Choice Neighborhood Administrator

SCOPE:

The Choice Neighborhoods Administrator provides strategic leadership and executive-level oversight for the Oklahoma City Housing Authority’s (OCHA) Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) Implementation Grant and Transformation Plan. The Administrator is responsible for leading the successful implementation of OCHA’s comprehensive neighborhood transformation strategy focused on the replacement and transformation of Will Rogers Courts and the revitalization of the surrounding Will Rogers/Stockyards neighborhood and any future CNI awards.

The Administrator serves as OCHA’s primary internal leader for Choice Neighborhoods implementation and is responsible for coordinating the Housing, People, and Neighborhood components of the Transformation Plan. The position works across OCHA departments and with the City of Oklahoma City, residents, developers, nonprofit organizations, educational and healthcare institutions, businesses, philanthropic organizations, federal and state agencies, and other community partners to ensure that the commitments established through the CNI grant are implemented effectively and produce measurable outcomes.

The Administrator serves as a strategic advisor to the Executive Director and executive leadership, providing regular updates regarding implementation progress, funding, HUD compliance, project risks, resident outcomes, neighborhood investments, and decisions requiring executive action.

ACCOUNTABILITY: 

Directly responsible to the Executive Director.

EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED: 

• Lead CNI Implementation and Strategic Planning: Serve as OCHA’s lead staff member for implementation of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) Implementation Grant and approved Transformation Plan. Translate the Transformation Plan into a comprehensive, multi-year implementation strategy with defined priorities, projects, milestones, timelines, budgets, performance measures, and accountability, ensuring alignment with OCHA’s strategic plan, redevelopment priorities, resident services goals, and long-term portfolio strategy.

• Coordinate Housing, People, and Neighborhood Transformation: Provide strategic oversight and coordination of the Housing, People, and Neighborhood strategies to ensure they function as one integrated transformation initiative. Coordinate implementation across OCHA departments and external partners, identify interdependencies and risks, and recommend solutions to address delays, funding gaps, policy issues, and other barriers to successful implementation.

• Oversee Housing Redevelopment: Provide strategic coordination and oversight of the redevelopment of Will Rogers Courts, including replacement of existing public housing with sustainable, mixed-income housing and the integration of replacement housing, affordable housing, community amenities, and supportive services. Coordinate with OCHA departments and development partners and monitor financing, design, construction, relocation, occupancy, and other critical redevelopment milestones.

• Advance Neighborhood Investment and Partnerships: Lead coordination of neighborhood transformation activities within the CNI target neighborhood and with the City of Oklahoma City and other public, private, nonprofit, philanthropic, and community partners. Support implementation of neighborhood investments, infrastructure, transportation, public spaces, economic development, public safety, community facilities, and connections to surrounding assets, while identifying opportunities to leverage additional public and private investment.

• Advance Resident Outcomes and Engagement: Ensure implementation of the CNI People Strategy remains resident-centered and outcome-driven. Coordinate with Resident Services and community partners to advance employment, education, health, youth development, economic mobility, housing stability, and other resident outcomes. Lead resident and community engagement efforts, ensure meaningful resident participation in implementation decisions, and support communication regarding redevelopment, relocation, services, and neighborhood improvements.

• Manage CNI Grant Compliance and Reporting: Serve as OCHA’s primary coordinator for HUD CNI requirements and ensure compliance with applicable grant, federal, environmental, relocation, procurement, civil rights, and other requirements. Coordinate HUD reports, budgets, work plans, amendments, performance documentation, and grant submissions; monitor expenditures and drawdowns; maintain grant records; and coordinate corrective actions, audits, monitoring, and grant closeout activities.

• Monitor Performance, Accountability, and Risk: Establish and maintain an integrated CNI implementation dashboard and master schedule to track milestones, budgets, deliverables, performance measures, risks, dependencies, and responsible parties. Lead regular implementation meetings, establish early-warning and accountability processes, analyze performance data, and recommend adjustments to ensure projects remain on schedule, within budget, and aligned with the Transformation Plan.

• Provide Executive Leadership, Communications, and Stakeholder Coordination: Serve as a primary liaison to HUD, the OCHA Board of Commissioners, Executive Leadership, the City, developers, nonprofit and community organizations, and other CNI partners. Advise the Executive Director on implementation progress, challenges, opportunities, risks, and strategic priorities; provide regular updates to the Board and stakeholders; coordinate partner commitments and agreements; and oversee responses to governmental, resident, community, media, and other stakeholder inquiries.

• The Administrator may supervise CNI program, project management, compliance, resident engagement, communications, and administrative staff.

• The position will also provide matrixed leadership across OCHA departments, including Development, Finance, Asset Management, Capital Improvements, Resident Services, Housing Operations, Housing Choice Voucher, Procurement, Legal, and Communications.

• The Administrator is expected to lead through influence and establish accountability across organizational boundaries where direct supervisory authority does not exist

• Performs other duties as assigned.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Office environment as well as field environment. Possible exposure to inclement weather, dusty, dirty, noisy, mechanical hazards, noxious fumes, paints and solvents and unsanitary conditions. Stress due to volume, emergencies and time schedules.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, urban planning, business administration, public policy, community development, real estate, finance, social services, or a related field.

Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in affordable housing, public housing, community development, neighborhood revitalization, real estate development, grant administration, or a related field.

Demonstrated experience managing complex federal grants or federally funded programs. Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-year projects involving multiple departments and external partners.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree.

Direct experience implementing a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Initiative grant.

Experience developing or implementing a HUD Transformation Plan.

Experience with public housing redevelopment and mixed-income housing.

Experience with RAD, Section 18, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME, CDBG, Choice Neighborhoods, or other affordable housing programs.

Knowledge of HUD relocation and Uniform Relocation Assistance requirements.

Experience working with a public housing authority or governmental entity.

Experience securing and leveraging public and private funding.

Experience developing executive dashboards, performance measures, and implementation systems.

Experience managing community engagement and resident-centered neighborhood revitalization initiatives.

PHYSICAL: 

Ability to read and write written correspondence.  Ability to communicate clearly with others by telephone and in person. Physical requirements are evaluated based on the ability to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, under the ADA.