Chief Program Officer

Chief Program Officer

Why work for us?

Organizational Description

Founded in 2004, Brilliant Corners provides innovative housing and housing-related services to those transitioning from or at risk of homelessness or institutionalization. We develop, own, and manage multi-family supportive housing and licensed residential care homes. Additionally, we implement a broad array of scattered-site, one-on-one supportive housing, and clinical case management programs through partnerships with developmental services, homeless services, veteran services, and health care sectors.

In short, we do good work.

We have offices statewide with a staff of passionate people. While we are growing rapidly, we are also selective: We’re seeking inspired, talented people who want to be effecting profound change and who have fun doing it.

Department Summary

Brilliant Corners’ Housing Services Department is a nationally recognized leader in providing supportive housing to people exiting institutions, such as jails and hospitals, people with intellectual and development disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness. With hub offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco and growing satellite offices in the Inland Empire and San Diego, our 200+ person team moves hundreds of folks into permanent housing every month. Our team is known for innovative partnerships with “upstream” systems, like healthcare and criminal justice. Our north star is that we implement supportive housing rooted in principles of Housing First.

The Department includes three major lines of business: 1) “Flex Pool” supportive housing programs; 2) Program Operations; and 3) Case Management.

Flex Pool Supportive Housing includes both scattered-site and project-based permanent housing with wrap-around support services in the San Francisco Bay Area, Inland Empire, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Brilliant Corners’ specializes in property provider engagement and tenancy supports using a customer-service approach that ensures shared success for our participants, landlords, case management partners, and funders. Our flex pool models generally include several “sub-programs” serving distinct populations, often partnering with third-party, community-based case management organizations. Through this model, our team has helped over 8,000 Californians access housing in the last six years.

Operations Division: Brilliant Corners recently elevated our Operations Team within the Los Angeles Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool to a division within Housing Services. The new division supports fiscal intermediary and contracting work across our entire portfolio of “flex pool” programs. The division currently includes a Program Operations branch that manages payment processing of monthly rental subsidies, utilities, move-in assistance, and other client assistance. The Operations Division also includes a Contracting & Budgeting branch that focuses on standardizing our approach to all contracts, budgets, and other types of agreements across Housing Services. These contracts and budgets support two distinct but inter-related types of work. One body relates to our role as an intermediary in which we manage dozens of contracts, services, and funding on behalf of government and philanthropic partners. The other body supports Brilliant Corners’ own operations. Ultimately, the Operations Division will also include Program Policy & Implementation to memorialize program protocols, manage rollout of new program policies, and oversee quality assurance.

Case Management: With specialized programs for veterans, formerly incarcerated people, individuals in residential facilities, and people exiting homelessness, our case managers and social workers provide intensive case management using a person-centered approach. The common thread is a connection to housing and our “whatever it takes” ethos. Brilliant Corners has five case management programs across the state and is currently providing intensive case management services to over 700 individuals and families.

Position Summary

The Chief Program Officer (CPO) is part of the Executive and Leadership Teams, which are Brilliant Corners’ two cross-departmental decision-making bodies for agency-wide policy making. The CPO collaborates to set a strategic vision for both the Housing Services Department specifically, as well as the organization more broadly; this includes centering racial equity in both our programs and in our internal operations.

The CPO works with Program Directors across the state, Housing Services staff at all levels, as well as representatives from our support teams (Finance, Data & Technology, Human Capital) to grow and implement three dozen supportive housing programs across California. She/he/they communicate regularly with government, philanthropic and managed-care funders, always modeling exceptional customer service and a solutions-oriented approach.

Brilliant Corners is known as a nimble, innovative provider of supportive housing and intermediary services. Our funders frequently come to us with their most pressing challenges. The CPO strives to balance staff and organizational capacity while increasing our impact in the community. With support of the Program Directors, she/he/they spearheads program design, negotiates contracts, and oversees budgets with the dual goals of implementing high-quality programs and ensuring financial sustainability. In addition to operationalizing an equity lens, the CPO is an advocate for Housing First principles—working with funders, partners, and staff to reduce barriers to housing and increase housing retention rates. In keeping with Brilliant Corners’ culture, the CPO role models a client-centered approach and embraces a housing justice vision (rather than a charity model).

As the executive-level leader for the largest department within Brilliant Corners, the CPO is responsible for supporting over 200 staff members who occupy a wide variety of roles. She/he/they inspires a culture of excellence throughout the team and constantly strives to improve the working experience within the organization. The CPO coaches direct reports through regular check-ins, sets expectations for similar staff support throughout the department, and collaborates with Human Capital to increase professional development opportunities. Aligned with the Brilliant Corners’ ethos, the CPO works to create internal pathways for career advancement. Again, all of this work integrates a racial equity framework as Brilliant Corners continues to evolve as a social justice organization.

The Chief Program Officer role is ideal for candidates who thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. Brilliant Corners seeks a leader who is equally committed to Housing First, mentorship and empowerment of our team, and racial equity. Ideal candidates exhibit strong active listening and collaboration skills as well as creative problem-solving. A CPO will embody Brilliant Corners’ values—while also challenging us to grow in new ways.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate as a thought-partner and implementer on Executive and Leadership Teams
• Anchored in a racial equity lens, lead the continued build out of the Housing Services Department, including setting a strategic vision, empowering staff, and improving the quality of programs and operations
• Provide high-level oversight over $250 million of program funding, including support in budgeting, negotiating with funders, and striving to ensure that Brilliant Corners achieves full-cost recovery
• Work creatively and collaboratively with Brilliant Corners’ support teams (Finance, Data & Technology, Human Capital), Operations Division Director as well as Program Directors to improve the overall program operation, contracting, budgeting, and maximization of contracted resources.
• Use a strengths-based approach to coach direct reports and establish benchmarks for similar staff development throughout the department
• Inspire a culture of excellence by establishing performance benchmarks, designing and implementing quality controls, and cultivating leadership through systematic professional development for staff.
• Regularly represent Brilliant Corners with high-level government stakeholders, funders, executive-level leadership with non-profits, and other important partners.
• Act as a key partner in charting the course of the organization at large and the services we offer

Mindsets of an Ideal Candidate

You’re a recognized leader. Your track record shows that you can manage a team effectively. You act with confidence and integrity with an eye towards solutions. You are energized as much by the success of your team as your own personal success.

You bring your “A” game to work. You inspire a culture of excellence and take pride in doing “whatever it takes” for our clients, staff and partners. You see opportunities for improvement wherever you look, and know how to get buy-in from others to make it real.

You see equity as “the” work. You understand that working on housing means working on racial equity. You know that the work happens at all levels—personal, programmatic, organizational, and system —and you’re committed to transformational change.

You’re a system thinker who puts people at the center. You know how to take proven solutions to scale without feeling bureaucratic.

You thrive in an entrepreneurial environment. You’re resourceful and at ease with ambiguity and rapid change. You possess a positive, can-do attitude, and are adept at identifying creative solutions that turn challenges into opportunities. You can handle many important responsibilities at once, and you’re rigorous about prioritization.

You embody a collaborative spirit. You’re able to work collaboratively with our partner case management agencies, funders, housing partners, and tenants to develop an appropriate resolution that maintains the spirit of the Brilliant Corners model. Partners know that you are empathetic and fair in your decisions.

Professional Experience

• At least 7 years working in a social justice, human services, non-profit management, healthcare, or public policy. Preference for candidates who have designed and/or operated Housing First programs.
• At least 4 years building and managing a team.
• At least 3 years managing complex program budgets that rely on government contracts.
• Demonstrated leadership as evidenced by increasing levels of responsibility and management over the course of the candidate’s career.

Knowledge, Skills and Ability

• Understanding of and commitment to racial equity, Housing First, and housing justice
• Exceptional leadership capacity as evidenced by an ability to manage several complex initiatives simultaneously, empower team members for shared success, and exhibit good judgment navigating both interpersonal and business decisions
• Strategic, global thinking with an orientation towards inclusive design and decision-making; able to not only develop good solutions, but perhaps more importantly, design and implement transparent processes by which a group makes and implements decisions
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage a large and ever-growing team, particularly across a big geography, using an equity lens
• Strong, proactive communication skills, including active listening, summary, and empathy; able not only to articulate your own thoughts clearly, but also hear and engage others with an open mind
• Strong interpersonal skills, including a practice of giving and receiving both positive and critical feedback for shared growth
• Ability to refine systems and processes with an eye towards the “big picture”
• Comfort with budgets, government contracts, and complex “braiding” of resources
• Proficiency with MS Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Experience with Salesforce and Intacct a plus. Comfort using data to improve systems and drive decision-making.

Brilliant Corners does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

“Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Brilliant Corners will consider for employment

qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.”