Executive Director

Title: Executive Director #100

Exemption Status:

Exempt

Date Created:

October 2020

Date Revised:

EEO Classification:

Grade: 15

Reports to: Board of Commissioners

NCCI

Position Summary

The Housing Authority of St. Louis County (HASLC) seeks an Executive Director to continue and expand upon the organization’s successes. The ideal candidate will strengthen housing through­out St. Louis County and strategically improve the quality of life for residents of St. Louis County by increasing accessible and affordable housing opportunities for lower-income individuals and families, including clients with intellectual and development disabilities.

The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership and management to the organization, keep the Board of Commissioners fully informed and implement policies and goals set by the Board, communicate with and obtain input from clients and community stakeholders, and work cooperatively with County government, the Missouri Housing Development Corporation (MHDC), and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as well as neighboring housing authorities and municipal governments, all during a period of dynamic and unpredictable change to housing policy and available funding. The Executive Director must be prepared to lead HASLC through future changes in assisted housing policy, including the anticipated regionalization of public housing authorities (PHAs).

The Executive Director is responsible for strategic direction and administration of a $47 million municipal authority responsible for a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program administering about 7,000 vouchers, four public housing sites providing homes for approximately 500 families, 119 single-family public housing sites, 12 to 16 low-income tax-credit properties providing homes for 1,100 to 1,500 families, and management of three separate municipal housing authorities with 116 public housing clients and some 27 families in privately-owned single-family homes.

Primary Interactions

The Executive Director’s primary interactions are with HASLC’s Chief of Staff, department heads, human resources, and other direct reports; the Commissioners; outside general counsel; elected representatives of HASLC clients; and the boards of the managed authorities and the mayor of their respective municipalities. The Executive Director also interacts as needed with the St. Louis County Executive, members of the County Executive’s cabinet, members of the St. Louis County Council, officials in the local HUD office, attorneys from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, and individual HASLC clients.

Supervisory, Budget Responsibilities

The Executive Director supervise a staff of approximately 65 full-time employees, with presently 6 direct reports, plus outside contractors responsible for day-to-day management and inspection of public housing properties, human resources, and IT services. The Executive Director proposes the budget to the Board of Commissioners with input from the Chief of Staff, Chief Financial Officer, and department heads.

Policy and Decision-Making Authority, Strategic Thinking

The Executive Director takes the lead in developing HASLC policy. The Executive Director participates in developing standards and methods for the monitoring and evaluating the performance of staff and evaluates the direct reports and the department heads. The Executive Director has primary decision-making authority for HASLC, within the policies established by the Board of Commissioners, and delegates such authority within the organization as needed. The Executive Director must remain fully current on HUD funding policies and availability, HUD regulations, and the availability of funding from MHDC and through tax-financing programs. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring HASLC’s full compliance with HUD regulations. The Executive Director must plan for the future growth and success of HASLC, both as a stand-alone entity and as the leader in improving housing within St. Louis County, as well as potential regional growth through consolidation with other PHAs.

Access to Confidential Information

The Executive Director will have broad access to sensitive and confidential information, includ­ing information about individual clients and their families, police investigation reports, and financial information from investor partners. The Executive Director must maintain the confidence and privacy of all such information.

Governance and Compliance Responsibilities, Organizational Risk

The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that their direct reports and the department heads and department managers monitor and hold their staff accountable and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local law and regulations is critical, as is the willingness to regularly seek advice and information from HASLC’s general counsel and outside accountants.

Essential Tasks and Responsibilities

The Executive Director will work closely with their direct reports, the department heads, and the Board of Commissioners to advance HASLC’s mission to “[Provide] decent, safe and affordable housing, ensures equal housing opportunity, promotes self-sufficiency and improves the quality of life and economic vitality for low and moderate income families.” To advance this mission, the Executive Director:

• Sets an overall direction for the organization to achieve the above mission.
• Educates and directs the department heads and direct reports in carrying out the direction and administration of HASLC’s programs to achieve the mission.
• Develops key performance indicators and related benchmarks of success for all functional areas within HASLC to consistently meet or exceed established targets.
• Is accountable for day-to-day operations, compliance with federal, state, and local laws, and ultimate responsibility for HASLC’s financial condition.
• Is HASLC’s primary liaison to the Board of Commissioners and to the outside world, including HUD and state and local entities.
• Is delegated full authority to administer personnel policies and rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Commissioners, all within the limits of the approved budget.
• Will have general knowledge of HUD housing management policies, HUD fiscal manage­ment principles, and strong experience in the development of housing.
• Will identify non-HUD funds and grants available to expand housing and the programs provided to clients and will develop a process for capturing non-HUD funds.
• Will spearhead development and non-profit fund-raising efforts.
• Will maintain contracts with social agencies and non-profits whose clients need afford­able housing or housing assistance.
• Speaks before civic groups, business organizations, and other groups about affordable housing and expanding housing opportunities.
• Advocates for HASLC at both the state and national level, both directly with MHDC and HUD and through state and national organizations for PHAs and their executive directors.
• Advocates for affordable housing both locally and at the state level.
• All other duties as assigned by the Board of Commissioners.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college required. Master’s degree or other advanced or professional degree preferred.

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in the leadership or management of an entity or organization working in the areas of affordable housing, housing policy, social services, public administration, or community development. This experience can be in govern­ment, in academia, in a non-profit or similar organization, or in private industry.

• Minimum of 4 years in a leadership or significant management role at a public housing authority administering a Section 8 HCV Program, with experience relating to any of the following related programs or areas: Housing Quality Standards (HQS), Family Self Sufficiency, Section 8 Homeownership, and the VASH programs.

• Supervised a staff of 8 or more for at least three years.

• Wide range of management, organizational, and administrative skills, including know­ledge of financial management, accounting, computers, budgeting, and control of finances, and sufficient familiarity with enterprise-level computer software and data storage to be able communicate intelligently with IT staff.

• Strong public relations skills and experience, preferably including employment history where public relations were part of the job description.

• Strong ability to effectively communicate with and relate to persons of diverse back­grounds and abilities; strong respect for our clients as persons; and the ability to meet and deal tactfully with employees, tenants, landlords, and the general public.

• Knowledge of local St. Louis community structures and community resources, especially as they relate to HASLC’s programs, is an advantage but not required.

Skills and Attributes Required for Success

Demonstrated leadership; problem solving; adaptability; organized; communication skills, both verbal and written; strategic thinking; ability to work with diverse internal and external clients and stakeholders; full familiarity with organizational, housing, and development best practices; and solid understanding of housing law, budgets, internal controls, and compliance.