Director of Housing Development

Lutheran Community Services Northwest • Seattle, WA

20h • Hybrid

About The Position

Compass Housing Alliance is the housing, essential services, and emergency shelter division of Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW). Compass is guided by the belief that “Everyone Deserves a Home”. We envision a world in which every person lives in a safe, caring community. In this role, you will be employed by Lutheran Community Services Northwest, but work in the Compass division, supporting a 105-year legacy of housing, shelter, and caring in the Puget Sound region. To learn more about the agency, visit www.compasshousingalliance.org. The Director of Housing Development leads the agency’s real estate development program, guiding projects from initial strategy through financing, construction, and stabilization. In partnership with the divisional president, this role would oversee the multi-year development pipeline, manage complex affordable housing financing and ensure all projects advance Compass’s mission to provide safe, dignified housing options. By advancing a steady pipeline of projects, this position enables the Compass Housing division and LCSNW to deliver housing across multiple states that supports community stability and long-term well-being.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate, finance, urban planning, or related field; substantial relevant experience will be considered in place of degree.
• 8 years of progressively responsible experience in affordable housing development or closely related housing/real estate work, including managing projects from acquisition through construction.
• Demonstrated expertise in 9% and 4% bond LIHTC structuring and layered affordable housing financing, including federal and Washington State funding sources and programs such as WSHFC competitive and combined funding rounds, HOME, Washington State Housing Trust Fund, King County and Seattle Office of Housing funds, CDBG, and other applicable sources. Substantially similar experience with comparable programs and funding structures in other states may be considered.
• Experience leading multiple affordable housing projects and navigating entitlement, regulatory, and public funding processes.
• Demonstrated competency in underwriting and pro forma analysis, including the ability to direct consultant financial modeling and present financial analyses to funders and organizational leadership.
• Demonstrated success managing architects, general contractors, and consultant teams through entitlement, permitting, and construction.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience supervising staff and leading cross-functional project teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and advance housing opportunities from concept through execution, building support among organizational, community, funding, and other external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience representing development projects with stakeholders and in public and community engagement processes.
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written, with ability to communicate effectively with community stakeholders, public partners, funders, and financial partners.
• Intermediate mastery of business applications and productivity suites, with proficiency in financial analysis and modeling.
• Demonstrates sound judgment, resilience, awareness, and self-regulation in navigating complex priorities, challenges, conflict, and project risk.
• Thrives in LCSNW’s complex organizational environment and works effectively across functions, communities, and external partnerships.
• Travels regularly between worksites and works in a variety of settings, including office, community, partner, outdoor, construction/development environments, and faith-based settings such as churches.
• Performs work in-person and through technology, which regularly requires stationary activity and communication with others and occasionally requires walking, standing, navigating construction or development sites and uneven surfaces, and moving materials weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Meets LCSNW criminal background clearance requirements and other job-relevant clearances as required by the State or program.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy and implementation of a pipeline of affordable housing development and preservation projects from site identification through construction and project completion.
• Identify and evaluate asset-based acquisition opportunities, including land and existing properties, and conduct feasibility, market, and financial analyses.
• Structure and secure project financing, including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and other public and private funding sources.
• Direct entitlement and permitting processes, working with public agencies to obtain approvals and navigate regulatory requirements.
• Oversee all phases of development, including consultant selection, design coordination, construction oversight, and project closeout.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with lenders, investors, consultants, and development partners.
• Supervise and support staff while representing the division with community stakeholders, funders, and partners.

Benefits

• A 37.5 per hour work week to ensure work/life balance
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription benefits
• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance coverage at no cost to you
• Up to 2 weeks of vacation in your first year (based on hours worked)
• Up to 2 weeks of sick leave (based on hours worked)
• 12 paid agency recognized holidays
• 2 floating holidays
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching (eligibility applies)
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your family
• Potential eligibility for Student Loan Forgiveness through our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status

What This Job Offers

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