Homeless Services Department Director

Overview

The Homeless Services Department (HSD) Director leads a diverse workforce of 123 FTEs, who alongside dozens of community partner organizations, are responsible for serving those experiencing or at risk of homelessness throughout Multnomah County. The Director provides leadership, vision, direction, and accountability for the work of the department, including: contracted services, ongoing reporting and evaluation, and community planning for a continuum of homeless and housing services, including outreach, shelter, housing placement, and permanent supportive housing.

In addition to leading HSD staff, this position provides leadership in the County’s implementation of the Metro Supportive Housing Services Measure; its work with regional, state, and federal partners; and its partnerships within the County’s Homelessness Response System, federal housing authority, and East County cities. As a department within Multnomah County, the HSD Director reports to a Deputy Chief Operating Officer.

• Homelessness Response: Leading the County's overall response to homelessness and coordinating the Homelessness Response System.
• Department Leadership & Strategy: Directing long-range strategic planning, overseeing the development and implementation of department policies, procedures, and business practices, and providing leadership to the HSD Executive Team.
• Equity & Budget: Supporting the implementation of an equity framework across policies, funding, and contracts, and working in partnership with the budget director on budget development and oversight.
• Partnerships & External Relations: Cultivating and maintaining collaborative partnerships with community organizations, elected officials, and leaders across departments; acting as the senior spokesperson on homelessness for community and media engagements.
• Oversight & Reporting: Overseeing and providing final approval on high-profile reports, policy reviews, and studies; presenting information on the department's status and executing special projects.
• Emergency Response: Serving as a member of Unified Command during a Severe Weather Activation.
• Supervision: Directly supervising key executive positions (e.g., Finance Manager Senior, Program Director, Equity Manager, and Deputy Director).

Multnomah County is seeking a Director of HSD who is committed to and has experience in supporting efforts to prevent and end homelessness among individuals, families, and youth in an urban environment. This critical role requires a talented and unifying leader to bring innovative ideas and translate big picture vision and goals into realistic plans with effective and well-coordinated implementation that bring short- and long-term best practice solutions to the homelessness services system.

Candidates should be dynamic and decisive, and excel in both high-performing internal management and external relations, including the ability to successfully work through highly collaborative community processes.

This is a high-profile position that requires interfacing with internal and external leaders. To be successful candidates should possess the following key characteristics:

• Champion equity, diversity and inclusion: Ensure that the HSD operational designs and practices are centered on equity and designed to better serve people of color both inside and outside of the organization.
• Drive and Manage Organizational Change: Oversee the change management process, including developing successful communication strategies, ensuring inclusive implementation, and fostering a work environment that encourages original and innovative solutions.

• Provide Visionary and Strategic Direction: Translate high-level vision and goals into comprehensive, actionable long- and short-range plans. Drive organizational effectiveness by identifying key opportunities to break down bureaucratic silos - including using the Homelessness Response System Action Plan as a tool for change - and foster a culture of high-performance and inclusion.
• Inspiring, Courageous Leadership: Lead through inspiration and persuasion, addressing complex homelessness issues directly. Demonstrate the ability to make tough, data-driven decisions informed by wisdom, experience, and perspective.

• Cultivate Strategic Partnerships: Build and maintain critical alliances and collaborative relationships across all levels of government, private interests, and other departments to resolve complex homeless issues. Inspire action and perceive situational complexity quickly.
• Lead External Communications and Engagement: Develop and nurture mission-critical relationships with political leaders, labor, business, providers, neighborhood groups, and—most importantly—individuals with lived experience of homelessness.
• Inspire Trust and Integrity: Maintain an atmosphere of integrity, consistency, and respect by communicating honestly,…