Director And Community Development

Overview

Are you a collaborative leader who can build trust, support staff growth, and guide a team through growth and change? Can you turn ambitious affordable housing plans into action while working closely with internal teams and consultants to reposition housing for the future? Do you excel at building strong relationships with community stakeholders to advance shared housing and development goals?

If this sounds like you, the Town of Chapel Hill invites you to apply for the Director for Housing and Community Development. The Director provides executive leadership and leads a mission-driven team dedicated to creating a vibrant and inclusive community where all residents have access to affordable housing and opportunities to thrive. The Director will lead affordable and public housing initiatives, support redevelopment projects, and help expand housing opportunities in line with the Town’s Complete Community vision.

The Town’s mission is Learning, Serving, and Working Together to Build a Community Where People Thrive. RESPECT values guide decisions and behavior. The Town delivers a high-performing agenda, sustainable budgeting, and engagement through Community Connections and other channels. The Council-Manager form guides strategic priorities and departmental planning.

The FY2025-26 budget is approximately $164 million (General Fund about $95M). The Town operates a fare-free transit system and supports several enterprise funds including transit, storm water, parking, and public housing. The tax rate supports affordable housing, transit, and debt service.

The Affordable Housing and Community Development Department includes two divisions focused on affordable housing and community building. The affordable housing division oversees Council initiatives, housing on Town-owned land, federal Community Development Block Grant funds, transitional housing, and employee housing programs, using federal and local funds to advance the Council’s vision. Chapel Hill manages a Public Housing program with 296 units in 11 communities (one in Carrboro).

A Public Housing Repositioning Plan is a priority. The Director provides strategic direction across affordable and public housing and community development, with knowledge of housing laws, funding programs, fair housing, and best practices in development, finance, neighborhood revitalization, and urban planning, with a focus on equity and housing stability.

The Director reports to the Town Manager, has three direct reports, and oversees a team of 18 FTEs. The Director sets departmental priorities, evaluates performance, and guides implementation of the Affordable Housing Strategy and Investment Plan and the Public Housing operational plan. The role builds relationships with staff, elected officials, partners, and residents.

Note:

The Town is launching a new website on January 15 and updates will be posted periodically.

• Refine and execute a clear strategic direction for the department, align operations, capital planning, and resources with housing and community development goals
• Lead the implementation of the Affordable Housing Strategy and Investment Plan
• Lead development and implementation of a Public Housing Repositioning Plan for 12 Public Housing neighborhoods, maximizing use of federal and private resources

• Build and sustain a strong departmental culture through leadership, staff development, performance management, and capacity building
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with community members, stakeholders, and partners to advance housing and community development initiatives
• Use data to inform decisions, prepare reports, and identify innovative solutions to meet objectives and resource challenges

A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree in planning, Public Administration, or a related field is preferred. An equivalent combination of training and experience may be substituted. A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in affordable housing and community development is required. Local government experience and knowledge of…