Reports to: Chief Initiative Officer, Centers for Housing Opportunity (CHO)
Location: Hybrid – Connecticut-based, Fairfield County focus with travel across CHO regions
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Overview
The Fairfield County Center for Housing Opportunity (FCCHO) Director will serve as a key leader on the CHO team, responsible for managing the development and implementation of the Fairfield County workplan, playing a leadership role in CHO’s multi-regional work plan and ensuring high-quality execution of programs and partnerships. This role will provide critical program and project management for Fairfield County as well as cross-regional coordination and operational support to the Chief Initiative Officer, allowing the CIO to focus on strategic priorities, systems-level leadership, and external partnerships.
The ideal candidate brings a mix of policy fluency, urban planning experience, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to housing justice. They will oversee and manage regional programs and projects, manage stakeholder workgroups, and support initiatives such as municipal technical assistance, peer learning networks, community engagement, and regional planning.
Key Responsibilities
Project Management and Execution (30%)
- Oversee development and implementation of FCCHO’s annual work plan and support progress tracking in Fairfield County and across regions
- Lead Fairfield County initiatives, ensuring alignment and information flow between partners, staff, and stakeholders
- Develop timelines, workflows, and performance dashboards to support accountability and clarity
- Lead internal planning meetings and manage follow-up to ensure execution of next steps
Community Engagement and Stakeholder Collaboration (30%)
- Lead community engagement efforts with program staff, and support both grassroots organizing and grasstops collaboration
- Facilitate peer learning networks, housing working groups, and community events
- Represent FCCHO in regional meetings, planning sessions, and public presentations
Planning and Technical Assistance (20%)
- Provide technical assistance to municipalities, support the implementation of affordable housing creations and preservation strategies
- Play a key role in the development of research reports, policy briefs, and planning tools
- Contribute to the successful deployment of narrative change tools and strategies at local and regional levels
Staff Supervision and Operational Support (10%)
- Provide support to team members and supervise consultants, interns and junior staff.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, learning, and accountability across a regional office staffing model
Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in nonprofit, public policy, housing, or community development sectors
- Demonstrated experience in project management and cross-team coordination
- Knowledge of housing policy, land use planning and zoning, and community engagement strategies
- Experience supervising staff and/or consultants
- Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and written communication skills
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative, and mission-driven environment
- Proficient in project management tools and data tracking systems
- Access to reliable transportation for travel in and around Fairfield County and CHO regions
About the Centers for Housing Opportunity (CHO)
The Centers for Housing Opportunity is a regional initiative across CT facilitated by The Housing Collective in collaboration with LISC Connecticut and Partnership for Strong Communities. CHO works to address housing affordability and opportunity through regional collaboration, community engagement, technical assistance, strategic planning and policy advocacy. CHO operates in Fairfield County, Litchfield County, and Eastern CT and aims to ensure access to safe and affordable housing for all.
