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 100 cities and counties in the United States 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.

In recent years, we have begun working with key communities and partners outside the United States to help stand up large-scale efforts to end homelessness in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France. Through that work we are seeking to identify and spread the common features of successful movements to end homelessness, and generate proof that doing so is possible around the world. Two communities outside the United States have already reached functional zero; we want at least five more to join them by 2026.

Community Solutions seeks leaders at every level: extraordinary, mission-oriented people unsatisfied with the status quo. We are a team of values-driven innovators motivated by results. We provide generous benefits and opportunities for inspiring and transformational professional growth. We pride ourselves in developing and nurturing a diverse and inclusive workplace culture that encourages staff to bring their whole selves to work every day.

Position Overview:

Community Solutions (CS) is seeking an individual to join the Built for Zero team as a Systems Improvement Advisor for International & Initiative Large-Scale Change.

This person will be responsible for providing regular coaching to dedicated teams working to measurably end homelessness in key geographies outside of the United States, and working closely with the Strategy Lead for International & Initiative Large-Scale Change to develop, document, and deliver an emerging approach to adapting the Built for Zero model from the United States to large-scale change efforts to end homelessness internationally (and in specific population-based efforts to end homelessness in the United States).

Initially, the Systems Improvement Advisor will work closely with the Strategy Lead for International & Initiative Large-Scale Change to help at least five communities outside the United States reach “functional zero” homelessness by 2025, with initial responsibility focused on supporting key Australian stakeholders to execute against initiative aims. This coaching, which will operate within a Quality Improvement framework, may include:

Will building and relationship management
Training and capacity building
Focused quality improvement projects; and
Surfacing and clarification of key policy barriers and levers

This person will also work closely with the Portfolio Lead for Large-Scale Change and the Strategy Lead for International & Initiative Large-Scale Change to transfer knowledge and coaching best practices from the Built for Zero USA domestic team to our support of key communities and large-scale change partners outside of the United States, and to develop and test new coaching tools and materials appropriate to novel international contexts, and to our work with initiative-based Large-Scale Change partners in the United States.

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 finds problem solving and complex implementation fun 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 world.

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, colonialism, and other forms of oppression structure and impede that work. 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 Systems Improvement Advisor, but when people ask you what you do, we hope you’ll learn to say, “I’m helping communities around the world end homelessness.”

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Direct coaching support to community teams and large-scale initiatives working to end homelessness for targeted geographies.

Use Quality Improvement methods and tools to coach key communities and large-scale change initiatives outside the United States (and certain initiatives inside the United States) towards reducing the number of individuals experiencing homelessness month to month, in the service of getting at least five additional communities in two countries outside the U.S. to “functional zero” by 2026.
Build or adapt community-facing tools, presentations, and infrastructure for use by communities or initiatives outside the United States working to end homelessness. Sometimes this will mean taking something a BfZ colleague built for use in the U.S., and sometimes it’ll mean starting with blank paper.
Assess and address education and training needs in communities and initiatives related to quality improvement and other key skill sets. Deliver or make available appropriate training as needed, ensuring training is both cross-culturally relevant and culturally sensitive.
Provide or make available deep subject-matter expertise in specific areas or interventions, as needed or indicated by community data

Large-scale change portfolio strategy and infrastructure development.

Quickly grasp materials developed by other BfZ team members and adapt those materials for use by large-scale change initiatives working to end homelessness across national geographies outside the United States, and with select initiatives working to end homelessness in the United States;
Support, leverage and strengthen existing leadership structures and engage new partners where necessary, including engagement and support of BIPOC partners and those with lived experience of homelessness.
Develop and test wholly new coaching tools and materials appropriate to novel contexts and draw on the resources of the rest of the BfZ team to deploy these materials in multiple complex geographies.
Identify critical initiative capacity gaps and propose ways to fill them (policy change, pass-through funding, partner engagement, etc.).
Successfully manage relevant funder or partner relationships in support of community and initiative goals.
Provide or make available deep subject-matter expertise in specific areas or interventions, as needed or indicated by initiative data.
Document and develop our evolving international large-scale change model. We’re building the plane as we fly it and you’ll be a co-pilot.

Support excellent strategy, execution and culture across the Built for Zero team:

Participate in regular strategic planning and implementation meetings for the Large-Scale Change team and Built for Zero initiative.
Ensure project scopes, timelines and work plans are always up to date for relevant projects and assignments.
Participate in team-wide systems for learning, iteration, knowledge capture and spread.
Proactively apply an equity lens in all circumstances, seeking to keep both equity and results at the center of team culture and work; and
Operate within, not around, Large-Scale Change and Built for Zero team structures and workflows, and work collaboratively and constructively to improve these over time.

Qualifications:

Passion for justice, equity, and ending homelessness—and the belief it is possible.
Strong critical thinking and the ability to engage with complex challenges and datasets is a requirement for this position; a college degree is NOT required to apply for this position. Attending college is one way applicants may gain these skills, but we strongly believe these skills can be developed in other ways, as well.
Three to five years work experience in a professional environment.
International applicants with knowledge of social welfare systems preferred.
Experience with facilitation, public speaking, effective listening, and coaching for improvement. We’re looking for someone who’ll be their teams’ biggest advocate and cheerleader—and who’ll be ready to give them a push when they need it, too.
Demonstrated understanding of structural racism and colonialism and their impact on communities of color around the world, and some fluency with the different ways in which disparate power structures show up in different countries around the world.

Familiarity with the Model for Improvement/Quality Improvement and insight into how it can be used to drive improvements toward ending homelessness and measure impact.

Ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced, dynamic team environment, and a willingness to shift easily between various responsibilities with diverse stakeholders.
Strong project management skills, as evidenced by a history of leading complex projects to successful and measurable completion.
Collaborative work ethic and a high tolerance for feedback, direct communication, and proactive conflict resolution.

These qualifications are critical; at the same time, additional training and support will be made available to the hired applicant to ensure success.

Non-traditional candidates are welcome. Community Solutions strives for representation and authentic inclusion of applicants and employees who have direct, first-hand experience with poverty, homelessness, and their root causes (including racism, marginalization, discrimination, and all forms of inequity).
Fluency in additional languages other than English is a plus, though not required.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Software/Apps Used:

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

Work Environment:

This position is ideally located internationally to the extent time zones can be reasonably managed. Applicants from the United States will also be considered.

This position requires regular interaction with partners in a range of countries and with colleagues in the United States, requiring accommodation for multiple time zones as part of the normal work day. That being said, Community Solutions is committed to ensuring that the individual in this role is not routinely working more than the standard 40 hours per week.

Salary:

The salary range for this position is US $72,200 to $90,200, depending on experience, proficiency and qualifications.

Travel Requirements:

Up to 5 days of travel will be required every month to attend semi-annual team retreats, community site visits, and other on-site trainings or convenings in the US. A few times each year, extended travel (1-2 weeks) will be necessary to locations outside the US.

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.

Systems Improvement Advisor, International & Initiative Large-Scale Change