Co:Here is seeking to hire a President to lead the organization as we scale up to serve more Faith Based Organizations seeking to develop housing.
Co:Here Foundation President
Job Description
The Role
Co:Here Foundation is seeking a President who is passionate about empowering faith-based organizations to build affordable housing. This is an opportunity to lead a seed-funded entrepreneurial organization through its start-up phase and establish the culture of a high-impact, mission-driven organization.
About Co:Here Foundation
Our Mission: Co:Here provides not-for-profit development consulting services that inspire, empower, and guide faith-based organizations to create mission-driven affordable housing.
Our Vision: Co:Here envisions the transformation of under-utilized parking lots and aging places of worship into affordable housing embedded in thriving faith communities across the southern coast of BC.
History and context: In 2018, Co:Here completed the redevelopment of a church parking lot, resulting in 26-suites of deeply-affordable rental housing. Since then, the organization has developed a model for enabling other faith-based organizations (FBOs) who are seeking to redevelop their property to include affordable housing. Co:Here is currently working with three projects in the metro Vancouver area. All projects are in the early visioning and feasibility stages. Three additional FBOs are ready to work with us once we have hired additional development expertise. Co:Here’s growth is limited by the fact that our real estate expertise has been provided by volunteer board members. With significant seed funding from CMHC, Co:Here is now poised to hire a leader who is eager to unlock the latent housing potential of $7B of property owned by Metro Vancouver’s FBOs.
Core Responsibilities
Reporting to the Board of Directors, a successful candidate will have responsibility for:
- Project Leadership
- Lead the management of multiple affordable rental housing development projects. The first 18-months are expected to be focused on 4-6 projects in the early-stages of visioning, planning, feasibility, and conceptual design.
- Organizational Leadership
- Provide leadership that sets and infuses the organization with a culture that values mission driven decisions over profit margin decisions.
- Cultivate excitement within the organization and in the broader community housing sector for a new paradigm for thinking about real-estate development.
- Provide business and operational planning and execution for a start-up organization.
Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
- A minimum of 10 years’ experience managing the real estate development process from visioning to construction and completion, including
- Successfully navigating the municipal approvals process
- Managing projects from conceptual to detailed design
- Proficiency in creating development proformas and assessing financial feasibility
- Experience with affordable rental housing development an asset
- Strategic leadership in monitoring, refining, and executing the business plan
- Demonstrated success leading, inspiring, setting culture, and supervising a team
- Enthusiastic to work with and lead a small, values-driven team in start-up mode
- Effective at facilitating dialogue with those unfamiliar with real estate development language or process
- Supportive of people and organizations driven by faith-based principles
- Approachable, humble, patient, open to criticism, good sense of humor
- Entrepreneurial attitude, drawn to innovative and creative solutions
- Familiarity with government funding programs relating to affordable housing as asset
- Experience working with a board of directors and not-for-profit organizations an asset
- Familiarity with church culture and faith-based organizations an asset
Work Requirements
This is a full-time position with flexibility for hybrid or work-from-home within the Metro Vancouver area. In person meetings will at times be required. Due to the nature of our FBO projects (often involve volunteers), some evening and occasional weekend work is required.
Compensation
Co:Here will provide a competitive salary and benefits package appropriate to the level of real estate and leadership experience required.
How to Apply
Please email a resume and cover letter that includes why this role excites you to info@coherehousing.com. Applications will be accepted until the role is filled.
Co:Here is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, People with Disabilities, persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and persons of all religions.
Interview Process
The interview process will be multi-step and will include a mix of virtual meetings, an in-person interview, and take-home assignment. Candidates will be required to provide references.
Questions? info@coherehousing.com
