Director of Resident Engagement and Governance

SCOPE OF AUTHORITY & ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

This role carries significant responsibility for building resident engagement infrastructure, but its authority is bounded and exercised in partnership with, rather than independent of, other parts of the organization:

• Resident Governance Bodies: The Director supports, resources, trains, and builds the capacity of resident self-governance structures (e.g., Resident Governance Councils, the Constituency process). The Director does not direct, control, or override decisions that fall within resident self-governance — the role is facilitative and supportive, not directive.
• Board of Directors: The Director does not report to, or take direction from, the Board of Directors, and does not have independent authority to set Board policy. The Director may be asked to present to the Board or gather resident input on the Board's behalf, but always in coordination with the COO.
• Property Management: The Director partners closely with property management so that resident engagement and restorative justice practices inform, and are informed by, day-to-day operations. The Director does not have authority over property management staffing, leasing, or maintenance decisions, though the role is expected to advocate for resident interests within those processes.
• Chief Operating Officer: The Director reports to, and operates within delegated authority from, the Chief Operating Officer. Decisions with significant legal, financial, Charter-wide, or asset-management implications are made in partnership with, or deferred to, the COO.

SSHD's Charter requires this role to build genuine resident self-governance and restorative practice. At the same time, SSHD is a housing asset owner with fiduciary and operational responsibilities to protect the long-term financial health and physical condition of its buildings. These two mandates will not always point in the same direction, and this role is expected to name that tension directly exercising sound judgment about when resident preferences can be fully accommodated and when fiscal, safety, or long-term sustainability considerations must take precedence.

• Develop and apply a working framework for identifying where resident engagement/Charter mandates and asset management responsibilities intersect, complement, and at times conflict, escalating higher-stakes conflicts to the COO as needed.
• Clearly communicate to residents and staff which decisions fall within resident self-governance and which require asset management or Operations approval, so expectations are set honestly rather than left ambiguous.
• Support the Resident Liaison and Restorative Justice Program Manager in setting healthy, professional boundaries with residents, balancing genuine responsiveness to resident wants and needs with SSHD's obligations as an asset owner and operator. For example, the resident engagement team may inform and educate residents about available social services, but does not take on a case management role.
• Continuously assess and communicate what is realistically achievable for SSHD at its current stage of growth versus what may become possible as the agency and portfolio mature, helping residents and staff calibrate expectations rather than overpromise.

• Directly supervise, coach, and support the Resident Liaison and Restorative Justice Program Manager, and, as the portfolio grows, additional staff in these roles at new buildings, ensuring consistent, high-quality, and integrated resident engagement practice.
• Set goals, conduct performance reviews, and support the professional growth and capacity building of direct reports,…