Job Description

The Organization

Founded over a century ago, Volunteers of America – Greater New York (VOA-GNY) stands as one of the region’s most enduring and impactful anti-poverty and housing organizations. While part of the broader national VOA federation, VOA-GNY operates independently with its own board, strategic mandate, and leadership structure. It has pioneered many key social service models, including being among the first organizations in the U.S. to pilot supportive housing. Today, VOA-GNY ranks as the fifth-largest provider of supportive housing in New York City, underscoring its vital role in one of the country’s most challenging urban housing landscapes.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the President and CEO and serving on the VOA-GNY leadership team, the Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Facilities provides visionary leadership over the organization’s real estate development, facilities management, and asset management functions in furtherance of VOA-GNY’s goal to significantly reduce homelessness and housing instability in the Greater New York area. The Senior Vice President will work collaboratively with internal leaders and industry partners to expand VOA-GNY’s existing pipeline of housing and shelter development projects while ensuring all projects are completed at a high quality and on schedule. The Senior Vice President will also ensure all VOA-GNY facilities are well-maintained to a high degree of excellence and that the organization is complying with all applicable housing laws and regulations, financing terms, and rental subsidy requirements.

Principal Responsibilities

The below enumerated principal responsibilities are inclusive of both program specific and firm-wide related administration, as applicable.

• Leveraging relationships with industry firms and government stakeholders, build and execute upon a thoughtful multi-year pipeline of affordable housing and shelter development projects that align with VOA-GNY’s strategic plan.

• Promote shared understanding and alignment around the vision for housing and shelter development projects, including programmatic purpose, ability to market project to a variety of stakeholders, and importance of the project within the community ecosystem.

• Serve as VOA-GNY’s expert on available and emerging loan, grant, and tax credit programs to ensure development projects are supported by responsible and sustainable financing stacks.

• Guide and manage organization’s response to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the adaptive reuse of existing properties or historic structures.

• Provide effective oversight of VOA-GNY’s facilities management function, including continuous assessments of the organization’s owned, leased, and managed properties for deferred maintenance and capital needs.

• Provide effective oversight of VOA-GNY’s asset management function, ensuring an organized system for tracking leases, rental payments and arrears, and compliance with terms of debt and regulatory covenants and rental subsidies.

• Serve as a thought leader and public face for VOA-GNY’s real estate work, leading key dignitary meetings and speaking on conference panels.

• Perform other related duties as requested.

The Individual

Our vision of a successful candidate is a dynamic and self-motivated leader with a passion for advancing affordable housing and reducing homelessness. This individual will establish themselves as a trusted voice in both internal and external circles—partnering with government entities, developers, and community stakeholders. The successful candidate will also have a strong grasp of financings, working with capital partners and on-going project management. Additionally, this individual will cultivate an environment of trust where their team members feel empowered to contribute at their highest level.

Professional Experience + Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field with significant leadership-level experience developing and preserving affordable housing required.
• Familiarity with issues pertaining to homeless services, behavioral health and substance use disorders, and intimate partner violence is a plus.
• Other relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities include:
• Passion for advancing affordable housing, community development, and urban planning initiatives.
• Expertise in securing sustainable financing for affordable housing projects, including strong understanding of LIHTC.
• Comprehensive understanding of local and federal housing regulations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with demonstrated experience conveying complex concepts in a clear, persuasive, and succinct manner.
• Ability to maintain strong, positive relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.

Leadership Style + Characteristics

• Strategic Visionary: Can see and articulate the “big picture” while also attending to detail; adept at long-term planning and prioritization.
• Mission-Driven and Empathetic: Deep personal alignment with anti-poverty and housing equity goals; shows respect for the communities served.
• Collaborative Executive: Builds consensus, listens with intent, and communicates with clarity across diverse stakeholders.
• Innovative Problem Solver: Brings creativity and resilience to complex challenges; navigates bureaucracy with diplomacy and purpose.
• Humble Leader: Operates with integrity, humility, and a learning mindset; elevates others and leverages their strengths.
• Execution-Oriented: Highly organized, process-driven, and relentless in pursuit of project delivery and organizational impact.

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