Manager of Strategy

Pay Type:

Salary

FLSA:
Exempt

REPORTS TO:

Director of Exit Special Populations

• Min $63,000
• Max $87,000

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 Employment Strategy leads the development and implementation of a coordinated employment model that connects shelter exit and housing stabilization efforts with workforce services, employers, and training opportunities across Dallas and Collin Counties. This position builds referral pathways, develops partnerships across local employment sectors, and supports employment specialists within the All Neighbors Coalition in helping participants access and retain employment.

The Manager establishes shared practices, clear partner responsibilities, and measurable outcomes to strengthen the connection between employment, income growth, and housing stability.

This role requires a strategic, highly organized problem solver who can turn system priorities into practical workflows, build productive employer relationships, and guide implementation across organizations. The ideal candidate understands both employer hiring needs and the barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness, uses data and participant feedback to improve services while balancing immediate job placement needs.

The Manager of Employment Strategy reports to the Director of Special Populations and provides coordination, technical assistance, and practice guidance to employment specialists and participating providers across the CoC.

• Assess existing employment services, participant needs, partner capacity, and local hiring demand to identify gaps and build on available resources.
• Develop the system employment model with the Director and partners, defining service pathways, provider roles, referral standards, and expected outcomes.
• Translate the model into workplans, tools, and implementation milestones.

• Establish a structured referral process connecting shelter and housing providers with workforce services, employers, training programs, and employment resources.
• Support employment specialists in matching participants to direct job placement, training, or more intensive employment support based on individual goals, skills, interests, and service needs.
• Align employment engagement with shelter exit and housing plans, ensuring service continuity when participants move into housing.

• Build relationships with local workforce organizations, employers, industry groups, training providers, and staffing agencies to expand access to employment and career pathways.
• Engage employers through targeted outreach, job fairs, hiring events, and staffing agency collaboration; connect activities to actual openings and track hiring results.
• Assess opportunities for wages, reliable hours, accessibility, transportation, advancement, and fit with participant goals; establish clear hiring and ongoing support contacts.

• Work with providers to address documentation, transportation, childcare, work equipment, and other barriers that prevent participants from starting or keeping a job.
• Establish expectations for support after job placement, including early problem-solving, retention follow-up, and reemployment assistance after job loss; elevate unmet resource needs.

• Convene employment specialists and participating providers…