Chief Program Officer
Scion Executive Search has been retained to identify the incoming Chief Program Officer on behalf of our incredible client, Mercy Housing; an organization dedicated to redefining affordable housing. As a national nonprofit organization, Mercy Housing is committed to building a more humane world where poverty is alleviated, communities are healthy, and all people have the ability to develop their full potential!
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this full-time opportunity is for immediate hire and can be based in Denver, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington; San Francisco, California; Los Angeles, California; or Sacramento, California.
About Mercy Housing:
Mercy Housing, Inc. is a leading national affordable housing nonprofit headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1981 and operating in 41 states, Mercy Housing has decades of experience developing, preserving, managing, and financing affordable housing with regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, and Seattle. Mercy Housing subsidiaries further the organization’s mission: Mercy Housing Management Group provides professional property management and Mercy Community Capital finances nonprofit organizations.
Mercy Housing serves tens of thousands of people with low incomes, including families, seniors, veterans, people who have experienced homelessness, and people with disabilities. Recognizing that people often need more than a home to build a stable life, Mercy Housing supplements much of its housing with Resident Services offered in the following program areas: Health and Wellness, Out-Of-School Programs, Financial Stability, Community Involvement, and Housing Stability. Today, Mercy Housing has Resident Services at approximately 75 percent of their properties so that all residents can benefit from the support and assistance Mercy Housing provides. Mercy Housing is dedicated to achieving the goal of having Resident Services offered at every Mercy Housing community. To learn more about Mercy Housing and the services the organization provides, visit mercyhousing.org.
Position Overview:
Affordable housing is just one step in the process of building a stable life after a struggle with housing. Oftentimes, residents who find a home with Mercy Housing have struggled with some of life’s toughest challenges. High housing costs, job loss, illness, substance abuse, trauma, and isolation are just some of the barriers facing Mercy Housing residents. To support residents so that they can live healthy, secure, and dignified lives, Mercy Housing offers a full spectrum of services which foster continued growth and empowerment for residents and their families including financial literacy/financial stability, housing stability, health & wellness education, out-of-school programs, and community engagement.
The Chief Program Officer is an executive leadership position which strategically oversees Mercy Housing’s National Resident Services Program to ensure residents can access the tools and support they may need to thrive. Mercy Housing is a leader in program enriched housing for nearly 40 years, meeting and/or exceeding industry best practices. The Chief Program Officer is a role which continuously strives to strategically position Mercy Housing as an industry leader!
Directly overseeing the Senior Vice President of National Resident Services, this role also provides indirect leadership across the country to support Mercy Housing’s Strategic Plan, which focuses vigorously on transformational resident engagement programs, initiatives, and their impact on resident health and satisfaction. To be successful in this role, the Chief Program Officer will foster effective partnership with Regional Presidents and Resident Services leads in each Geographic Business Center (GBC), as well as with the Mercy Housing Executive Leadership Team to develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated approach to Mercy Housing’s resident engagement work; including resident survey activities, Community Connect implementation and training, and other implementation elements.
In addition to serving as an advocate of resident needs to Mercy Housing’s Executive Leadership Team as well as the Board of Directors, the Chief Program Officer represents Mercy Housing externally on issues related to Resident Services, affordable housing, and resident engagement. As a creative visionary, the Chief Program Officer facilitates resource development and serves as the subject matter expert on Resident Services, making strategic contributions to ensure residents of Mercy Housing properties can raise their voices and ensure these collective voices are heard!
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead efforts in accordance with the Strategic Plan to further transform Mercy Housing into a resident-centric nonprofit through diplomatic oversight of resident engagement work in all parts of the organization.
- Support the evolution of an organizational culture dedicated to inclusion and collaboration, providing leadership and guidance as Mercy Housing moves through paradigm and culture shifts that places residents and their lived experiences in a central role in the organization.
- Lead and coordinate efforts to ensure that current Mercy Housing resident programs and initiatives (out-of-school time, financial and housing stability, health, etc.) are executed in a consistent manner, through the sharing and scaling of evidence-based best practices congruent with approaches that are resident-centered.
- Facilitate positive, collaborative connections across regions, collaborating with all regional GBCs to create and implement reporting which ensures transparency for the Executive Leadership Team, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Trustees regarding Resident Services activity and impact data.
- Oversee program evaluation and performance benchmarking, setting goals for short-term and long-term outcomes of Mercy Housing’s Resident Service programs and initiatives.
- Coordinate education and training for property management and Resident Services staff to support new methods and approaches related to effective resident engagement.
- Develop, review, and evaluate all processes and procedures related to Resident Services engagement and delivery, codifying said practices to ensure consistency and operational excellence across the national organization.
- Ensure monitoring and evaluation framework and data collection processes on behalf of Mercy Housing’s Resident Services (Mercy Measures) are poised to provide the necessary information to support the needs of the Philanthropy function across the organization as well as the relationship between Mercy Housing and its Strategic Healthcare Partners (SHCPs).
- Participate in Investment Committee as a voting member to ensure Resident Service programs and funding remain top of mind/are discussed and considered as a key element of success in the Real Estate Development Pipeline.
- Support the development and implementation of a national fundraising strategy in partnership with the SVP of National Philanthropy, Regional Presidents, and other key internal stakeholders.
- Explore and leverage evolving program innovation opportunities, staying apprised of the changing Resident Services and healthcare landscapes within affordable housing, regionally and nationally.
- Strategically connect and collaborate with cross-sector Subject Matter Experts in managed care, community health, and healthcare reform while pursuing and cultivating formal partnerships with funders, other affordable housing providers, community-based service agencies, and healthcare providers.
- Collaborate with the Board of Trustees and Chief Executive Officer to source/recruit potential Board members with lived experience, healthcare, educational, and community service expertise.
- Educate and inform board members and management staff throughout the Mercy Housing system on emerging trends and Resident Service delivery impact on residents, the community, and health outcomes.
- Partner with regional staff and SHCPs; engaging in the development and execution of the housing and health workplan in each of Mercy Housing’s regional offices.
Qualifications:
- A four (4) year college/university degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience required.
- 5+ years as a senior executive with proven experience in multi-region environments, supporting large human services or community development focused organizations.
- Strong passion for the mission and values of Mercy Housing.
- Subject matter expertise related to program delivery and design, including creation of partnerships with community-based service agencies and/or healthcare facilities.
- Expertise in data-driven analysis, decision making, and program evaluation.
- Successful track record in leading and influencing high-powered, geographically diverse teams.
- Ability to lead by influence rather than authority and build consensus around decisions; consistently employing confidence, humility, curiosity as well as a participative/ collaborative style of decision-making.
- Professional presence that engenders credibility with a firm mastery of effective communication skills (oral and written) as well as exceptional talent in public speaking, to enable effective engagement with internal and external audiences alike.
- Strong commitment to fostering organizational racial equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI).
- Proven ability to seamlessly navigate a wide variety of social settings, including diverse social and economic environments, with a congenial and persuasive demeanor and strong ability to “tell the story” of Mercy Housing’s core values.
- Ability to travel (up to 50%) to build internal and external relationships.
Compensation & Benefits:
In addition to a competitive base salary of $230,000 Mercy Housing also provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes access to robust Health, Vision & Dental Insurance, EAP, FSA, Basic AD&D coverage, STD, LTD, 403(b) with up to 4% employer match after year one, 8 hours of annual paid volunteer time, 15 days of annual PTO, as well as 11 paid annual holidays per year!
How to Apply:
For immediate consideration, please submit your application (attaching your resume and cover letter in MS Word) online through https://www.scionstaffing.com/job/7290
About Our Firm:
Scion Executive Search is a retained executive search firm connecting executive nonprofit leadership to nonprofit organizations and foundations across the country. Born out of the nonprofit sector, we provide expert search strategies and leadership for your organization. Our executive candidates are true agents for change, and we are experts at matching their talents, motivations, and passions to your organization’s mission. Scion Executive Search has led hundreds of successful executive searches. Information about our firm and successes can be found online at http://www.scionexecutivesearch.com.
Scion is an equal opportunity employer and service provider committed to not discriminate based on age, race, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation, or belief. We are committed to the principals of Equal Opportunity Employment and are dedicated to making employment decisions based on merit and value, for ourselves, our client companies, and for the candidates we represent.