Assistant Director - Contract Administration

Illinois Housing Development • Chicago, IL

8h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is seeking an Assistant Director – Contract Administration to provide leadership and operational oversight for key Asset Management functions. This role is crucial for ensuring regulatory compliance, program support, physical inspection coordination, portfolio risk mitigation, and enterprise-level contract administration for IHDA-assisted developments. The Assistant Director will manage the Contract Administration Team, coordinate with other preservation operations managers, and represent IHDA in external forums as a subject matter expert, particularly for Section 811/SRN programs. IHDA is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and high-performance work environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, real estate, finance, public administration, or a related field.
• 7–10 years of experience in affordable housing, compliance, asset management, physical inspections, or related fields.
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory or management experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and relevant compliance, inspection, or contract management systems.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle with appropriate insurance.
• Ability to travel 5–10% annually.
• Ability to perform physical activity associated with on-site inspections or project visits.
• Must be a resident of Illinois or willing to relocate.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in public-sector procurement, contract administration, and risk management strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with Section 811, SRN, Mod-Rehab, LIHTC, HOME, Tax Exempt Bonds, and associated compliance programs desirable.
• Knowledge of NSPIRE or other physical inspection standards preferred.
• Certifications such as COS, BOS, CPM, NSPIRE/REAC training preferred; required certifications must be achieved within one year if not already held.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership in analyzing inspection data from 800–1,000 developments annually, identifying trends, and guiding senior leadership on risks and preservation efforts.
• Analyze risks and potential process improvements for program administration efficiency and risk management controls over developments receiving rental subsidy.
• Partner with internal departments (e.g., Multi Family Finance, SRU) to ensure contract execution and updates.
• Provide regulatory oversight for rental assistance contract processing, compliance, inspections coordination, and portfolio oversight.
• Maintain relationships with HUD, USDA Rural Development, state partners, and external stakeholders.
• Promote a collaborative, solution-oriented, high-performance work environment.
• Serve as the department liaison for new procurements, contract amendments, and renewals, partnering with Procurement, Legal, and business units.
• Oversee procurement-related risk management, including vendor performance monitoring, contract compliance assessments, and risk mitigation.
• Lead contract administration in a regulated government environment, ensuring adherence to procurement requirements, IHDA policies, and documentation standards.
• Supervise compliance functions for Section 811, SRN, Mod-Rehab, and other rental assistance programs, including performance management, quality control, and training.
• Provide guidance on relocation plan reviews, Preliminary Project Assessments, Full Application documentation, and rental assistance contract approvals.
• Establish and enforce management procedures for physical inspection scheduling, NSPIRE/REAC compliance, training, and quality assurance.
• Guide cross-team coordination for risk identification, data review, and operational troubleshooting.
• Ensure accurate production of reporting dashboards, audit documentation, HUD-required reports, and internal management reports.
• Serve as a liaison for internal and external audits, implementing corrective action plans.
• Support referrals to Portfolio Risk Management for troubled or at-risk properties.
• Lead or support special projects and agency priorities.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Medical/dental/vision/life insurance plans
• Short/long term disability
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flex spending
• 401K plan – immediate vesting
• Eligibility for federal loan forgiveness programs
• Flexible scheduling is available, upon completion of a six-month probationary period.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director