VP Policy Development and Research

Join the team dedicated to providing affordable housing solutions across North Texas.

At DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, our mission is to provide quality, affordable housing and access to supportive resources across the region. As the Senior Network Administrator, you play an important role in helping us fulfill this mission by ensuring secure, reliable connectivity across the Agency’s LAN, WAN, wireless, VPN, and voice systems.

Enjoy these benefits when you join the DHA team!

Summary: Under the direction of the President and CEO, with latitude for the exercise of independent judgement and initiative, the Vice President of Policy Development and Research will perform research on trends and conditions related to people in poverty and the impacts of segregation, a shortage of affordable housing, limited access to gainful employment, health care, transportation and disinvestment in the surrounding community as well as development of strategic evidenced based policy to address these matters.

The work involves developing and implementing short-term and long-term strategies designed to facilitate the achievement of DHA's goals and priorities which includes addressing long term segregation and the affordable housing crisis in Dallas and North Texas.

This is a highly rewarding position which will require extensive examination and analysis of a broad range of data to facilitate the creation of logical, practical, evidence-based strategies to effectively end segregation and mitigate the expanding affordable housing crisis while ensuring that persons that have resided in impoverished neighborhoods have appropriate and equal access to opportunities for employment, and quality housing, health care, and education and related challenges facing people in poverty in Dallas and North Texas

Implementation of appropriate strategies will enhance DHA’s image and reputation through effective community outreach in tandem with the guidance of the President and CEO. The person in this position will also coordinate the goals and priorities of individual departments within DHA to ensure DHA is consistent in its communications with governmental and non-governmental entities alike.

The Vice President of Policy Development and Research must be passionate about data analysis, protecting residents against unlawful discrimination in housing, and the long-term harm caused by segregation and disinvestment in segregated communities as well the needs of people in poverty for decent affordable housing.

Essential Job Functions: The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification. Shown are duties intended to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Serving as a liaison to the City, County, State, and federal officials, Community Boards and other agencies, advocacy groups, foundations and private sector businesses;
• Coordinating the creation, collection, evaluation, analysis and distribution of information for meetings with the DHA Board of Commissioners, City Council, HUD and others, conveying DHA goals and initiatives;
• Preparing white papers, testimony and testifying to organizations as needed;
• Creating and making presentations to Community Groups in DHA’s 7 county jurisdiction, including evenings;
• Providing accurate communication of DHA initiatives and mission to all constituencies, both internal and externa
• Cultivating and building relationships with other governmental bodies, organizations, foundations, advocacy groups; serving as primary point of contact for all intergovernmental communications;
• Handling inquiries and coordinating testimony from private individuals, community and neighborhood groups and other civic groups interested in the DHA activities;
• Gathering data, analyzing materials, and handling certain public relations functions for DHA.
• Build relationships with thought leaders to grow industry awareness

• Explains nature of DHA programs, procedures and services to clients; maintains absolute confidentiality of work-related issues, client records and DHA information.
• Supports the relationship between DHA and the constituent population by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with clients, visitors, and DHA staff.
• Enthusiastically promotes the President/CEO’s priorities for the operations of DHA.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge of DHA organization, operations, policies and procedures.
• A Masters or PhD and at least 5 years of full-time relevant professional experience in Planning or a field related to this position;
• A background in policy planning, public relations, journalism or legislative and/or intergovernmental affairs is essential;
• An understanding of issues relating to housing, transportation, health care, segregation and poverty in a large urban setting
• Knowledge of Dallas and North Texas governmental structure and policy context and a firm grasp on local politics;
• Demonstrated experience with building relationships with government and community stakeholders;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, particularly in terms of creating, directing and translating rigorous, defensible public policy models into transparent conclusions that can be easily explained and understood by the public;
• Excellent task management, information management, and organizational skills, as well as impeccable writing, copyediting, and proofreading skills;
• Ability to gain the support of independent stakeholders;
• Willingness to work as part of a team environment, and adapts well to change;
• Experience in staff supervision and development;
• Government work experience; or relevant technical, consulting or business background is a plus;
• Willingness to travel or work after hours, as required;
• Fluency in a second language is a plus.

• Skill in establishing cooperative working relationships with employees and the general public.
• Skill in effective communication, both verbal and written.
• Skill in interacting with people of different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.

Physical Demands:

Must be able to lift/carry up to 10 pounds.

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university and five years of full-time experience including handling of business promotion or urban economic or socio-economic problems, at least 2 years of which must have been in a managerial or executive capacity with primary focus on housing, transportation or urban planning; or satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience. PhD preferred

Appropriate graduate study in an accredited college or university may be substituted for the general experience on a year-for-year basis.

This position is allowed to work remote, but must maintain valid residency address in State of Texas.