Director of Fair Housing

New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) is a statewide advocacy and direct service organization that fights for social, racial and economic justice and promotes the financial security of low and moderate income families. New Jersey Citizen Action has an immediate, full-time employment opportunity for the Director of Fair Housing. The individual will supervise the Fair Housing Intake and Testing Coordinators. Candidate must be self-motivated, have a strong work ethic, be attentive to details and have good people skills. They must be comfortable working in a team environment and have the ability to engage with diverse communities.

An essential element of the position is a passion for fair and just housing for all. The director will advocate for fair housing practices and policies and develop partnerships/ collaborations with other advocates and organizations with a similar mission of housing justice. The candidate will be responsible for convening a quarterly meeting of housing advocates interested in Fair Housing practices, managing the program, which includes supervising the staff, intake and processing of allegations of discrimination, reviewing and implementing sound testing methodologies, conducting outreach, recruiting and training testers, as well as coordinate housing tests to determine the presence of unlawful housing discrimination. The Director of Fair Housing will also be responsible for conducting and overseeing fair housing education workshops and information sessions, distributing outreach materials and preparing program reporting to the management and funder, The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• • Manage HUD Fair Housing staff and grant including financial and programmatic reporting
  • Develop investigative strategies and plans
  • Research and analyze demographic data
  • Create strategies for conducting outreach and education on identifying fair housing practices
  • Interview victims of housing discrimination
  • Potentially litigate fair housing cases in court and/or conduct administrative actions
  • Work with community-based organizations, other fair housing enforcement agencies, attorneys, law firms, state and federal government agencies
  • Manage the fair housing intake function to ensure all allegations of discrimination are timely and properly processed and addressed
  • Manage the fair housing testing function to assure ironclad testing protocol from recruitment through training, execution of tests and analysis of results.
  • Provide technical assistance to members of the housing industry or the like who have questions about their fair housing responsibilities
  • Stay abreast of fair housing trends and developments nationwide and use this knowledge to continually train the fair housing team.

Requirements:

• Minimum of BS or BA from an accredited college
• Minimum of 6 - 8 years of supervisory experience in non-profit, social service, or public entity
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills
• Bilingual a plus
• Commitment to going above and beyond to meet all contractual deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to exhibit consistent patience, tact, and professional composure
• Ability to work well with people of diverse backgrounds and in group settings
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple assignments
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to implement tasks and follow up as assigned
• Ability to work independently
• Demonstrates commitment to fair housing and civil rights
• Knowledge of housing discrimination policies a plus
• This position will require non-traditional work hours for training sessions, agency-related meetings, and contact with fair housing testers and attending occasional overnight conferences. Must have own transportation and be willing to travel.

Position based in our Newark or Highland Park office.

Comprehensive health care, dental, vacation and other benefits

Bilingual in Spanish a plus