THE OPPORTUNITY

Santa Monica, a world-renowned city ideally located on the beautiful Southern California coast, seeks a Housing and Human Services Director to lead the department through a remarkable period of reorganization with significant new funding resources and political support to address the community’s most pressing issues related to housing and human services.

THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA

The City of Santa Monica is a beautiful beachfront community of 8.3 square miles, but with a significantly large feel and impact. Home to some 91,000 residents, Santa Monica has earned an international reputation as a progressive and forward-thinking municipality well known for its high quality of life, innovative programs and service delivery, a highly engaged community, along with a strong commitment to social and economic diversity, fair housing, the arts, and sustainability.

Residents, businesses, and visitors alike are attracted to Santa Monica, a community-centered, multi-cultural beach town, because of its desirable location and world-class amenities. The city offers beautiful neighborhoods, world famous beaches, the iconic Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade, a thriving arts community, beloved local restaurants, excellent schools, exceptional health care providers, award-winning City facilities, and delightful weather.

THE HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT

The City of Santa Monica recently undertook a reorganization, dividing its Community Services Department into two separate departments to give each greater focus. As a result, the Housing and Human Services Department is a new department within the City with the mission to be responsive to the community’s educational, social, housing, and economic needs. This includes affordable housing production, preservation, and voucher programs, and a portfolio of services and investments ensuring access to a system of care that addresses the diverse needs of Santa Monica’s most vulnerable individuals and families including youth, seniors, people experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, and low-income households. The department will be staffed with 73 FTE employees, with an additional 8 FTE positions available as needed, and the FY 23-24 proposed operating budget is $55.2 million.

THE POSITION

This at-will position is a key member of the City Manager’s Executive Team and provides day-to-day management of the Housing and Human Services Department. Key responsibilities include developing and implementing strategies to increase affordable housing opportunities through new development, acquisition and rehabilitation; directing programs, services, and funding for the City’s Human Services Grants Program, non-profit organizations that support vulnerable populations including youth, families, seniors, people experiencing homelessness, persons with disabilities, and low-income community members; directing budget preparation and control and establishing budget priorities based on revenue and expenditure trends and making adjustments as necessary.

The ideal candidate will see the unique assets that Santa Monica has put into place as real opportunities to make measurable improvements upon housing, homelessness, and related social issues; will be comfortable working in engaged communities with a variety of diverse opinions and perspectives; will have a strong understanding of affordable housing finance, with a creative and entrepreneurial approach toward bringing a variety of financial options to bear upon potential projects; and will have a leadership style that permeates a mission driven, solution-focused attitude toward the important work of this department through inclusivity and engagement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The following are the minimum qualifications for the position:

• Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree.

• Experience: Seven years of recent, paid, progressively responsible professional work managing, leading or coordinating human services, community services, or affordable housing programs.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The annual salary range for the Housing and Human Services Director is up to $248,000. Placement within the range is negotiable and dependent upon qualifications.

The City offers an outstanding benefits package which includes retirement benefits provided by CalPERS. Employees who are Classic members of CalPERS or a reciprocal system, but new to the City of Santa Monica will be enrolled in the CalPERS 2% @ 55 benefit formula. Employees who are new CalPERS members (those obtaining initial membership on or after January 1, 2013), will be enrolled in the CalPERS 2% @ 62 benefit formula. Other benefits include a 457 deferred compensation plan, with City contributions, as well as retiree medical benefits.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

This recruitment will be handled with strict confidentiality. References will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established. Confidential inquiries are welcomed to Greg Nelson or Bryan Noblett at (916) 550-4100.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply below immediately as this recruitment will close once a sufficiently strong candidate pool has been established.

The City of Santa Monica is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to build balanced teams from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and or local law.  We aim to create a workplace that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our employees.