Housing & Services—A fourth-generation San Francisco native and father of four, holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Leadership. In his free time, he enjoys music, travel, nature, cooking, and quarterly wine trips.

Gessika—Director of Properties & Support Services—A Bay Area native and former frontline social worker, Gessika leads housing and support programs that promote long-term stability by addressing mental health, housing access, and systemic injustice. She brings over 15 years of nonprofit leadership and clinical social work experience, with expertise in trauma-informed care, program development, and advocating for frontline staff.

Kristina—Director of Human Resources—With over 20 years of experience in HR, leadership, people management, and operations, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and is a SHRM-SCP certified professional. A Bay Area native and proud foodie, she lives with her child and enjoys spending time with her family, cycling, hiking, and keeping life light with laughter and fun.

Mashal—Director of Housing & Support Services—Resides in the Bay Area. Daughter of Afghan refugees; enjoys weekends with her son, concerts, reading, and Sonoma Coast drives; former Program Manager for housing and care for chronically homeless adults with AIDS/HIV; co-chair for Hope Solutions' CARE Committee and board member.

Tanya—Director of Rapid Re-Housing & Navigation—Resides with her husband, daughter, and two sons. Master's in Counseling Psychology with 15 years serving underserved populations; enjoys music, comedy, movies, exercising, and basketball.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Vice President of Strategy and Development (VPSD) holds responsibility for all public and private fundraising and development activities, public policy, as well as full cycle procurement, management, oversight and compliance of public contracts. This newly established position is designed to help Hope Solutions sustain and build on its rapid growth and cement key infrastructure for the long-term. This leader will serve as a thought partner to the CEO; be a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT); and collaborate closely with other senior leaders, administrative departments, program leaders, and external partners.

The VPSD will manage the existing Development team, having primary responsibility for establishing and implementing a plan for the solicitation of public grants, major gifts, special events, and corporate and foundation support. Given that approximately 95% of the organization’s annual revenue is derived from public contracts, the VPDS will devote a proportionate share of time and attention to identifying, pursuing, and managing public grant opportunities as well as overseeing the related public policy environment.

The VPSD will support the organization’s financial strategy by securing funding as well as holding responsibility for the full cycle management of organization grants, both public and private. The VPSD will oversee the management of day-to-day operations in pre- and post-award public grant administration functions, ensuring the organization is following and in compliance with all Federal, State, and local funder policies. This will include identifying potential public funding sources and evaluating their alignment with the organization’s mission, their potential to advance strategic goals, the organizational resources required to manage and sustain them, and their long-term viability through policy and fiscal analysis.  It will also include leading proposal submissions, ongoing day-to-day management, including the development of compliance and quality assurance efforts.

Finally, the VPSD will lead the organization's public policy agenda by developing strategies to sustain the public funding that supports Hope Solutions operations. This will include developing and implementing policy strategies to sustain and expand high priority public funding sources, which requires a range of activities including creating legislative and regulatory plans, writing policy briefs, managing relationships with policymakers and community stakeholders, and collaborating with internal teams to achieve policy outcomes and secure funding.  

The VP will oversee a department of at least 7 direct and indirect reports.

Essential Job Functions:

Leadership Role:

• Partner with the CEO and other members of ELT to inform strategy development, track performance against goals, inspire and direct organizational change, and generally advance Hope Solutions’ strategic vision and plan.
• In line with Hope Solutions’ strategic plan, develop and launch new initiatives, and create business and growth plans that help grow current and new programs and partnerships.
• Lead public and private fund development strategies.
• Build relationships and foster working partnerships with existing and new funders, program partners, policymakers, and a range of external partner organizations to enhance organizational visibility and support advancement of strategic initiatives, business development, and public policy agenda.
• Monitor and analyze developments, trends and issues affecting the housing and homeless service system to understand implications for our sector generally and Hope Solutions’ work specifically, and to inform the organization’s strategic priorities and business and fund development planning.
• Lead development and execution of the organization’s policy and government relations agenda by working closely with the CEO and with government agencies & policy makers, communications team, program leadership team, program partners, and coalition partners.
• Partner with housing development team complete acquisition, rehab or new construction projects in line with strategic plan goals.
• Establish performance monitoring systems and results-based dashboards to track real time progress against implementation goals. Work across the organization to foster a collaborative, results oriented culture focused on continuous quality improvement.
• Support, guide, coach and provide professional development to direct and indirect reports.
• Actively engage Board of Directors in organizational initiatives.
• Work with the CEO to represent the organization to external stakeholders in a variety of settings across all sectors and develop a role as a thought leader in housing and homeless services across relevant platforms, audiences, and communities.
  

Public Contract Acquisition, Management & Compliance:

• Drive public revenue and relationship management strategy.
• Hold responsibility for full cycle management of organization grants and contracts. This includes identification of potential public funding sources, leading proposal submissions, ongoing management, and compliance and quality assurance efforts.
• Lead/manage government proposal submissions, including developing proposal scope, staffing plan, performance benchmarks, and budget, in partnership with senior leadership. 
• Review of incoming award notifications, contracts, and subcontracts for language, compliance, budget, and other pre-award issues. 
• Develop and oversee a contract management system for tracking the full cycle government grant process. This includes maintaining a comprehensive contract database to ensure the senior management team has timely, accurate, and actionable information for decision-making.
• Create system to manage day-to-day operations of pre- and post-award public grant administration functions, including compliance with all Federal, State, and local funder policies.
• Regularly meet with external contract partners to report on the status of contract deliverables, build rapport, and troubleshoot early and often.   
• Liaise with program, administrative, and fiscal units to address and resolve fiscal and program-related issues prior to award implementation.
• Manage and oversee the contract renewal process, engaging and collaborating with peers from finance, data, and program, as necessary. 
• Design and execute an internal audit and compliance testing plan, in collaboration with Program Directors / Managers, Accounting Manager, and the Data Manager. 
• Facilitate and lead the quarterly contract monitoring meetings with peers from program, finance, and data departments.   
• Coordinate with and utilize contract grant writers as needed.
• Hire/train Manager of Contracts and Compliance to manage all administrative and day-to-day management of contracts, execute internal audit process and maintain relationships with internal and external partners.

Public Policy & Advocacy Responsibilities:

• Strategically assess public funding sources and monitor legislative and regulatory activity to identify potential impacts on contract stability.
• Develop and apply clear criteria and transparent processes to guide organizational policy engagement, ensuring alignment with funding priorities and capacity.
• Lead the development of an annual policy agenda focused on sustaining and expanding core public contracts, and ensure alignment across staff, board, and advisory groups.
• Evaluate the strategic value of coalition participation, networks, and recurring policy forums, prioritizing engagement that advances organizational policy objectives.
• Integrate policy strategies with program operations, fundraising, and communications to create a unified and strategic advocacy voice.
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit lobbying rules by developing internal guidelines, providing staff and board training, and maintaining systems to track lobbying activities and expenditures.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with public agency partners and policymakers to protect and grow public funding streams.
• Partner with client and community advocates to align their efforts with organizational policy priorities, providing training and support to maximize impact.
• Engage the Board of Directors strategically in policy and advocacy work, equipping them with the information and guidance needed to make informed decisions and amplify the organization’s policy priorities.

Development & Fundraising Responsibilities: 

• Oversee the fund development department, team, and systems, including ensuring the development of a comprehensive and strategic annual business and fund development plan to include individual, corporate, and foundation grants.
• Advance communications objectives to support Hope Solutions’ strategic goals by providing executive leadership and support of the communications team. Integrate strategic communications efforts across all functions of the organization.
• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to develop and implement Hope Solutions financial strategy. Actively work with the CEO and senior staff to develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy to include corporate, foundation, government grants, etc.
• Have primary responsibility for development and execution of all proposals; write and archive all proposals with a long-term relationship-management approach.
• Oversee research funding sources and trends, with foresight, to help position Hope Solutions ahead of major funding changes or trends.
• Monitor all donor information, including revenue secured through public contracts; provide and present statistical analysis to board and senior leaders.
• Design and carry out a stewardship program that strengthens engagement with donors and builds deeper, more collaborative relationships with public agencies overseeing the organization’s contracts.
• Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program.

Cultural Responsiveness: 

• Awareness of and aptitude to understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based differences within group environments appropriately and effectively.
• Knowledge of and commitment to concepts and issues tied to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion and belonging.
• Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, personal humility and, authenticity backgrounds, and goals.
• Participate in and complete our new employee onboarding process, which includes reading and discussing a short chapter in the book, The Color of Law.

Organizational/Administrative Responsibilities:

• Professionally represent Hope Solutions in all circumstances.
• Comply with all legal/ethical professional guidelines for maintaining consumer confidentiality, adhering to HIPAA guidelines, protecting consumer rights, advocating on consumers' behalf, and assuring consumer safety.
• Comply with all local, state, and federal regulations and Hope Solutions policies and procedures.
• Attend all required meetings, including but not limited to Hope Solutions staff meetings and linkage meetings with other agencies.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Position Qualifications:

• 10 years of experience in nonprofit management, demonstrated success in a development function.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning, and project management skills, with experience leading cross-functional and multi-stakeholder teams.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and change; skilled at learning from challenges and adapting strategies accordingly.
• Proven ability to lead, design, and implement strategic plans and high-impact programs in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong commitment to social justice.
• Demonstrated success in providing senior-level leadership, including participation in executive teams and effective collaboration with boards of directors.
• Strong public presence and communication skills, with experience representing an organization to community partners, funders, and policymakers.
• Ability to recruit, mentor, and lead high-performing staff while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Network of relationships across housing, homelessness, health, philanthropy, and policy sectors.
• Commitment to supporting persons with lived experience (PWLE) as part of organizational decision-making.
• Awareness of and aptitude to understand, respect, and adapt to cultural differences within group environments appropriately and effectively.
• Proven ability to cultivate and sustain strong relationships with public agency officials, county leaders, and key external stakeholders to strengthen and expand public funding streams
• Expertise in assessing public funding sources and analyzing legislative and regulatory developments to determine potential impacts on contract stability.
• Demonstrated ability to lead the creation and implementation of an annual policy agenda aligned with organizational goals.
• Knowledge of coalition-building and experience evaluating and prioritizing external partnerships for maximum impact.
• Extensive expertise in local, state, and federal public funding streams that align with and support the organization’s mission
• Proven ability to design, implement, and oversee contract management systems, including comprehensive databases that support executive decision-making.
• Experience managing government grant processes from proposal development to award negotiation, implementation, renewal, and compliance.
• Demonstrated skill in coordinating across program, fiscal, and administrative teams to ensure alignment and compliance in contract execution.
• Demonstrated fundraising expertise, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders such as funders, community partners, corporate sponsors, and board members.
• Strong grant-writing and proposal development skills, with a history of securing significant funding and building long-term funder relationships.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required; graduate degree or certification in public policy, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred.
• Bi-lingual in English/Spanish preferred.
• Operational vehicle, valid California driver’s license, auto insurance, and willingness to drive for work required.
• Must pass LiveScan background check and TB test.
• Salary contingent upon experience and qualifications.

Physical Qualifications:

• The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodation may enable individuals with disabilities to perform basic functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit at their desk for an extended period, use hands to finger for computer keyboard input, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee frequently is required to talk or hear.
• The employee must frequently lift and move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and move up to 25 pounds. 
• Mobility to use standard office equipment, including a computer, vision to read printed materials, a computer screen, and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Flexible, dynamic work environment.
• 100% premium paid for employee Kaiser health and dental care.
• Matched 403b retirement savings.
• 11 paid holidays, plus 3 floating holidays.
• Ability to accrue 2-4 weeks' vacation depending on tenure.
• Life insurance and Employee Assistance Program.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. If you're a good fit, we want to meet you!

* Please be advised that we are unable to provide sponsorship for this position. The nature of the work at Hope Solutions does not qualify us to support sponsorship. Only candidates authorized to work in the USA without the need for sponsorship will be considered.

Salary : $133 - $175