Sub-Population Strategy Lead--Ending homelessness in 50 communities

About Community Solutions:

Community Solutions is a non-profit organization that works to achieve a lasting end to homelessness that leaves no one behind. We envision a more equitable future where homelessness is never inevitable or a way of life, for anyone. Since 2015, we have led Built for Zero, a movement of more than 70 cities and counties using data to radically change how they work and the impact they can achieve — and proving that it is possible to make homelessness rare and brief. Nearly half of those communities have reduced homelessness in their communities, and 14 have ended veteran or chronic homelessness. In order to help communities equitably and sustainably end homelessness, we are also working to identify solutions that can address gaps in housing, disrupt inflow into homelessness, and produce more racially equitable systems.

Community Solutions seeks leaders at every level: extraordinary, mission-oriented people not satisfied with the status quo. We are a team of values-driven innovators motivated by results. We eagerly seek and support diverse applicants. We provide generous benefits and opportunities for inspiring and transformational professional growth. We pride ourselves in developing an inclusive workplace culture that encourages staff to bring their whole selves to work every day.

Position Overview:

The Sub-Population Strategy Lead role reports to the DPP Portfolio Lead and is responsible for setting organizational strategies to achieve a high-profile set of strategic aim measures focused on scaling results around ending homelessness for sub-populations as defined in the Community Solutions strategic plan.

These strategic aim measures include:

• 75 proof points in 50 communities, including at least 5 large cities. More specifically, success looks like:
  • 25 chronic homelessness functional zero proof points, including 1 in a large city
  • 25 veteran homelessness functional zero, proof points, including 1 large city
  • 25 functional zero proof points for any sub-population (chronic, vets, families or youth)
• 2 high profile communities formally engaged in Built for Zero
• 90% of proof points are sustaining

This position will independently set priorities for interventions and support to community teams that will require intensive and effective collaboration across the DPP and BFZ teams. Responsibilities include the management and iteration of a robust set of measures and indicators as well as internal learning systems and related activities in partnership with the LS&E portfolio to continuously drive strategic thinking and changes to strategy over time. These activities require comfort and skill in utilizing qualitative and quantitative data as well as intentionally and systematically incorporating multiple BFZ team and community team perspectives that together provide a 360 view of the work and emerging learning to drive results.

Candidate Description:

The candidate of our dreams is organized, but not rigid—a “get stuff done” kind of person who can work out a plan of action quickly in the face of ambiguity and changing information (this environment offers a lot of both). We’re looking for the sort of person who thrives in problem solving around complex problems and who prides themselves on seeing multiple paths to the same outcome. You should come to work every day with a desire to collaborate with your teammates as we serve local change agents in communities around the country.

You should be dedicated and clear-eyed about what it takes to make a difference for some of the most vulnerable people in our societies, and you should understand how racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression structure and impede that work. You should have experience working on the ground in communities, facilitating collective problem-solving, and analyzing and synthesizing data. You should also demonstrate a high level of empathy and flexibility, which will be critical to ensuring successful collaboration with partnering organizations.

This work is hard, and our team is relentlessly committed to rigor, measurement and provable impact. You’ll work hard like the rest of us, and every day, you’ll have the satisfaction of contributing to a meaningful outcome that is owned by our whole team. Your title will be Sup-Population Strategy Lead, but when people ask you what you do, we hope you’ll learn to say, “I’m helping communities end homelessness.”

Defining Success for this Position:

The Sup-Population Strategy Lead is responsible for setting strategies and independently managing team priorities to achieve relevant strategic aim measures through excellence in the following areas:

• Strategy and Goal Design:
  • Independently planning and facilitating internal team processes that establish clear measurable goals, strategic frameworks and priorities that guide and focus the delivery of interventions to community teams.
  • Ensuring milestones are in alignment with strategic aims and demonstrating the path to reaching these larger outcomes.
  • Collaborating with the DPP Portfolio lead and BFZ lead in design processes for milestones and strategy.

• Learning and Problem Identification:
  • Learning system processes are fully implemented [and iterated], effectively pinpointing problems to be solved internally and externally to achieve strategic aim milestones.
  • Collaborating with the Learning System and Evaluation portfolio to narrow on strategic learning questions—producing actionable knowledge around these questions at quarterly intervals.

• Iteration in Service of Strategic Aim Measures and Key Results: Managing ongoing processes to effectively respond to and solve for problems identified at the multiple levels of the work in service of strategic aim milestones and related key results. Goals remain stable, while strategy and priorities adjust to reach the goals.

• Effective Collaboration Across the DPP and Community Solutions: Proactively working to collaborate up, down and across the team to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and the implementation of related interventions to drive results. Partnering with backbone portfolios and teams to identify and coordinate support needed for success.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

In addition to establishing a clear strategic direction for our collective work with BFZ communities, the Strategy Lead will:

• Manage strategic planning processes to delineate strategic priorities for community interventions, learning and innovation in partnership with the System-Wide Strategy Lead
• Effectively participate and collaborate in processes to align priorities across BFZ Portfolios, including Community Race Equity, Catalytic Projects Large Scale Change and the Data Team
• Operationalize and improve milestone review processes and other internal learning system activities to continuously monitor and evaluate the current strategy to track progress and generate learning and insights for scale in partnership with the Learning System and Evaluation Portfolio
• Independently iterate and change strategy and, with the Deputy Portfolio Lead for Programs, iterate and improve the corresponding interventions and supports in alignment with outputs of the internal Learning System
• Participate on key priority projects designed and delivered by the Programs Team, including direct community support to select community teams, for line of sight and real time learning regarding how strategy is translated into intervention
• Use independent discretion to manage and align external strategic partnerships to support the system-wide strategy and corresponding interventions and supports
• Work with the Community Solutions Housing Systems Team and the Social Impact Acquisition Fund partners to align their work with needs in BFZ communities relevant to system-wide aims

Professional Experience and Qualifications:

The Built for Zero team draws on a set of core competencies to support communities in their journey towards ending homelessness. These include facilitation for results, utilizing quality improvement methods, data analytics and human centered design. The System-Wide Strategy Lead should have at minimum baseline capabilities in each of these areas.

In addition, the person in this role should have demonstrated the following:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Three to five years previous work experience in a relevant professional environment
• Although it is not expected that this position will supervise other staff imminently, previous supervisory experience is preferred
• Strong project management skills, as evidenced by leading projects to successful and measurable completion
• Strong oral and written communication as well as public presentation skills with the ability to effectively translate the nuances of the work across a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders
• Extraordinary political and strategic relationship management skills
• Comfort and facility using data for problem-solving and decision-making
• Excellent and collaborative ability to manage without authority through soft power
• Strong content knowledge of local Continuum of Care governance and programs for people experiencing veteran homelessness
• A strong desire to see a measurable end to homelessness in large communities to prove it possible and for scaling to other large communities
• Equivalent experience in other sectors that require training and supporting others using data may be substituted.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast paced, dynamic team environment and demonstrate a willingness to shift easily between various responsibilities with diverse stakeholders

Supervisory Responsibilities:

It is not expected that this position will supervise staff imminently, but this may change over time.

Software/Apps Used:

• Microsoft Office
• Google Business Apps
• Asana
• Zoom
• Lattice
• Social media software and applications

Salary Range:

The salary range for this position is $85,500 - $111,200, commensurate with the candidate’s experience. Note that our salary structure is transparent and ensures that salary advancement is attainable with increased tenure, performance, independence, responsibility, and embodiment of our organizational values.

Work Environment:

This position can be located anywhere in the U.S. and provides the flexibility to work from a remote location without the standard support available at an office if desired. The Built for Zero team has offices in Los Angeles and New York.

Up to 5 days of travel may be required every two months to attend semi-annual team retreats, community visits, and other on-site trainings or convenings. Additional travel may be needed and will be negotiated with staff on an individual basis pending availability.

Diversity and Inclusion:

We strive for inclusivity and diversity by attracting extraordinary people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. We seek to employ an all-star team of people who vary by their race and ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, age, culture, religion, veteran status, physical and mental abilities. We promote equal opportunity in the recruitment, selection, training, compensation, promotion, and benefits of all employees.

COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate:

COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for all Community Solutions staff—full-time, part-time, and contracted. Vaccination documentation must be provided to Community Solutions. Vaccination information is completely confidential between the staff member and HR.