DIR OF HOMELESS PREVENTION-POLICY & PLANNING

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

DIRECTOR OF HOMELESS PREVENTION, POLICY AND PLANNING

Department of Family and Support Services

Number of Positions: 1

(additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: $121,668.00/Year

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 9/23/2025

The Director will lead Homeless Division business and administrative operations. This position offers the opportunity to work directly with local policymakers, frontline practitioners, people with lived experience of homelessness, researchers, public and private funders and a dedicated team of project coordinators and contract managers.

With the Homeless Division leadership team, this position functions as a senior manager in directing the implementation and execution of the Department of Family and Support Services' comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness, and performs related duties as required

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

* Provides management oversight in the awarding of contracts and the allocation of funds to delegate agencies, ensuring monies are disbursed appropriately to meet initiatives as outlined in the Plan to End Homelessness

* Plans and oversees the execution of work operations and administrative functions of the Homeless Services Division.

o Provides oversight in the development and implementation of policies, procedures and quality work standards for the effective administration of programs and services.

o Leads the preparation and administration of the division's budget and implements fiscal and budgetary controls to ensure monies are fully optimized and leveraged.

o Leads the coordination of monitoring, compliance and evaluation of delegate agencies responsible for the delivery of homeless services

* Directly supervises a work unit engaged in overseeing individual components of the Plan to End Homelessness, ensuring that the plan's strategic policies are effectively implemented and its objectives in reducing and preventing homelessness are met. This work unit is also charged with RFP development, establishing contract documents and performance improvement strategies for delegate agencies.

* Provides guidance and direction in developing programs and initiatives to effectively address issues and combat the problems facing the City's homeless population.

* Participates in the planning and development of programs designed to prevent and end homelessness (e.g., temporary housing, permanent supportive housing, etc).

* Evaluates the effectiveness of and provides guidance on performance improvement strategies for the department's homeless programs and services, ensuring programs and services are aligned with local and national guidelines and standards

* Confers with executive level staff at the departmental level and the Mayor's Office to report on the progress towards stated objectives and the performance of the various programs under the comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness

* Monitors and analyzes statistical data to identify trends in services and implements performance and service standards

* Acts as a collaborative partner with key stakeholders (e.g., local organizations, governmental entities, and community-based coalitions, groups and agencies) in an effort to develop systematic response efforts relative to homelessness issues

* Represents the department in meetings, planning groups, special task force initiatives and work groups to discuss homelessness policies, programs and services

* Reviews and evaluates proposed federal and state legislation impacting the homelessness agenda and prepares reports on the city's position and recommended policy changes

* Keeps abreast of new or emerging homelessness initiatives and best practices and recommends changes to departmental policies and procedures as appropriate

* Identifies and researches specific problems and areas of opportunities and concerns and makes recommendations necessary to ensure program and operational efficiency

* Responds to inquiries (e.g., media, public, community groups, etc.) and comments regarding program concerns

* Evaluates performance of subordinate staff and makes recommendations for disciplinary action

Location: Garfield Center, 10 South Kedzie, Chicago, IL

Days: M-F

Hours: 9AM-5PM

THIS POSITION IS EXEMPT FROM THE CAREER SERVICE

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in the Social Sciences, Human Services, Planning, Business or Public Administration, or a directly related field, plus five (5) years of experience in the planning and administration of a social service program, of which three (3) years are in a management/supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position, OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree or higher in the Social Sciences, Human Services, Planning, Business or Public Administration, or a directly related field, plus four (4) years of experience in the planning and administration of a social service program, of which three (3) years are in a management/supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position

Selection Criteria

This position requires applicants to complete an interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral part of the interview will be selected.

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at: Click Here

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at: Click Here

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on the information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resources staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow all required employment/hiring plan provisions, federal, state, and local laws, and collective bargaining agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience, the City of Chicago has adopted ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States, residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA), and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. The learn more about our hiring processes click here.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer and Fair Chance Employer

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor