About Community Solutions

Community Solutions is a non-profit organization that works to achieve a lasting end to homelessness that leaves no one behind. We envision a more equitable future where homelessness is never inevitable or a way of life, for anyone. Since 2015, we have led Built for Zero, a movement of more than 100 cities and counties using data to radically change how they work and the impact they can achieve — and proving that it is possible to make homelessness rare and brief. Nearly half of these communities have reduced homelessness and 14 have ended veteran or chronic homelessness. To help communities equitably and sustainably end homelessness, we are also testing strategies that can address gaps in housing, disrupt inflow into homelessness, and produce more racially equitable housing and homelessness systems.

Position Overview:

Community Solutions is seeking an experienced, self-motivated and organized individual to join the energetic, collaborative Housing System Team as the Strategy Lead for Housing Systems. This position will report to the Principal, Housing Systems and will work to develop and deploy strategies that connect individuals to housing in their communities and to maintain their housing. This position is responsible for the discrete aim to support communities’ goals of getting to an end state of homelessness by unleashing existing underutilized housing resources to individuals experiencing homelessness. This position is grant-funded for two years with potential for renewal.

Through the Built for Zero movement, Community Solutions supports local teams throughout the US in creating results-based housing systems designed to make homelessness rare overall and brief when housing emergencies occur (“Functional Zero”). The Housing Systems team provides targeted support in closing housing supply gaps, working closely with our social impact Acquisition Fund partners, policy team, Built for Zero team and community stakeholders.

We seek a strong, strategic leader with a proven track record of advancing non-traditional housing strategies and an aptitude for building movements for change across a broad network of stakeholders and competing priorities. Experience navigating multi stakeholder partnerships, community development and social impact design is preferred.

Defining Success for this Position:

The successful Strategy Lead will effectively develop and execute a strategy to assist Built for Zero communities in scaling proven strategies for increasing near term access to affordable housing dedicated to the homeless response system. Partners will include other departments within Community Solutions as well as Built for Zero community partners, public health entities, property owners and managers, public housing authorities, the VA and national housing organizations. Success in this role includes translating and managing politics, culture, and language among key stakeholders. The Strategy Lead will steer this work, engage key partners and support and guide staff, colleagues and communities to achieve breakthrough outcomes by specifically supporting communities to have housing units accessible to people exiting the homeless response system.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operationalize and deploy scalable strategies for increasing near term access to affordable housing dedicated to the homeless response system.
• Create and deploy strategies to connect housing opportunities to meet the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Create and deploy strategies to optimize access to existing housing resources.
• Create and deploy strategies to support individuals to maintain housing, preventing homelessness from occurring.
• Support Built for Zero communities in engaging property owners and managers and other key stakeholders to achieve their Functional Zero goals.
• Work directly with the Principal, Housing Systems, the Community Solutions’ Built for Zero team, Acquisition Fund Partners, and external stakeholders to define, prototype, refine and scale a process to effectively and efficiently connect all CS acquired properties to local housing placement systems for those experiencing homelessness (“Coordinated Entry Systems”).
• Collaborate with local Built for Zero partners to advance housing development projects, including providing design, financing, regulatory and project management support as necessary.
• Support broader Housing Systems strategy implementation.

Professional Experience and Qualifications:

• A minimum of 8+ years of experience in housing policy, planning, community development or related field.
• Significant experience in a relevant field (e.g. housing and homelessness policy, planning) managing complex, multi-stakeholder processes.
• Demonstrated ability to build and cultivate relationships with partners and stakeholders across a broad range of community entities, including but not limited to: advocacy groups, city and county governments and agencies, nonprofit organizations and public-private partnerships.
• Strong experience managing projects from strategy design to implementation, as evidenced by leading projects to successful and measurable completion.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to write in a clear and concise manner, including for technical documents such as strategic plans and memos.
• Understanding of and experience working with the principles of Process Improvement and Design Thinking.
• Ability to think strategically, handle ambiguity and work in a very fast-paced, limited-structure, multicultural environment.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, including ability to work independently, self-motivate, and take initiative.
• Exceptional attention to detail, data-driven decision-making and able to operate at high-level to ensure strategic alignment with many disparate groups and shifting priorities.
• Ability to break down problems across a wide range of areas, identify root causes before developing and systematically testing potential hypotheses and solutions.
• Demonstrated self-awareness and empathetic communication style with an ability and eagerness to learn, improve, and grow as a leader, thinker and doer.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position may supervise staff including providing ongoing professional development. This position may supervise technical consultants/faculty as necessary.

Work Environment:

This position can be located anywhere in the continental United States. The Built for Zero team has office space in Los Angeles and New York City, but the position provides for the flexibility to work from a remote location without the standard support available at an office if such an arrangement meets the needs of Community Solutions.

Software/Apps Used:

• Microsoft Office
• Google Business Apps
• Asana
• Zoom
• Lattice
• Social media software and applications

Salary Range:

CS offers competitive salaries and benefits packages for every position. The salary range for this position is between $90,842 - 120,572. The actual salary will be commensurate with the candidate's experience.

Travel Requirements:
Travel will be required to attend semi-annual team retreats, community site visits, and other on-site training or convenings as necessary. Most travel is to major cities around the US.

Diversity and Inclusion:

We strive for inclusivity and diversity by attracting extraordinary people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. We seek to employ an all-star team of people who vary by their race and ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, age, culture, religion, veteran status, physical and mental abilities. We promote equal opportunity in the recruitment, selection, training, compensation, promotion, and benefits of all employees. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.