Position Description: The NYU Furman Center seeks a Director to lead a new initiative, the Housing Solutions Lab. The Housing Solutions Lab (Lab) will work with cities across the country to plan, develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate promising local housing policies. With a focus on small and midsize cities (those with populations of 50,000-500,000), the Lab will help cities to design housing strategies and conduct rigorous evaluations that identify the most effective policies and programs.

Reporting to the Furman Center Executive Director, the Lab Director will be responsible for launching this new initiative, leading daily operations, developing and managing external partnerships, providing policy expertise, and supervising staff. The Director will be a leader and collaborator, responsible for achieving the overall goals and deliverables of a significant new initiative. The Director will check in with the Executive Director during formal and informal weekly meetings via Zoom.

This is a grant-funded position contingent upon the grant award.

Primary Responsibilities:

Partnership Development and External Affairs

• Conducts outreach to government officials in small and midsize cities across the country to develop partnerships, seed potential research collaborations, and create long-lasting relationships between the Lab and these local leaders
• Represents the Lab in external settings and helps raise the Lab’s visibility, including serving on panels and other public platforms
• Builds relationships with existing local housing policy networks that would work to inform understanding of research needs and important questions that advance knowledge of housing issues
• Builds, manages, and leverages the Housing Solutions Lab steering committee to help advance the Lab’s mission
• Assists with facilitation of learning communities of city officials from small and midsized cities
• Leads external events including virtual and in-person conveningsCollaborates with communications staff to develop and coordinate public messaging

Leadership and Management

• Provides overall vision and leadership for the Housing Solutions Lab to achieve its core goals and objectives
• Leads strategic planning and daily operations of all aspects of the Lab including: work plans, staffing, external relationships, and financial management
• Establishes measurable goals, objectives, and metrics for assessing the Lab’s work
• Supervises full-time staff, external consultants and part-time staff as needed
• Maintains effective communication and coordination with Furman Center leadership staff and faculty
• Ensures completion of all Lab deliverables and reporting to the funder

Policy

• Monitors policy developments in small and midsize cities to identify emerging issues and opportunities for Lab outreach and potential projects
• Collaborates with Lab staff to respond to city requests for policy information and guidance
• Assists with the identification of key policy challenges among small and midsize cities and opportunities for potential research and/or evaluation

Qualifications:

Required

• 7+ years professional experience, including experience leading the planning and launch of a large-scale initiative
• Policy expertise in issues related to urban planning, affordable housing, community development, or economic development
• Experience managing staff in an academic, non-profit, or government environment
• Experience building effective relationships with diverse stakeholders, including with policymakers, community-based organizations, researchers, advocates, and philanthropic entities.
• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and comfort working with and managing teams
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting equity in public policy

Preferred

• Experience with and/or interest in advancing evidence-based policy design and research
• Comfort with examining quantitative research and data analysis
• Experience with policy efforts to promote equity and prioritize community voice
• Existing network of national contacts, particularly in small and midsize cities (including local government stakeholders, practitioners, advocates, and community leaders)
• Experience with or interest in cross-sector approaches to strengthen communities and cities

Education

• Graduate degree in relevant field (e.g. public policy, public administration, urban planning, law).

NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.