Director of Development

Director of Development is an Open-Competitive Onondaga County Civil Service position and if hired, continued employment will be contingent on qualifying for, successfully passing, and reachability off the applicable Onondaga County Civil Service Exam.

After a conditional offer of employment, a favorable background check, verification of education and work history, and illegal drug screening must be completed prior to starting employment. Proof of identity and legal work authorization will also be required.

This member of the Executive Management Team has the oversight and ultimate responsibility for creating well-designed and financially sustainable affordable and market-rate housing. The Director of Development will lead all development activities for the Syracuse Housing Authority, providing management and oversight of our development staff. Department activities encompass all facets of housing development, including site identification, project feasibility evaluation, applying for and securing financing, and construction supervision.

The position is also responsible for developing the long-term vision and strategic planning for the development team. The Director of Development works collaboratively with executive leadership and internal departments, including finance, asset management, resident services, property management, and compliance, to ensure development initiatives support agency-wide goals and operational needs. Work is performed under the general supervision of an administrative superior with a considerable amount of leeway for the exercise of independent judgment in fulfilling work assignments.

General supervision is exercised over a small number of professional staff. Does related work as required.

• Serves as a cross-functional leader and collaborates with internal departments, external partners, consultants, and stakeholders to ensure development activities are coordinated, communicated, and aligned with organizational objectives.
• Participates in the identification, feasibility analysis, and negotiation of real estate acquisitions;
• Sources and analyzes the feasibility of potential development sites and evaluates associated development schemes;
• Develops plans for successful development of affordable housing projects, including extensive financial investment analysis, pro-forma modeling of new developments, opportunistic investment strategies, and potential acquisition opportunities;
• Provides development strategies for current and future development projects and HUD programs such as Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Mixed Finance (MF), Project Based Vouchers (PBV), Project Based Rental Assistance (PBVA), etc.;
• Collaborates with the Asset Manager to evaluate and provide for maintenance and rehabilitation of projects and coordinates the implementation of quality control inspections;

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• Directs activities with attorneys, architects, engineers, and other consultants to plan projects related to public entitlement, site permits, acquisition due diligence, and closing activities;
• Administers and directs the development of plans and specifications for contracting capital improvements and rehabilitation of Syracuse Housing Authority properties;
• Monitors procedures and policies to ensure compliance with HUD regulations and agency policy compliance. Completes all related reports as required;
• Monitors contractor compliance to Davis Bacon Wage Determination Act and adherence to Syracuse Housing Authority’s Section 3 hiring requirements;
• Creates and supervises the development of construction including standard boiler plate for bid specifications, contracts,…