Director, Asset Preservation

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is seeking a Director of Asset Preservation, a strategic and operational leader responsible for implementing, governing, and advancing CHA’s Asset Preservation Program (APP). This newly developed initiative ensures that CHA’s mixed income and public housing assets remain financially viable, physically stable, and operationally strong for the long term. The role will guide preservation decision making across CHA’s portfolio and focuses on restructuring CHA’s aging mixed income properties. The Director will support with creating and implementing a consistent, repeatable framework that converts the Federal operating subsidies supporting these properties from Section 9 traditional Public Housing to Section 8 project-based assistance. The Director will oversee development of APP policies and processes, including a framework for making preservation recommendations for senior leadership, creating procedural frameworks and documents, developing internal workflows, ensuring cross-department coordination, and leading the build-out of an APP Hub for data and performance reporting related to preservation efforts. This person will guide internal asset managers, collaborate deeply across departments, property owners and managers, and consultant teams, and will serve as a key advisor on CHA’s overall asset preservation strategy.

Please note this role is a two-year grant-funded position made possible with generous philanthropic support from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, the Michael Reese Foundation, and other Chicago-based funders. While CHA aims to secure continued funding employment beyond two years is not guaranteed and depends entirely on funding availability.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and implement CHA’s Asset Preservation Program (APP), ensuring alignment with department-wide goals, operational standards, and policy objectives.

• Oversee and refine CHA’s Composite Viability Score (CVS) reporting system to ensure consistent evaluation of financial, physical, and operational health across CHA assets.

• Present preservation recommendations and regular reporting to senior leadership, ensuring proactive intervention and planning.

• Create the APP policy framework, including governance protocols, standard operating procedures, operational standards, and a comprehensive program documentation to support consistency and continuity of implementation.

• Establish a well‑defined, repeatable preservation framework, including:

o Eligibility criteria for mixed-income properties seeking APP resources

o Clear workflows for receiving, vetting, and prioritizing third‑party applications

o Process steps and milestones for taking properties through the preservation process

• Design and oversee internal workflows for APP strategies, including pathways for units converting from Section 9 to Section 8, waitlist management processes, budget and financial reporting requirements, and interdepartmental coordination.

• Develop resident and stakeholder engagement protocols and provide guidance to asset managers and project leads to ensure consistent and proactive engagement throughout preservation projects.

• Provide leadership to an internal team of asset managers responsible for advancing preservation efforts across mixed‑income assets, and eventually, CHA’s whole public housing portfolio.

• Leverage APP projects as opportunities to improve internal systems, strengthen cross‑department collaboration, and streamline preservation operations.

• Perform other duties as assigned, consistent with departmental goals and CHA’s mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Real Estate, Finance, Asset Management, Economics, Public Administration, Urban Planning, or related fields required. Advanced degree strongly preferred. 5+ years experience in asset management, affordable housing operations, real estate finance, or housing preservation, ideally within public or mixed-income housing contexts. Demonstrated experience developing or overseeing complex operational programs, governance processes, standard operating procedures, or internal and external workflows. Strong understanding of affordable housing regulations and federal housing programs, including Section 8 and Section 9 pathways and related compliance. Experience with portfolio risk assessment, property operations, budgeting, and long-term capital planning. Exceptional strategic thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to interpret financial, operational, and physical asset data to inform decision making. Strong people management skills, including experience providing leadership within matrixed teams. Demonstrated success collaborating with diverse stakeholders including public agencies, developers, operators, resident leaders, and community partners. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate technical and complex information clearly. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, exercising sound judgment, discretion, and problem-solving abilities. Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and financial modeling tools. Ability to maintain confidentiality of privileged information. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.

BENEFITS AT-A-GLANCE

• Vacation, Sick and Personal, competitive PTO package

• Medical (HMO, PPO, and No employee cost High-Deductible PPO) Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance

• Long-Term Care Insurance

• Pet Insurance

• Parking Transit

• Prepaid Legal Services

• Brightstar 529 College Savings Plan

• Identity Theft Protection

• Hospital Indemnity Insurance

• Voluntary Critical Illness Insurance

• Deferred Compensation Plan: Empower 457/401(a) with a 3% employer match

• Pension Plan: CHA makes contributions on behalf of the employee, along with the employee's 3% contribution; 100% vesting occurs after 6 years of continuous employment or opt-out of CHA's Retirement Plan and continues to participate in the Municipal Employees Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago

• Hybrid work schedule (position specific) This position may be eligible for remote work following a successful completion of a 90-day probationary period according to CHA’s established policies and procedures.

"Applications will be accepted for 30 days from the date of posting. However, the position may be closed at any point if a sufficient number of qualified applications are received.”

Salary Range: $125,000 – 135,000

Grade: S10

FLSA: Exempt

Union: None