Chief Operating Officer

Job Description

Job Description

Housing Development Corporation MidAtlantic (HDC) is currently seeking a Full-time Chief Operating Officer at our home office (Lancaster PA).

At HDC MidAtlantic, we believe everyone deserves a safe, welcoming, and affordable place to call home—and we’re committed to making that a reality every day.

When you join HDC, you’re not just taking a job—you’re becoming part of a mission-driven organization where your work has a direct and meaningful impact on people’s lives. Every role contributes to housing stability, stronger communities, and opportunities for residents to thrive.

Since 1971, we’ve been trusted developers, property managers, and community partners, working alongside our neighbors to create real change. Today, we own and/or manage over 3,300 apartments across Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, serving nearly 4,500 residents including seniors, families, and individuals living with disabilities.

At HDC, you’ll be part of a team that values excellence, equity, collaboration, community, and integrity. We invest in our people, support growth and development, and empower our employees to make a difference—both in our communities and within the organization.

If you’re looking for work that is meaningful, people-centered, and connected to a greater purpose, you’ll find it here.

Benefits at HDC MidAtlantic

• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage (Available Day 1)
• 401(k) with 3.5% Employer Match
• 4–6 Weeks Paid Time Off
• 11 Paid Holidays + Floating Holiday (Available Day 1)
• 12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
• Friday Early Office Close: Spring, Fall & Winter office closes at 3pm; Summer office closes at 12pm. 
• Employer Paid Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Student Loan Reimbursement (Eligible Non-Profit Employees)
• Employee Housing Opportunities
• Paid & Subsidized Professional Development
• Quarterly Incentive Performance Bonus

Position Summary:

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) translates HDC’s mission and strategic vision into everyday execution. Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the COO leads cross-functional operations, drives the annual work plan, and champions a welcoming, inclusive, and high-performing culture. By streamlining systems, coaching leadership, and strengthening cross-departmental collaboration, the COO ensures our operational engine is resilient, agile, capable, resident-centered, and built for sustainable growth.

The COO oversees the daily operational pulse of the organization, leading the Operational Leadership Team, and ensuring deep cross-departmental integration, technological efficiency, and people-first culture. In close partnership with the CEO, the COO ensures robust organizational continuity, accountability, and operational excellence across all lines of business. 

1. Strategic Leadership

• Executive Partnership: Partner closely with the CEO as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), providing operational counsel and data-informed recommendations to guide enterprise decisions.
• Executive Representation: Serve as proxy for the CEO internally and externally with funders, public officials, and community partners when needed.
• Values-Based Culture: Champion an organizational culture rooted in HDC values, trauma-informed practices, and hospitality-driven service centered on belonging and inclusion.

2. Strategic Plan Implementation & Annual Work planning

• Workplan Execution: Direct the annual work planning cycle, cascading strategic plan priorities into measurable departmental goals, milestones, and quarterly targets.
• Departmental Alignment: Guide collaborative goal-setting across teams to ensure resources, budgets, and operational plans align with enterprise-level priorities.
• Performance: Maintain organizational dashboards and key performance indicator (KPI) dashboards to track operational health, timelines, and budgets.
• Reporting: Prepare concise briefing memos, dashboard updates, and progress reports for the CEO and Board of Directors, identifying variances early with corrective actions.
• Strategic Growth: Oversee operational feasibility, planning, and rollout for new initiatives, program partnerships, and business line expansion.

3. Operational Leadership Team 

• OLT Leadership: Convene and lead regular Operational Leadership Team meetings focused on ownership, accountability, cross-functional problem-solving, and progress against enterprise goals.
• Capacity Building: Coach and mentor department heads to dismantle functional silos, strengthen lateral communication, and resolve issues.
• Supervision: Directly manage and support the Director of Human Resources and the Manager of Enterprise-Level Initiatives.
• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Institutionalize practical frameworks that empower leaders to take initiative, align team actions, make decisions, and resolve operational friction successfully.

4. Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Integrated Business Lines: Establish operating rhythms that bridge and connect Property Management, Resident Services, Community Relations, Human Resources, Real Estate Development and Finance.
• Cross-Functional Initiatives: Serve as executive lead for high-impact enterprise-level priorities.
• Organizational Alignment: Ensure operational goals, change initiatives, and value-based leadership are shared and embraced across all teams to foster a unified purpose.

5. Operational Efficiencies

• Systems Optimization: Continuously evaluate workflows, policies, and service delivery channels to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Quality & Standards: Establish and monitor standards of operational excellence to ensure high quality and consistency across all lines of business.
• Risk Management: Identify and manage enterprise-level operational risks, surfacing vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies.

6. Future-Ready Work

• Technology & Data: Champion the adoption and optimization of core enterprise tools and software to improve daily workflows, data integrity, and operational reporting.
• Change Management: Serve as an internal champion for organizational change, guiding teams through transitions with clear communication and structured implementation.
• Scalable Infrastructure: Build standard operating procedures, policies, and workflows that strengthen institutional memory and support future organizational growth.

7. Employee Experience

• Talent Strategy: Partner with the Director of Human Resources on recruitment, retention, onboarding, and employee engagement efforts.
• Workplace Culture: Foster an inclusive, welcoming workplace that supports employee well-being, transparent communication, work-life balance, and professional development.
• Succession & Leadership Pipelines: Implement training, leadership development and succession planning for critical operational positions and cultivate emerging leaders.

Education, experience, and special requirements:

• Position requires a bachelor’s degree and 10 years of relevant experience in affordable housing and/or related fields. 
• Possess exceptional judgment, a high level of initiative, independent decision-making with ability to manage confidential information.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability and confidence to work with stakeholders at all levels.
• Outstanding project management skills with the ability to multi-task and deliver results in a dynamic, high-performing environment.
• Detailed-oriented with a proven track record of managing project teams and coordinating large scale initiatives with demonstrated results.
• Exceptional people skills with the ability to diplomatically motivate, influence and collaborate with others, and successfully address and resolve conflict.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, PPT, and Excel). 
• Successful completion of drug screening, background check, and proof of COVID-19 vaccination. 
• A valid drivers’ s license. 

Core Competencies (skills, knowledge, or abilities):

Quality of Work: Demonstrates commitment to their area of work, capability, and efficiency in completing work, and dedication to providing the highest quality deliverables and services. Takes ownership of their work and understands its impact on residents, partners, and the organization. Strives for excellence and motivated to give their best.

Teamwork and Collaboration: Able to work with colleagues toward shared goals. Understands the value of collaboration and teamwork to the success of their role, and willingly shares in responsibility and recognition when contributing to the capacity of the team. Works effectively and respectfully within and across teams and departments.

Communication: Demonstrates effective and proactive communication skills appropriate to their role; gives and seeks honest, respectful feedback; acts with integrity and empathy; mindful of managing and expressing one’s emotions respectfully in all situations. Understanding of diverse perspectives, viewpoints, and experiences.

Continuous Learning : Actively identifies new areas for self-learning; regularly creating and taking advantage of learning opportunities; using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job and learning through their application. Takes initiative in the professional development. Recognizes the importance of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI) and able to build knowledge and understanding of REDI concepts.

Results Oriented: Reliably delivers intended results, on time and within budget. Is solution-oriented and able to adapt in face of challenges; able to analyze and prioritize situations to solve problems; displays sound judgment and makes decisions in alignment with departmental and organizational goals.

Normal work environment:

•Work environment will be indoors and outdoors and will require moderate travel. 

•Requires moderate physical demands; lifting up to 25 pounds, continuous standing, bending, walking, and lifting.

Equal Opportunity Employment 

We believe in and practice equal opportunity. HDC MidAtlantic is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination. 

Commitment to Diversity 

HDC MidAtlantic is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity . We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, any other status protected by law and other characteristics that make our employees unique.