Director of Real Estate Development, BRIDGE Housing

The Position:                           Director of Real Estate Development

Reports to:                             Senior Vice President of Development for  Northern California

Location:                                San Francisco, California 

THE ORGANIZATION

Mission

BRIDGE Housing strengthens communities by developing, owning and managing high‐quality, affordable homes for working families and seniors. BRIDGE’s portfolio of housing is currently over 100 properties and 11,000 units throughout California, Washington & Oregon.

Overview

Few housing development organizations have achieved the success and stature of BRIDGE Housing Corporation (“BRIDGE”). Founded in 1983 utilizing an anonymous donation, BRIDGE today has become a leading affordable housing development partner.

Affordable Housing Finance has ranked BRIDGE in the Top 50 Affordable Developers every year since 2011. 

BRIDGE has shown what can be done with clear vision, the right leadership and a strong base of support. BRIDGE has long been a national model for both production and innovation, bringing smart, sophisticated, comprehensive approaches to building communities. BRIDGE has a unique track record of successful development of transit oriented, mixed-income apartments and mixed-use developments bringing together partnerships to build not only housing but new shopping centers, parks, daycare centers, police and fire facilities, libraries, community spaces and job training centers that fit comfortably into their surroundings and also act as the catalyst for revitalizing and strengthening neighborhoods.

BRIDGE and its affiliates have participated in the development of over 17,000 homes and apartments in more than 50 cities throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. Their goal is to set the standard for affordable housing development by being the very best at what they do.

One of BRIDGE's greatest assets is their team of professionals, who are highly skilled, energetic, motivated, and absolutely committed to the success of every development and the organization as a whole. The BRIDGE team, from the Board of Directors to each staff person, shares a passion for quality and possesses the business acumen to get the job done.

BRIDGE is working today not only to expand housing opportunities for thousands of residents in California and the Pacific Northwest but also to produce innovative, multi-dimensional developments that serve and establish communities and neighborhoods in diverse ways. The organization’s core commitment to affordable housing remains steadfast, but its development expertise, creative funding strategies and bold ideas regarding education and training enable the organization to flourish.

For additional information, please see www.bridgehousing.com.

Leadership

Cynthia Parker, CEO of BRIDGE Housing Corporation, joined the organization in 2010. She is the third CEO in the organization’s 30-year history.

BRIDGE has an annual operating budget of approximately $14 million with four offices in California and Oregon and a staff of approximately 400 people.

BRIDGE owns more than 11,000 units of housing with 5,000 additional units in the pipeline.

THE POSITION

BRIDGE Housing is a leader in affordable housing development, ownership, and management across the West Coast. Headquartered in San Francisco, BRIDGE has expanded its high quality developments and services to Southern California and the Pacific Northwest. They are looking for an accomplished Director of Development to provide expert guidance to our Northern California team.

The Director of Development, Northern California (“Director of Development”) position is an exciting opportunity to lead a team of project managers and manage a variety of complex, multi‐family real estate development projects to further the organization’s mission.

The Director of Development will be responsible for overseeing the day‐to‐day work of a team of 5-6 project managers and project administrators to keep the projects moving forward successfully and provide guidance to maintain a high level of quality in accordance with BRIDGE development standards and industry best practices. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development, the Director will collaborate with other development directors and team leaders in other departments to streamline, implement and maintain processes and internal systems for reporting, data collection and staff training. The ideal Director will have significant experience leading a team and managing all aspects of the real estate development process while working with a diverse group of stakeholders, internally and externally. The Director will need to be a skilled and experienced professional who can balance the three core areas of the role which are managing the momentum and lifecycles of multiple development projects, managing and leading a team, and, managing the administrative responsibilities of the team.

The Director of Development will oversee and manage a variety of complex multi‐family developments; our portfolio includes transit oriented, master plan, mixed‐income, supportive housing, and rehab, all with a focus on sustainable development and maintaining affordability for working families and seniors. At BRIDGE, we pursue quality, quantity and affordability in our development projects, so we’ll count on you to ensure that projects adhere to our high standards and industry best practices. You’ll lead and motivate both internal and external teams, acting as a representative of BRIDGE to development partners, contractors, and other stakeholders. The Director reports to the Senior VP of Development for Northern California.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supervise development staff and direct their work through all phases of development
• Research funding sources and assist project managers with financial structuring of
• Supervise and guide contractor and consultant selection process
• Review and approve project schedules and budgets, pro forma, funding applications, legal documents, financial projections, internal board approval reports, etc.
• Participate in project‐related meetings as necessary
• Maintain a supportive team environment and implement team building activities and ongoing training
• Collaborate with Business Development to review pipeline opportunities and assess staffing plans
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, joint developers, lenders and investors
• Present projects to subcommittee of Board of Directors and seek requisite approvals
• Collaborate with internal leaders on processes for reporting and database management
• Represent BRIDGE at industry‐wide events and speaking engagements as appropriate

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

Experience:  5‐8 years of experience leading a team in the development of complex developments

such as mixed‐use, mixed‐income, master plan, acquisition/rehab, etc. Additional experience includes:

• High level of expertise in managing all aspects of the real estate development process for multifamily properties from predevelopment to construction and close-out;
• Expertise in real estate finance and deal structuring, specifically LIHTC and other affordable housing finance sources;
• Strong leadership skills with ability to build relationships, manage and inspire both internal and external teams;
• Experience managing teams, overseeing and driving department and organizational goals;
• Comfortable managing large project budgets and timelines;

• Ability to meet multiple deadlines and work in a fast-paced environment;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and experience working with government agencies and multiple stakeholders.                                                                                                                                                                                          

Education: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field; graduate degree preferred

COMPETENCIES/ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate will have or be:  

• Commitment to BRIDGE Housing’s mission and vision;
• Ability to meet multiple deadlines and work in a fast-paced environment; 
• Demonstrated dedication to high quality development standards;
• Demonstrated track record of inspiring, mentoring, developing and retaining staff;
• Confident presence -- comfortable with and energized by representing the organization;
• Excellent analytical, administrative and organizational skills;
• Accustomed to forward thinking and being proactive – one who sees ahead of the curve
• Experience in developing productive working relationships, developing consensus and working collaboratively across divisions;
• Keen understanding of the owner role and function to carry out dual bottom line of social mission and financial viability;
• An entrepreneurial and creative approach to problem solving;
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to embrace and model an understanding of BRIDGE’s culture, process, procedures, risk tolerance, and emphasis on quality and to in turn pass these standards and values on to the team;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Meticulous attention to details;
• Demonstrated good judgement and is methodical and thoughtful;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; and
• The successful candidate will possess the highest standards of ethics and integrity in all of their work; 
• Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances; and
• Possess a sense of humor and a containable ego.

COMPENSATION

A competitive compensation package, including a comprehensive benefits package, will be offered, commensurate with experience.

Heidi Holzhauer                                              

Partner                                                                     

707.963.1250 direct                                         

415.298.6659 mobile                                      

heidi@carlsonbeck.com