Chief Program Officer

Location: Los Angeles, CA or San Diego, CA or San Francisco, CA or Sacramento, CA

Salary: $235,000 - $245,000 Annually

Organization Overview

Founded in 2004, Brilliant Corners provides innovative housing and housing-related services to those transitioning from or at risk of homelessness or institutionalization. We develop, own, and manage multi-family supportive housing and licensed residential care homes. Additionally, we implement a broad array of scattered-site, one-on-one supportive housing, and clinical case management programs through partnerships with developmental services, homeless services, veteran services, and health care sectors.

In short, we do good work.

We have offices statewide with a staff of passionate people. While we are growing rapidly, we are also selective: We’re seeking inspired, talented people who want to be effecting profound change and who have fun doing it.

Department Summary

Brilliant Corners’ Housing Services Department is nationally recognized for its role in designing and operating supportive housing solutions that help individuals exit homelessness and avoid institutionalization. We serve individuals with complex needs, including those involved in healthcare, behavioral health, and criminal justice systems.

Our work spans major regions across California, with teams operating in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Sacramento Counties. Across this statewide footprint, the Department operates a diverse and growing portfolio of housing and supportive services programs designed to help individuals access and maintain stable housing.

Position Summary

The Chief Program Officer (CPO) is responsible for the overall vision, strategy, performance, and sustainability of a large and complex portfolio of supportive housing and related programs across California. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and serving as a member of Brilliant Corners’ Executive Team, the CPO will provide executive leadership for the Department while ensuring strong alignment with broader organizational priorities. The CPO will oversee the Department’s Deputy Chief Program Officers and other senior leaders, creating the conditions for them and the teams they lead to succeed.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy and execution. The CPO will ensure strong day-to-day program performance while setting the longer-term direction of the Department, strengthening statewide systems and practices, and ensuring that growth is supported by the infrastructure, leadership capacity, and financial resources necessary to sustain it. A central responsibility will be bringing together the operational and program development functions of Housing Services ensuring alignment across regional program operations, program design and policy, quality assurance, evaluation, and client participation to build consistency statewide while preserving regional flexibility.

The CPO will provide executive oversight across Brilliant Corners’ core program areas:

• Flexible Housing Pool (Flex Pool): A systems-level model that aligns and deploys housing resources across healthcare, homelessness, and behavioral health systems to rapidly connect individuals to permanent housing. Acting as a centralized intermediary, the Flex Pool braids funding streams, engages landlords, and leverages the private rental market to reduce time to housing and improve long-term stability.
• Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS): Person-centred, housing-focused services delivered across a range of settings and populations, always grounded in a Housing First approach to help individuals with complex needs successfully obtain and retain housing.
• Managed Care and Behavioral Health Partnerships: Strategic collaborations with Managed Care Plans, County Behavioral Health Departments, and public systems to deliver housing-based interventions that improve health outcomes. This includes implementing CalAIM Housing Supports, administering Transitional Rent, and supporting housing pathways tied to the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) and other emerging initiatives across complex funding streams and regulatory environments.
• Program Quality, Evaluation, and Client Participation: Statewide infrastructure and cross-functional teams dedicated to quality assurance, program evaluation, policy development, and meaningful client participation, ensuring programs remain effective, equitable, consistent, and responsive.

Additionally, the CPO will serve as one of Brilliant Corners’ most senior external representatives to government agencies, Managed Care Plans, healthcare and behavioral health systems, philanthropic partners, and other stakeholders. They will help shape and advance sustainable funding and contracting models that allow Brilliant Corners and its partners to deliver effective, person-centred services at scale. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned leader to guide one of Brilliant Corners’ largest bodies of work at a moment of significant growth and change, while advancing Housing First, housing justice, and high-quality services for thousands of Californians.

Position Responsibilities

Statewide Program Strategy and Performance

Set the strategic direction for Brilliant Corners’ Housing Services Department and ensure strong execution across its statewide portfolio. Establish clear priorities, performance expectations, and accountability structures across Flex Pool, case management, managed care, behavioral health, and other housing programs. Balance statewide consistency with the unique needs of individual regions, programs, funders, and communities.

Executive Leadership and Leadership Development

Lead, coach, and support the Department’s Deputy Chief Program Officers and other senior leaders, cultivating a high-performing and collaborative leadership team. Create clear roles, strong accountability, and effective structures for decision-making and communication. Invest in leadership development and succession planning throughout the Department while fostering a culture in which staff can grow, thrive, and do their best work.

Program Quality, Evaluation, and Client Participation

Provide executive oversight of statewide quality assurance, program evaluation, policy development, and client participation efforts. Ensure that these functions are meaningfully integrated into program operations and used to improve service quality, client experience, equitable outcomes, and organizational learning. Champion the use of data, client voice, staff expertise, and evidence-informed practice to drive continuous improvement.

Program Development, Innovation, and Growth

Guide the design, development, and implementation of new programs and partnerships, ensuring that growth is aligned with Brilliant Corners’ mission, strategic priorities, organizational capacity, and financial sustainability. Support the Department in adapting to emerging opportunities across homelessness, healthcare, behavioral health, and other public systems while maintaining the integrity of the Brilliant Corners model.

Financial Sustainability and Contract Stewardship

Partner closely with Finance and other organizational leaders to oversee the financial health of the Housing Services portfolio. Ensure programs are supported by sustainable budgets, appropriate staffing models, sound contract structures, and effective management of complex and braided funding streams. Identify financial and operational risks early and work collaboratively to develop solutions that protect both service quality and organizational sustainability.

External Partnerships and Systems Leadership

Build and maintain trusted relationships with government agencies, Managed Care Plans, healthcare and behavioral health systems, philanthropy, community partners, and other stakeholders. Represent Brilliant Corners in senior-level conversations related to supportive housing policy, program design, funding, and implementation. Advocate for contracting and funding approaches that support sustainable organizations, a strong workforce, and effective services for the people and communities we serve.

Organizational Alignment and Cross‑Functional Partnership

Serve as an active member of Brilliant Corners’ Executive Team and ensure strong coordination between Housing Services and organizational partners including Finance, People Operations, Data & Technology, Business Operations, Strategic Partnerships, and other departments. Translate organizational priorities into effective departmental strategies while bringing the experience and needs of Housing Services into enterprise-wide planning and decision‑making.

Housing First, Equity, and Person‑Centred Practice

Champion Housing First and ensure that person-centred, equitable approaches remain foundational to program design and service delivery. Work with staff, funders, and partners to identify and reduce barriers to housing and services. Advance Brilliant Corners’ commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through both how the Department serves clients and how it supports and develops its workforce.

Professional Experience

• At least 12 years of progressively responsible experience in human services, supportive housing, homelessness, healthcare, behavioral health, nonprofit leadership, public systems, or a related field.
• Demonstrated executive leadership experience with increasing levels of organizational responsibility, including success leading large, complex teams and managing senior leaders or leaders of leaders.
• Experience overseeing complex, multi‑program and/or multi‑region portfolios with significant operational and financial responsibility.
• Experience designing, implementing, or overseeing Housing First, supportive housing, case management, or related programs strongly preferred.
• Experience working with government agencies, healthcare systems, Managed Care Plans, philanthropy, or other institutional funders strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong financial acumen, including experience overseeing large budgets, government contracts, complex funding streams, and financially sustainable program models.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain senior‑level relationships with public agencies, funders, healthcare partners, community organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Strong skills in program quality, evaluation, performance management, data‑informed decision‑making, inclusive communication, and transparent decision‑making processes
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel required, with Salesforce or similar systems a plus.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Agility: Sees ahead clearly, can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulatively paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
• Integrity and Trust: Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes doesn’t misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.
• Perseverance: Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.
• Organizational Belonging: Fostering a culture where everyone belongs and can thrive by committing not only to diversity and equity but also to inclusion. Building a culture that encourages workers to be their authentic selves, own their uniqueness, and share their perspectives without any fear to increase the sense of belonging. The ability to exemplify inclusive excellence by recognizing each person’s differences and utilizing those differences to increase the organization’s effectiveness.

Organizational Values

• Humanity: Putting people first: We are committed to meeting people where they’re at, honoring their dignity, diversity, and experience.
• Community: Building a better future: Sustainable housing solutions are fostered through partnership, collaboration, and human connection.
• Ingenuity: Innovating for transformation: Systems‑change requires relentless determination, thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo.

Travel Requirements

This position requires occasional statewide travel throughout California to support program oversight, regional leadership engagement, funder and partner meetings, site visits, conferences, and other business needs.

Physical Requirements

Candidates should have physical mobility for tasks such as standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, twisting, and walking on uneven surfaces. They should be capable of performing stationary tasks like sitting for up to 6 to 8 hours a day. Additionally, candidates should be able to lift, carry, push, pull light to moderate weights up to 15 pounds safely. Requires mental acuity for analytical reasoning and document interpretation.

Salary range for this position is $235,000 - $245,000 annually. This position is being offered at $235,000 to $245,000 annually.

Brilliant Corners does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental, & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (With 5% Match)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary and AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Wellness Resources
• Hybrid Work