Vice President, Safe & Stable Housing

Job Description

Job Description

ABOUT UNITED WAY

United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB) exists to build more equitable communities together. With over 85 years of local impact in eastern Massachusetts, we partner with our communities to build economic prosperity and enable everyone–across races and ethnicities–to access the knowledge, wealth and resources available. We believe that the key to unlocking opportunity is uniting people, and we bring together individuals, community leaders, corporate partners, legislators and organizations to build a powerful engine of change. 

We target efforts in the following areas: (1) quality, affordable childcare and out-of-school time care, (2) educational and career pathways for youth and young adults, (3) safe and stable housing, and (4) wealth building and financial inclusion. United Way currently invests over $45 million annually in a portfolio of over 300 community-based organizations. It spearheads public policy initiatives tackling the most pressing community issues, making a direct and sustained difference in the lives of individuals.

We offer excellent benefits including a BCBS PPO plan, dental, a 401k retirement savings with company match and a discretionary employer base contribution, a generous PTO policy which includes extended holiday time and summer hours.

KEY RESPSONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership : Shape and champion United Way's Safe & Stable Housing work across eastern Massachusetts as a visible leader focused on equity, collaboration, and impact in partnership with the Chief Impact Officer, the CEO, and other key leaders within the organization.

• Serve as a visible and approachable thought leader who is equally comfortable in policy settings and community spaces, who helps bridge systems-level change and on-the-ground experience in the fields of housing and homelessness.
• Represent United Way as a subject matter expert in housing and homelessness, in public forums, policy discussions, and cross-sector convenings to advance a shared vision of financial well-being and equitable opportunity for all.
• Develop and evolve United Way's Safe & Stable Housing strategy, in partnership with the Chief Impact Officer, grounded in deep listening, data, and community partnership. Collaborate with internal leadership and external coalitions to drive a strategy that is focused on systems-level change.
• Lead the design and execution of high-impact initiatives that align with United Way's New Way Forward vision. Use data-informed decision-making, inclusive design processes, and clear goals to achieve measurable results.
• Cultivate and sustain cross-sector partnerships with grassroots leaders, public agencies, service providers, and funders that strengthen collective capacity, foster innovation, and amplify impact across the field.

Systems Change Leadership: Refine and execute a bold Theory of Action to drive population-level housing outcomes and dismantle the root causes of housing instability.

• Partner with Public Affairs division and leadership to advance public understanding of housing instability as an issue of equity. Promote asset-framed messaging with partners and contribute thought leadership to public discourse that connects community experience to policy and practice.
• Center the leadership and lived experience of people most impacted by housing instability in all facets of strategy, design, and advocacy. Foster opportunities for community members to shape decisions and lead change.
• In partnership with the Sr. VP of Analytics and external evaluation partners, build a culture of continuous learning. Lead Research-Practice Partnerships that incorporate both community insights and quantitative data to guide and refine strategy.
• Convene and align multi-sector partners to accelerate housing solutions.
• Identify the resource needs to achieve systems change and work closely with Development and Grants teams to secure aligned funding. Engage funders in understanding and investing in community-driven housing solutions.
• Collaborate with the Public Affairs team and external advocates to shape and advance a Safe & Stable Housing policy agenda. Ensure policy efforts are informed by community voice and grounded in systems-level impact.

Program Leadership: Guide a portfolio of initiatives that advance United Way's Safe and Stable Housing strategy.

• New Way Forward grantmaking: Provide strategic direction for UW's New Way Forward grant program which provides unrestricted, multi-year grants direct service and public policy nonprofits working to make safe, stable housing more available to people at risk of experiencing homelessness.
• Lived Experience and Community Voice: Partner with the Institute for Community Health to sustain and scale the Community Action Hub, a Research Practice Partnership designed and led by people who have experienced homelessness and disseminate their results. Additionally, support the implementation of the Roots of Change Collective train-the-trainer model and its resulting network of healing-centered advocacy groups for people with lived experience of homelessness. 
• Supportive Housing Pipeline Coalition: Collaborative with Public Affairs to provide backbone support and thought leadership to the coalition's leadership table and working groups.
• School-Housing Partnerships: Deploy grants that enable the partnership of schools/districts and housing agencies to help them identify and support families experiencing homelessness. Partner with Boston College School of Social Work to learn and disseminate evidence on the impact of upstream prevention on youth outcomes and how schools and housing organizations can effectively partner.

Team Development and Leadership: Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team that shares a deep commitment to community-driven change.

• Supervise, coach, and support Safe & Stable Housing staff to deliver on strategic priorities.
• Set clear expectations, manage team workload, and foster collaboration within and across teams and divisions.
• Invest in talent and professional development through inclusive leadership, feedback, and growth opportunities.
• Hold self and team accountable for high-performance, fostering a culture of ownership, continuous learning and shared responsibility for results.

Personal Leadership

• Model leadership which inspires trust, partnership, and drives progress.
• Build trust across diverse teams, communities, and partners through principled leadership and inclusive collaboration.
• Lead with humility, curiosity, compassion, and a clear commitment to shared results.
• Navigating change with clarity and purpose, bringing others along toward a shared vision.
• Embody United Way's core values and commitment to racial and economic equity in all interactions and decisions.
• Champion and center the voices of those most impacted by housing insecurity and recognize community experience as essential expertise.

REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in the nonprofit, philanthropic, public, or private sectors, with a deep knowledge of the housing and homelessness systems, programs, and leaders in Massachusetts.
• Demonstrated experience in strategy development, systems change, and population-level impact.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience managing direct reports
• Strong commitment to equity, economic justice, and community-centered leadership.
• Proven ability to build and maintain trust-based relationships with diverse partners, including grassroots leaders, policymakers, funders, and service providers.
• Experience in grantmaking, program design, or philanthropic partnerships.
• Effective communicator with strong facilitation, writing, and public speaking skills.
• Collaborative leader experienced in managing complex initiatives and leading high-performing teams.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills in fast-paced environments.
• Computer literacy, including familiarity with Microsoft Office and database systems.
• BA/BS degree desired.
• Ability to work a hybrid work schedule- currently a minimum of at least 1 day in the office and additional in-person work for off-site meetings and events

United Way of Massachusetts Bay is committed to hiring individuals who reflect the diversity of our communities.