Director of Housing and Community Development

We are pleased to offer the opportunity to work for DuPage County as the Director of Housing and Community Development. The Department of Housing and Community Development is a newly established department which came to be through a reorganization designed to better align current services and evolving housing and community development needs. This is a unique opportunity to join the DuPage County team at an important time of transformation and growth.   

The Director of Housing and Community Development will lead a dedicated team of professionals committed to strengthening the community and improving the lives of County residents.  We are seeking a strategic leader who can embrace change and advance the County's housing, planning, development, and community investment priorities.  

For more information about this exciting opportunity, please check out the Director of Housing and Community Development Recruitment Brochure.    

Director of Housing and Community Development

Benefits:

• There are four medical plans to choose from, all through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL): Blue Advantage HMO, Blue Choice PPO, PPO 1 and Blue Edge Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Dental/Vision
• Optional Life
• Vacation, Sick, and Paid Leave Time
• 12 paid holidays
• Pension Plan: The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) is public pension fund that administers retirement, disability, and death benefits for employees of local government in Illinois. IMRF serves more than 3,000 employers and manages about $52 billion in assets. With a funded status of 96.6%, IMRF is one of the best-funded public pension systems in the country.

To learn more about the cost and coverage of the benefits plan, visit Employees Benefit Information.

 For detailed information on paid time off, visit Employee Policy Manual, Section 5

DuPage County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Responsibilities Include:

• Provides leadership and direction for a staff of professional and subprofessional employees engaged in community development, planning, code enforcement, grant management, and housing initiatives.  
• Provide administrative oversight and direction to include: strategic planning, policy development, resource allocation, conducting performance evaluations, ensuring staff are trained, ensuring employees follow policies and procedures, maintaining a healthy and safe working environment, and making hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations.   
• Serve as principal advisor to the County on community development and housing issues; develops and directs plans and policies to meet County goals and community needs; interprets concerns, defines desired results, develops strategies and creative solutions, removes hurdles, determines scope and priorities of programs and special projects.  
• Directs the development of the annual budget and makes funding and resource recommendations.  
• Delegates authority to subordinate managers in specialized areas and ensures work is completed thoroughly and efficiently.
• Oversees grant programs including working with oversight boards and policy groups on allocation of grant funds and monitoring compliance with grant provisions.  
• Serves as County representative on community development and housing-related matters and policies to local, regional, State and Federal agencies and partners.
• Recommends hires and promotions, directs and evaluates employment decisions for all assigned positions.
• Represents the Housing and Community Development Department to other County departments, elected officials, and outside agencies; interprets and explains policies, procedures, rules and regulations; coordinates strategies to integrate services with other programs, departments and agencies.   
• Acts as liaison with Housing Authority, private housing agencies, and other affordable housing providers.  
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of applicable statutes, legislation, and regulations impacting services.  

Requirements include the following experience or equivalent combination of training and experience:

• Completion of a Master’s degree in Public Administration, Urban or Regional Planning, or a closely related field 
• Eight  (8) years of related experience
• Five (5) Years in a management level position

A pre-employment background check is required.PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Sedentary Work:  Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
Position is typically office or administrative work and is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.