Director, Housing Services

Director, Housing Services

Georgetown Yards - 15 - Seattle, WA 98134

Overview

Salary Range $90,000.00 - $160,000.00 Salary/year Position Type Full Time Job Shift Day

Description

Lifelong is a community health organization on a mission to make health and food accessible. We remove barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

Position Overview:

The Director, Housing Services provides enterprise-level leadership for Lifelong's housing portfolio, advancing equitable access to stable housing for clients and communities disproportionately impacted by health and housing inequities. This role sets the strategic direction, supports multi-site operations, stewards major partnerships and funding streams, and ensures high-quality, client-centered services that align with Lifelong's mission and values. Responsibilities will also include leading business development, identifying new funding opportunities, pursuing grants & contracts, and negotiating major agreements with public and private partners. The Director serves as a key advisor to executive leadership, integrating housing strategy with Lifelong's broader service lines and driving measurable outcomes, financial sustainability, and system-level impact.

Lifelong's Housing Program currently provides onsite case management and behavioral health services at several locations including our Olive Street, Queen Anne, and Wallingford locations, which are operated by ReblX Partners. This requires the Director to travel between sites and the main office at Georgetown Yards.

The position is part of the management team and works alongside other management team members to promote the agency's mission and values within the individual department, collaborate with other departments, partner agencies, and the community. The role will serve as a representative of Lifelong within the housing services and advocacy continuum to promote our belief that housing is healthcare and a basic human right.

The Director, Housing Services supervises the Associate Director, Housing Case Management. They will report to and work closely with the VP of Client Services. This is a full-time, exempt, non-union, regular position that does include evenings & weekends and is required to participate in agency events.

Qualifications

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Strategy & Enterprise Leadership
• Lead the multi-year strategy for Lifelong's housing portfolio; align goals with the organizational strategic plan and health equity objectives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the VP of Client Services and executive team on housing policy, program direction, and resource allocation.
• Establish portfolio-wide policies, standards, and operating models that ensure consistency, quality, and scalability.
• People Leadership & Culture
• Directly supervise management-level staff; build a strong leadership bench through coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
• Partner closely with the Associate Director to develop, support, and resolve complex people‑relations issues across the housing portfolio, ensuring fair, consistent, and values‑aligned practices.
• Provide guidance and escalation support on staff relations, conflict resolution, corrective actions, investigations, and performance challenges.
• Collaborate with HR and the Associate Director to ensure compliance with employment law, internal policies, and trauma‑informed, equity-centered approaches.
• Lead workforce planning and organizational design to ensure adequate staffing, leadership capacity, and future talent needs.
• Champion an inclusive, values-driven culture grounded in dignity, respect, open communication, and belonging.
• Program Operations & Quality
• Provide executive oversight of all housing programs, ensuring trauma‑informed, person-centered, and culturally responsive services.
• Design and optimize program systems and infrastructure (e.g., HMIS and related data systems, workflows, and quality frameworks) to support operational excellence.
• Drive continuous improvement using data, client feedback, and evidence-based practices.
• Risk, Compliance, & Safety
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and funder requirements (e.g., HUD, CoC, Fair Housing, landlord-tenant laws, privacy/health information standards as applicable).
• Develop and oversee risk management plans, audit readiness, incident response protocols, and corrective action plans.
• Financial Ownership & Business Development
• Own the financial strategy for the housing portfolio, including multi-year forecasts, revenue diversification, cost modeling, and budget stewardship.
• Lead business development: identify new funding opportunities, pursue grants and contracts, and negotiate major agreements with public and private partners.
• Monitor financial performance and unit economics; make strategic adjustments to ensure sustainability and impact.
• Partnerships, Policy, & External Affairs
• Collaborate with the Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer, and the rest of the Executive Team, to inform the housing policy agenda and cultivate strategic partnerships with government agencies, funders, healthcare systems, public housing authorities, housing providers, housing providers, and community-based organizations.
• Shape and advance Lifelong's housing policy agenda; represent the organization in coalitions, policy forums, and with elected officials.
• Serve as a key spokesperson and subject-matter expert on housing and health equity topics.
• Measurement, Evaluation, & Impact
• Establish portfolio KPIs and dashboards (e.g., time to placement, housing retention, returns to homelessness, client outcomes, occupancy/utilization, cost per outcome, equity indicators).
• Use data to identify trends, guide strategic course corrections, and report results to leadership, funders, and Board committees.
• Embed equitable evaluation practices and engage people with lived experience in program design and measurement.
• Equity, Community, & Client Voice
• Advance strategies that address disparities in access and outcomes; set equity goals and monitor progress across the portfolio.
• Engage clients, community partners, and staff in co-design and feedback loops to inform policy and service improvements.
• Governance & Executive Communication
• Prepare portfolio updates, risks, and recommendations for executive leadership and Board committees.
• Develop executive-ready materials, presentations, and briefing documents for internal and external stakeholders.
• Other Duties
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned to support organizational priorities.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Public Health, Social Work, Urban Planning, Business, or related field required; Master's degree (MPA/MPP/MSW/MBA) or equivalent leadership experience preferred.
• 8–10+ years of progressive leadership in housing, homelessness response, affordable housing, supportive housing, or integrated health/housing systems.
• 5+ years managing managers/senior leaders and multi-site programs.
• Demonstrated success overseeing complex funding portfolios (public contracts, grants, philanthropy) and negotiating major agreements.
• Experience with compliance frameworks (e.g., HUD/CoC, Fair Housing, landlord-tenant law) and program data systems (e.g., HMIS).
• Proven track record in strategic planning, business development, and portfolio-level financial stewardship.

Work Environment:

• This position is primarily located in a leased apartment buildings and extended stay motels with some participants being served in scattered sites (scattered sites are hybrid and/or outreach) (apartment building) throughout the King County Region. Housing Case Manager positions require staff to be available to meet clients in the office setting or within the clients' homes (as required by specific programs) and fieldwork.
• All positions that involve in person work with clients are required to undergo a TB test within 30 days of starting employment and annually, or as required by program.
• Any offer of employment is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Some programs may require additional background checks or frequency.
• This position requires regular work at a desk and on a computer, combined with