Washington Homeownership Resource Center Looking for Equity in Homeownership Program Manager at Shoreline, WA Full Time

***Applicants for the Equity in Homeownership Program Manager Role must live in Washington state. Candidates who do not provide a cover letter will not be considered.***

EQUITY IN HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM MANAGER

The Washington Homeownership Resource Center (WHRC) is seeking an exceptional relationship builder to support the design and implementation of programs that ensure Black community members attain and retain homeownership.

The Equity in Homeownership Program Manager is a new role that will steward our approach to addressing racial disparities in access to and retention of homeownership in Washington state. They will increase our capacity to coordinate, steward, lead, and implement both independent and collaborative work to drive change in increasing Black homeownership across the state, as well as for other groups who have historically been excluded from access to homeownership.

In addition to our direct work with our clients from communities across the state, we work closely with partner agencies – both public and private – to affect systems and policy change and advance important collaborative program efforts. WHRC’s work to increase and preserve Black homeownership is primarily through leadership and participation in the collaborative efforts of 1) the Black Homeownership
Initiative (BHI), a partnership convened by the Housing Development Consortium of King County; 2) the
Black Home Initiative convened by Civic Commons; and 3) a Racial Disparities Workgroup convened by the Washington State Department of Commerce.

This role is meant for someone who is ready to roll up their sleeves. Your primary responsibility will be implementation of the strategies and tactics contained in the BHI plan where that work intersects with WHRC’s services, as well as coordinating
WHRC’s independent and collaborative work related to racial equity in homeownership in
Washington, such as implementation of forthcoming plans produced by the other partnerships named above.

You will be an integral team member in ensuring our commitment to increasing BIPOC homeownership remains at the forefront of our work at WHRC and in affecting programmatic and systemic change to increase Black homeownership. Your leadership and person power will push progress on collaborative design and implementation of new service delivery and outreach programs and include a breadth of approaches and activities. Work will include researching existing models, identifying those with promise for Washington, engaging partners to determine key program elements on systems-level work, building the relationships necessary to implement the programs, and working internally to update our processes and systems to facilitate our own participation in service delivery.

ABOUT WHRC:

Since 1995, WHRC has helped over 90,000 homebuyers and homeowners. Through our hotline, website, and online
Homeownership Portal, we provide our clients with personalized information and referral to vetted homeownership supports, including: homebuyer assistance programs, pre-purchase education and counseling, mortgage and property tax foreclosure intervention counseling, reverse mortgage counseling, owner-occupied repair assistance, other post-purchase education and assistance, legal aid, and credit counseling.

In addition to working with current and prospective homeowners to help them meet their homeownership goals, WHRC works closely with elected officials, government agencies, lenders, and community organizations to advocate for resources, programs, and protections to support homeownership across Washington.

Those seeking our services are typically homeowners who are behind on their mortgage or property tax payments, homeowners seeking home repair or home modification assistance, or low-to-moderate income people interested in learning about home buying programs and products in Washington state.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

You’ll report to the Executive Director, and your core responsibilities will include:

Programs and Tools to Identify and Support BIPOC Buyers and Homeowners

You’ll provide structure and person power to our efforts with other coalition members:

• Lead and coordinate the work of external partners and stakeholder teams as well as WHRC staff to implement homebuyer and homeowner-focused tactics and strategies, such as those contained in the 7-point plan to increase Black homeownership, including creating agendas, scheduling and convening meetings, and stewarding interim work as needed to keep the collaborative effort moving forward;

• Help more Black homebuyers achieve their homeownership goals by coordinating development of a system of intake and assessment that helps triage interested buyers and provides them with a tailored path to homeownership;

• Steward evolution of our existing Homeownership Portal into a relevant and effective buyer assessment, referral, and cultivation tool to support Black homebuyers;

• Provide staff support and leadership to explore, develop, and/or expand the use of “homebuyer clubs” and incentive savings programs like individual development accounts (IDAs) to support homebuyers;

• Research existing race-equity in homeownership programs and policies to use as a building block for programs in Washington, share information with partners, and cultivate opportunities

(convenings, stakeholder meetings, etc.), to develop and establish promising programs and policies locally.

Referral Partnerships to Increase and Protect BIPOC Homeownership

You’ll ensure we stay laser-focused on supporting BIPOC homeownership:

• Cultivate an ecosystem of collaboration between private sector partners (mortgage brokers, financial institutions, real estate agents) and a network of trusted brokers to refer denied home loan applicants to homebuyer resources and alternative homeownership programs through

WHRC;

• Leverage knowledge and build partner relationships to ensure the breadth and accuracy of

WHRC’s central repository of homebuyer assistance programs and products, including down payment assistance programs and loan products that serve BIPOC buyers, low-to-moderate income buyers, first time buyers, and/or first generation buyers;

• Identify and expand existing resources and create new resources as needed to provide vetted, accurate referrals for BIPOC homebuyers and homeowners seeking homeownership-related services. For example, expanding existing Black business directories to include real estate agents, mortgage brokers, home inspectors, plumbers, etc;

• Coordinate with WHRC management and staff to ensure our referral processes reflect new programs.

Marketing and Outreach to Reach BIPOC Homebuyers and Grow Our Impact

You’ll become an expert on homeownership resources in our community and raise awareness about what WHRC does:

• Work with BHI partners to…
• Create a network of community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, community leaders, etc, to facilitate trusted connections with community members for ongoing two-way communication for marketing and outreach related to homeownership;
• Implement affirmative marketing and outreach strategies presenting a full spectrum of homeownership products, services, and providers, and track activities and outcomes;
• Develop outreach tools and tactics specifically tailored to Black members of Puget

Sound communities, from newsletter templates to social media toolkits;

• Evaluate marketing/outreach program success internally and increase tracking of outcomes from partner agencies. Track outcomes to determine if efforts are working successfully and pivot as needed;

• Serve as the primary point of contact in our outreach and communication efforts to address homeownership-related racial equity issues; may be asked to coordinate details for ED participation in media appearances and other presentations related to racial equity.

WHRC Leadership for Sector Change to Increase BIPOC Access to Affordable Homeownership

You’ll be part of our overall work to lead change in homeownership access across Washington:

• Monitor academic, policy, and program research and publications to inform WHRC’s understanding of past and present discrimination in homeownership, maintain current knowledge of developing and successful efforts to address past inequities, and inform program improvement, development, and policy advocacy;

• In partnership with the Executive Director, contribute to the success of the BHI policy network as a participant providing key information for the formulation of sound and equitable policy; liaise with legislators, leaders of aligned organizations, and local government entities about

WHRC services/resources and pending system changes;

• Support WHRC participation in workgroups investigating and developing solutions to racial disparities in homeownership across the state;

• In partnership with WHRC management and program staff, retrieve, evaluate, and analyze data; build and generate reports regarding WHRC programs for advocacy, program improvements, and grant writing/reporting.

• Participate in coordination of events and other opportunities for sharing best practices and innovation in promoting and preserving Black and BIPOC homeownership;

• Support existing home repair assistance network(s) to address repair/modification needs of

BIPOC homeowners.

The Equity in Homeownership Program Manager is part of the WHRC team. Our team members also:

• Attend regular training as required to maintain all appropriate certifications;
• Participate in ongoing anti-bias and anti-racism training/workshops, and incorporate these principles into our daily work;
• Attend regular staff meetings and any partner/sector meetings as assigned;
• Practice flexibility and occasionally pitch in for other mission-support duties that allow our small team to respond to evolving community needs with agility.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the skills, knowledge, and experience required.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

At least three years of experience in homeownership services and/or broader social services program management and equity work, and a high school diploma or general education degree (GED) is required, Bachelor’s Degree preferred. A combination of education and experience will be considered.

Strong background in homeownership, pre-purchase education, post purchase education, and/or asset building/financial empowerment preferred. Knowledge of historic and current barriers to homeownership for BIPOC preferred.

Skills and Attributes:

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following skills:

• Strong relationship builder and communicator with experience coordinating diverse work teams, engaging community partners, working with BIPOC-led organizations, and partnering with an ED and leadership team;

• A commitment to social justice, anti-racism, and cultural competency;
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and evaluate new programs;
• Knowledge of the housing and homeownership landscape in Washington state;
• Demonstrates integrity, strives for excellence in her/his/their work, and has experience leading others to new levels of effectiveness and programmatic impact;
• Strong analytical skills, can synthesize complex information and put it into practice;
• Ability to find solutions to a variety of problems, both as part of a team and independently;
• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, and listening skills;
• Comfort using technology and guiding development of new technology tools, such as cloud- based apps and software;
• Passionate about WHRC’s mission and able to promote and communicate our philosophy, mission, and values to external and internal stakeholders.

COMPENSATION & DETAILS

The Equity in Homeownership Program Manager is a full-time (40 hours/week) exempt position. Pay is biweekly with an annualized starting salary of $60,320 (FTE). WHRC staff are employees of Parkview
Services and have all of the benefits afforded to Parkview employees, including: access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, a retirement match up to 3% of salary, and paid vacation and sick/safe leave.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

WHRC staff members are continuing to work from home or hybrid in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it is safe to do so, WHRC will work with employees to transition to a hybrid work schedule, with some office-based and some home-based work depending on employee preference, performance, and job responsibilities. WHRC will provide basic home office equipment as needed to work successfully from home. We are only considering applicants who live in Washington state.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

TO APPLY

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three references as PDF attachments with the subject line “EH Program Manager – Your First Initial of First
Name and Full Last Name. For example: EH Program Manager: KSmith.

Materials will be reviewed upon receipt. Please apply no later than midnight Sunday, July 3, 2022. It is wise to apply earlier if possible as we will begin screening interviews as application materials are received. You will receive an email of receipt. Applicants who do not include a cover letter will not be considered. Please note, our cover letter serves as your writing sample for this role. We will not contact any references unless it has been discussed with the candidate first.

WHRC is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration

for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,320.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Physical Setting:

• Office

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
WHRC staff members are continuing to work from home or hybrid in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it is safe to do so, WHRC will work with employees to transition to a hybrid work schedule, with some office-based and some home-based work depending o

Work Location: One location