Homebuyer Program Manager

Homebuyer Program Manager

The Homebuyer Program Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, quality, and performance of the homebuyer program. This role supervises housing counselors serving higher-pathway clients (e.g., mortgage-ready and advanced clients) as well as the Intake Coordinator, ensuring a seamless, efficient, and client-centered pipeline from initial inquiry through program progression.

In addition to program oversight, this position directly manages the front-end client pathway, including intake oversight, underwriting readiness assessment, application screening, and client assignment into defined pathways ("tracks"). The Manager serves as the primary decision-maker for client entry and progression within the program.

As the program grows, the front-end pathway and underwriting functions are expected to evolve into a dedicated role or team. The Homebuyer Program Manager will play a key role in building, standardizing, and eventually transitioning these responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and support housing counseling staff working with higher-pathway clients, including:
• Pre-purchase / mortgage-ready counselors
• Advanced or specialized counseling roles (as applicable)
• Supervise the Intake Coordinator to ensure efficient front-end client processing
• Conduct regular supervision meetings, case reviews, and file audits
• Establish and monitor staff performance goals, caseload benchmarks, and outcomes
• Provide coaching, training, and professional development
• Ensure consistent service delivery aligned with program standards and client pathways
• Lead and oversee the full intake and triage process from initial inquiry through counselor assignment
• Conduct and/or oversee application screening and underwriting readiness assessments, including:
• Income, credit, debt, and asset review
• Risk identification and readiness determination
• Serve as the primary decision-maker for client eligibility, pathway placement, and program entry
• Assign clients to appropriate pathways or counselors based on readiness and program fit
• Develop and refine standardized criteria for client assessment and assignment
• Design, implement, and continuously improve workflows connecting:
• Intake? Education? Counseling? Mortgage readiness
• Monitor pipeline flow to prevent bottlenecks and ensure timely client movement
• Collaborate with the Educational Coordinator to align education completion with intake readiness
• Build systems that support scalability and future role specialization
• Implement and maintain standardized client pathways (e.g., credit repair, financial stabilization, mortgage-ready)
• Ensure consistent application of pathway criteria across staff
• Monitor client progression, timelines, and outcomes across pathways
• Identify trends in client barriers and recommend program adjustments
• Ensure all counseling activities meet HUD housing counseling standards and organizational policies
• Conduct routine file reviews for accuracy, completeness, and compliance
• Maintain program readiness for audits, monitoring, and reporting requirements
• Standardize documentation practices across the team
• Oversee the intake and assignment of referrals from community partners
• Ensure timely response and appropriate service delivery
• Support strong partner relationships by maintaining high-quality referral experiences
• Track and analyze key program metrics, including:
• Intake-to-program conversion rates
• Client assignment timelines
• Progression across pathways
• Counseling outcomes and readiness benchmarks
• Prepare internal reports and support external reporting needs
• Use data to inform staffing, workflow improvements, and program design
• Partner with the Educational Coordinator to align curriculum with client needs and readiness gaps
• Coordinate with mortgage or lending partners to ensure smooth client transitions
• Provide feedback to leadership on program trends, challenges, and opportunities

Core Competencies

• Staff supervision & team development
• Program operations & workflow management
• Underwriting readiness & financial analysis
• Pipeline and systems thinking
• Compliance & quality assurance
• Data analysis & performance management

Key Role Structure (Current vs. Future State)

Current State

• Oversees program operations and staff
• Directly manages:
• Intake oversight
• Underwriting readiness
• Client assessment and assignment

Future State (As Program Scales)

• Transitions front-end pathway responsibilities to a dedicated role or team (e.g., Foundational Counselor or Intake & Assessment Manager)
• Focuses primarily on:
• Program leadership
• Staff supervision
• Performance management
• Strategic growth and partnerships

Requirements

Qualifications

HUD Housing Counseling Certification (required)

4+ years of experience in housing counseling, financial coaching, or mortgage services

Prior supervisory or team leadership experience required

Strong understanding of:

Mortgage readiness and underwriting basics

Credit and financial capability coaching

Housing counseling program compliance requirements

Experience with client management systems (HMIS, CRM, or similar)

Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills

Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City