Director of Housing Operations

Permanent Supportive Housing Nonprofit | San Francisco, CA | Temporary Engagement

About the Organization

Our client is an established San Francisco-based nonprofit dedicated to permanent supportive housing for individuals and families who have experienced homelessness. The organization combines stable housing with on-site support services, including case management, mental health support, harm reduction, and workforce programs. The portfolio serves more than 1,300 residents across multiple supportive housing sites in San Francisco. This is a 24/7 operating environment.

Position Summary

The Director of Housing Operations is accountable for the operational performance, compliance posture, and financial health of the organization's supportive housing portfolio. The role owns rent collection, occupancy, recertifications, and city/funder relationships, and serves as a member of the organization's Executive Leadership Committee. This is a hands-on leadership role: the Director is in the office regularly, but also out at sites and in meetings with city agency leaders and external partners.

Engagement Details

• Engagement type: Temporary
• Schedule: Full-time / Exempt. Core hours generally Monday–Friday, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
• 24/7 on-call: This is a 24/7 role. The Director must keep their cell phone on at all times — nights, weekends, holidays — to respond to building emergencies (fires, floods, critical incidents). Non-negotiable.
• Location: Onsite in San Francisco. Meaningful office time plus frequent site visits and external meetings.
• Reports to: Senior executive leader
• Direct reports: 2 Regional Site Managers and 1 Compliance Specialist
• Indirect oversight: 15 Site Managers via the Regionals; approximately 50–60 staff total across the function

Core Responsibilities

KPI & Operational Performance

• Own the operational KPI scorecard for the portfolio. Primary metrics include rent delinquencies, rent collection, occupancy, abatements, and recertifications (critical for maintaining funding eligibility).
• Coordinate operations meetings for each building to ensure Site Managers are executing duties and that all reporting is accurate and on time.
• Implement and maintain consistent operational policies, procedures, and documentation across the portfolio.

People Leadership

• Direct supervision of 2 Regional Site Managers and 1 Compliance Specialist.
• Indirect leadership of 15 Site Managers via the Regionals; approximately 50–60 staff total in the function.
• Performance management, coaching, and professional development for the operations team.
• Goal-setting and accountability across multi-site teams.

External Relationships

• Manage agency relationships with San Francisco public housing and human services agencies.
• Regular in-person and virtual meetings with city officials and agency leaders.
• Lead negotiations and ongoing relationship management with public agency funders; ensure grants and contracts stay aligned with the organization's mission and reporting requirements.
• Represent the organization at community events, alliance meetings, conferences, and forums.

Budget & Compliance

• Own department budget: development, monitoring, adherence, and forecasting. Coordinate with Finance and Grants Management for compliant, timely reporting.
• Partner with the CFO on annual operating budgets and long-range financial forecasting for the portfolio.
• Ensure recertification and compliance work is bulletproof — this is the funding lifeline.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve on the Executive Leadership Committee.
• Partner with the Director of Resident Services on building-level coordination across operations and services.
• Provide coverage for the resident services side when needed.
• Report to the Board of Directors and committees as requested.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of senior management experience, with at least 3 years supervising middle managers and supervisory staff.
• Multi-site property operations leadership
• Government and city funder fluency: comfort interfacing with public agencies, managing contracts and grants, and navigating compliance and reporting requirements. San Francisco-specific experience strongly preferred.
• Crisis management experience and a 24/7 operating mindset.
• Working knowledge of harm-reduction practices, trauma-informed care, and voluntary services models.
• Strong communicator both upward (Board, executive leadership, funders) and downward (regional managers, site managers, frontline staff).