Housing Manager

Chicago is at a crossroads. Longstanding policy challenges that hold entire communities of Chicago and its suburbs back, emergent threats that cut across the region, and the diminished capacity of local governments threaten our ability to compete just as national investment and federal leadership are receding. Chicago needs a policy agenda and policy ecosystem to match our ambitions. And the stakes—for us, for Illinois, and for the country—have never been higher.

With a new leadership team, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) is built for this moment. For more than 90 years, we have been where bold policy meets practical action. We cut through the noise and turn complex problems into lasting solutions. We are deeply rooted in Chicago and its suburbs, but our reach and our networks extend across Illinois and the country.

We move quickly and are not constrained by silos or orthodoxy. We lean into our values and independence and harness the best ideas on which to partner with local communities, business leaders, advocates, subject matter experts and governments. We are home to leaders who have executed in the trenches and the highest echelons of power.

We know that meaningful change means facing inequities head-on, mobilizing across sectors, and advancing policies that strengthen the fundamentals of building a good life for families, fostering economic growth and enabling strong communities. Our track record, relationships, and deep in-house expertise in housing and economic development, transportation and mobility, water and climate, and land use and regulations make us uniquely positioned to lead the region into a new era.

Chicago can once again become the Great American City. MPC is ready to lead.

MPC is an interdisciplinary organization with a small but nimble team and a vast network of influence. We combine rigorous research, policy development, advocacy and persuasion, and technical assistance with cross-sector collaboration to tackle the region’s toughest challenges as they present in the real world. We:

• Diagnose urgent public problems through independent research and analysis.
• Support and cultivate diverse civic leaders who have big ideas and unique skills.
• Convene heterodox partners from research and academia, business, government, and community organizations.
• Surface and share innovative, scalable solutions with government leaders, the business community, and community-based organizations.
• Shape narratives and policies to drive systemic change.
• Equip governments and civic institutions to implement policy commitments and deliver lasting results.

MPC is hiring a full-time Housing Manager to support our growing housing policy and research portfolio. The role will contribute to initiatives focused on housing supply, equitable development, home ownership access, community reinvestment, neighborhood resilience, creative financing, and broader citywide and statewide systems change. The Housing Manager will work closely with the Director of Housing and Community Development and a multidisciplinary team to manage projects, cultivate partnerships, and support the development of policy and research that strengthens the region’s housing ecosystem.

This position is ideal for someone who brings strong project management skills, experience with housing or community development issues, and a commitment to racial and economic justice. The Housing Manager will work across a wide and evolving set of projects and should be comfortable contributing to multiple work streams as organizational priorities shift.

The role includes convening teams, coordinating with partners, implementing project goals, tracking deliverables, and contributing to the development of actionable policy ideas. The Housing Manager will represent MPC with government agencies, advocacy partners, funders, and community organizations and will help advance solutions that make the region’s housing systems more equitable and effective.

This position reports to the Director of Housing and Community Development and works closely with colleagues across MPC’s Research, Land Use, and Transportation teams.