Chief Executive Officer

The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA), a Moving to Work (MTW) public housing authority, non-profit housing developer and property manager of high-quality homes for families, elders, and people with disability, is seeking a dynamic Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization with intelligence, passion, and strategic insight.

This is a unique opportunity to lead an organization with a long-standing, nationally recognized record of innovation in affordable housing. As CHA continues to evolve from a traditional public housing authority into a modern public owner, manager, and developer, it is expanding its impact in Cambridge and across the region, leveraging past success to create new opportunities for affordable housing development and management.

The Chief Executive Officer will provide the overall leadership, strategy, and financial and operational oversight of the agency and its portfolio, reporting directly to the CHA Board of Commissioners. The Chief Executive Officer will work closely in developing and implementing policies and programs with the Board’s Chair, specific Board oversight committees and the Alliance for Cambridge Tenants (ACT), a city-wide organization of CHA residents and voucher participants.

You will also serve as the public face of CHA, building trusted relationships with residents, city leaders, service providers, advocacy groups, and government agencies to foster collaborative solutions that address housing insecurity and improve resident well-being.

Understanding and successfully implementing the Strategic Plan as well as CHA’s MTW Annual Plan are essential to the Chief Executive Officer’s position and responsibilities.

These documents can be found at:

(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./strategic plan

Draft FY26 MTW Plan Available - CHA

• Oversees all internal operations to ensure fiscal integrity, regulatory compliance, and high-quality service delivery.
• Directs financial reporting and audits, maintains effective feedback systems, and ensures departmental performance aligns with board policy, funding requirements, and legal standards.
• Leads agency initiatives that promote stability and opportunity for CHA residents.
• Builds and supports a skilled, mission-driven workforce.
• Sets performance benchmarks, manages the annual budget process, and provides clear financial and operational reports to the Board of Commissioners.
• Resolves program issues, manages sensitive internal matters, and advises the Board on key actions and emerging needs.

• Serves as the primary external representative of the agency, championing its mission to expand and preserve affordable housing through innovative financing, sustainable development, and equitable community investment.
• Builds strong relationships with government officials, community leaders, partner organizations, funders, and the public, ensuring broad support for CHA’s initiatives.
• Stays ahead of national housing trends and HUD policies, bringing forward best practices and new opportunities to strengthen programs and development efforts.
• Leads initiatives to expand transitional and permanent supportive housing, address homelessness, and increase housing options for low- and moderate-income residents.
• Guides long-term financing strategies; such as tax credit structures, bond financing, and other tools, to support housing development and renovation.
• Identifies new funding sources, partnerships, and creative subsidy uses to grow CHA’s impact.
• Advocates at the federal, state, and local levels to shape policies that advance housing choice, operational flexibility, and economic mobility for CHA residents and program participants.

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic leader with deep experience in affordable housing, organizational management, development, and community engagement.

• Post-secondary education in an appropriate field, such as Public Administration, is preferred.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in an executive leadership position at an affordable housing entity or public housing…