All Things Urban

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in nearly 1,400 communities throughout the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower.

Habitat for Humanity International is looking for an individual that is passionate, purpose driven, systems thinker and grounded with a deep understanding of the Social Determinants of Health. The Associate Director, Aging in Place will have experience in policy development, program design and management, have the ability to dream and plan big toward the future while remaining present and detail-oriented in managing day-to-day priorities. The AD will manage HFHI’s current work with affiliates and partners and will identify new opportunities to invest in and expand that work. Preference will be given to internal candidates for this position.

Habitat for Humanity International is a complex organization with staff across the United States and globally working to support the efforts of over 1,000 local affiliates in the US and 70 offices around the world. Within the US Office, the Housing and Community Strategy group works to identify, invest in and scale innovative approaches to address affordable housing needs in ways that capitalize on Habitat’s unique model and scale. Among these strategic initiatives is our Housing Plus/Aging in Place Initiative. Habitat for Humanity affiliate organizations within the US are working with HFHI and industry partners like AARP and Johns Hopkins University to pilot and test housing related strategies meant to improve housing conditions and the overall health and longevity of older homeowners.

A little about our Aging in Place strategy:

• The population of the United States is aging – 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 or older by 2030. One thing that has not changed: People want to remain in their own home and community, according to research by AARP Foundation. Habitat recognizes the long-term contributions these older residents make in their communities, which is why we’re intensifying our work with older adults as part of our Aging in Place efforts.

• Aging in Place began in partnership with the AARP Foundation in 2013 by funding construction projects for older homeowners in seven local Habitat organization communities. It’s expanded since to meet even more needs of the older adult community:

o Community Aging in Place—Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) combines home repairs with health services. Developed by Johns Hopkins University, CAPABLE is being demonstrated by 5 local Habitat organizations across the U.S.

o In 2019, AARP Foundation launched a “Here to Stay: Home Upkeep For All” home repair toolkit for low-income older adults. 7 local Habitat organizations across the country are piloting workshops designed around the toolkit for the AARP Foundation.

• Serve as Subject Matter Expert on the importance of housing to the health, well-being, safety and security of vulnerable populations. (currently program is singularly focused on older adults)
• Stay abreast of relevant innovations and emerging trends in the health and housing environment that will positively impact outcomes for vulnerable populations. Conduct research and produce documents, presentations, etc. that explore the connections between health outcomes and housing supporting both fundraising and strategic planning efforts.
• Manage the strategic planning process that will guide the expansion of this work to include a broader focus on the impact of housing on health outcomes for vulnerable or marginalized populations.
• Communicate effectively to internal and external audiences. Communicate effectively, in writing and verbally, Habitat’s Housing Plus program vision, strategies, holistic approach and commitment to working in partnership with others. Represent Habitat at conferences and industry events. Build and support national and local advocacy efforts that support affordable and safe housing for our focus populations.
• Support local Habitat offices (affiliates) in implementing programs that support aging in place; gather and share best practices. Develop and execute relevant training for Habitat affiliates.
• Identify, develop and nurture national partnerships to provide coordinated services and enable holistic approaches to addressing housing needs. Examples include National Area Agencies on Aging, Meals on Wheels, AARP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Identify and support collaboration with other HFHI initiatives and programs. Other programs include Neighborhood Revitalization, Veterans Build, Disaster Readiness, Response and Recovery, Innovation Strategy Development, construction initiatives and repair programs.
• In partnership with the HFHI US Research and Measurement team, develop and implement a methodology for measuring outcomes and impact. Support strategic use of data and other forms of research.

• Education: Graduate degree in public policy or administration, public health, urban planning, sociology, gerontology or related field or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Years of Related Experience: 7+ years experience in one of the fields described above, some managerial experience preferred
• Familiarity with the Aging field as well as Social Determinants of Health and their use in designing programming/policy
• A proven commitment to and experience with community centered decision making, equity driven programming grounded in social justice principles
• Experience and success in managing complex programs including technical assistance to end users and monitoring and evaluation of program outcomes
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and experience engaging diverse stakeholder groups
• Existing career focus on policy analysis and development, evidence-based program design, systems transformation and/or community collaboration
• Proven ability to compile data and research in order to produce effective presentation decks and written reports
• Familiarity with database software, research and analysis tools and software
• Experience with fundraising and managing donors
• Comfort working in a highly integrated, innovative and collaborative team environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills as well as a comfort with remote work and virtual teams
• Active support of HFHI Values:
  o Humility – We are part of something bigger than ourselves
  o Courage – We do what’s right, even when it is difficult or unpopular
  o Accountability – We take personal responsibility for Habitat’s mission
• Safeguarding: HFHI requires that all employees take seriously their ethical responsibilities to safeguarding our intended beneficiaries, their communities, and all those with whom we work. Managers at all levels have responsibilities to support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.

We’re not fully sure whether this role is open to international candidates. If you would need visa sponsorship or work authorisation, we recommend checking directly with the employer before applying.