Manager of Housing Initiatives

Housing Forward is the backbone organization leading one of the nation's most innovative and successful homeless response systems. Through the All Neighbors Coalition, Housing Forward aligns more than 150 public, private, and nonprofit partners to build a coordinated, data-driven system that resolves homelessness across Dallas and Collin Counties. Since 2021, the community has achieved five consecutive years of reductions in homelessness while Housing Forward has grown into a high-performing lead agency with more than 45 employees driving system strategy, performance management, and cross-sector collaboration.    

Housing Forward is entering its next chapter by implementing bold strategies to ensure no one is forced to sleep outside. The organization seeks strategic leaders who thrive in complex environments, build alignment across diverse stakeholders, and embrace a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation to drive system improvement.   

The Manager of Housing Initiatives translates Housing Forward’s housing strategy into coordinated action across housing and service pathways. This position provides operational leadership for housing stabilization efforts, supervising program coordinators and ensuring established program models are consistently implemented, and performance goals are met. The Manager maintains a comprehensive view of team priorities, provider performance, service gaps, and emerging risks, establishing the structure and accountability needed to help households obtain and maintain permanent housing. Working across internal teams and community partners, the Manager addresses barriers, guides program improvements, and brings trends and recommends solutions to leadership.

This role requires strong project management and facilitative leadership skills to manage competing priorities, develop staff, and build effective partnerships. The ideal candidate uses data and feedback to drive practice and process improvements, empowers coordinators through clear expectations and coaching, and ensures follow-through. Success requires sound judgment in resolving issues, engaging partners, and elevating concerns to leadership. 

Staff Supervision and Team Management

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  Supervise Exit Pathway Coordinators, establish clear expectations, and provide onboarding, regular supervision, coaching, professional development, and performance evaluations.

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  Translate department priorities into operational workplans with clear milestones, staff assignments, timelines, and measurable deliverables; manage workloads and coverage to support execution.

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  Review the quality and timeliness of coordinator work, address performance concerns, and ensure staff have the tools and support needed to meet expectations.

Program Implementation and Housing Stabilization

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  Ensure coordinators apply established program models, policies, procedures, and service expectations consistently across their assigned initiatives.

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  Oversee support for provider case managers, including regular housing stabilization meetings, timely problem-solving, and completion of agreed-upon actions.

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  Ensure housing initiatives emphasize stability, ongoing housing retention and access to needed services.

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  Identify when household needs require reassessment or additional support and work with coordinators and appropriate partners to follow established referral and review processes.

Performance Management and Data Quality

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  Work with the Director and Performance Management team to establish clear measures. 

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  Review provider and team results, including housing retention and service connections.

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  Ensure coordinators maintain accurate, timely tracking and work with housing providers to resolve missing or inconsistent information.

Quality Assurance and Provider Development

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  Review housing outcomes, tracking tools, and case documentation with coordinators to assess effective service delivery and alignment with program expectations.

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  Identify training and technical assistance needs and work with internal teams and providers to strengthen housing stabilization and case coordination practices.

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  Recommend improvements to workflows and program guidance, implement approved changes, and monitor whether changes address the identified problem.

Leadership Reporting and Resource Planning

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  Provide the Director and Leadership with updates on outcomes, trends, and significant issues.

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  Escalate urgent concerns promptly, including risks to household safety or housing stability, repeated performance problems, and issues beyond the Manager's authority.

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  Maintain a comprehensive view of program capacity, timelines, and emerging risks; adjust team priorities and inform staffing, resource, and planning decisions. Support assigned grant and contract reporting.

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  5 years or more experience managing housing, homelessness response, or related human services programs, including staff supervision and performance improvement.

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  Must have reliable transportation, valid state-issued driver’s license, and car insurance. Please note that travel is required on a limited basis.

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  Must be flexible to work at different sites as scheduled.

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  Limited requirements, must be able to maintain files and lift objects that weigh up to 25 lbs.

• Housing Forward considers normal hours of operation Monday – Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm. Some nights and weekend meetings might be required to meet the needs of partner agencies or to represent Housing Forward at community meetings. 

• Current Housing Forward guidelines state that employees must work at least 3 days per week in the office, but this is subject to change.  Housing Locators however are required to work in the field with landlords and property managers to the extent needed to meet unit goals.