Chief Executive Officer (CityHousing Hamilton / Phelps Group)

This executive role could be a career-defining opportunity for an experienced senior manager and champion of best practices in community housing who has the business expertise, leadership, and confidence to strategically and tactically balance building and community needs and tenant relations against fiscal and legal responsibilities.

About the City of Hamilton
The City of Hamilton – one of Canada’s largest cities – is home to a diverse and strong economy, an active and inclusive community, a robust cultural and dining scene, hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails and natural beauty just minutes from the downtown core, and so much more. Hamilton boasts a diverse team of talented and ambitious staff who embody its values of sensational service, courageous change, steadfast integrity, collective ownership and being engaged, empowered employees. You are invited to help the City #BeTheReason the entire country is talking about Hamilton and achieve its vision of being the best place to raise a child and age successfully.

About CityHousing Hamilton
Owned and operated by the City of Hamilton, CityHousing Hamilton (CHH) is the largest affordable housing provider in Hamilton, and the 3rd largest housing provider in Ontario. The CHH portfolio consists of approximately 7,000 units across 1,200+ properties, including apartments, townhomes, and both semi-detached and detached dwellings. More than 13,000 tenants – single adults, families, and seniors – call CHH home. While most housing is available on a rent-geared-to-income (RGI) basis, some units are provided at market rent. CHH works to enhance the quality of life for tenants by providing safe, affordable housing, while ensuring there are additional programs and supports through various partnerships with community agencies.

About the Role
As the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CityHousing Hamilton, you will be heading a corporation with an estimated asset value of approximately $1,030 million, a net book value of $151 million, and an annual operating budget of $51 million. In overseeing this sizable mandate, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that CHH is delivering on its mission: CityHousing Hamilton provides affordable housing that is safe, well maintained, cost effective and that supports the diverse needs of our many communities.

Reporting to the Board of Directors of CityHousing Hamilton, you will provide leadership and support to the Board, which is comprised of five municipal Councillors and four members of the public, and direct CHH operations, including tenant placement, property management, tenant relations, operational maintenance, capital asset planning and the development of new affordable housing for all CHH-owned properties. As one would expect of a senior position like this, you will also be responsible for ensuring proper fiscal management of financial resources, including business and budget planning, in addition to directing the development and application of sound business and administrative practices.

Given the complex public sector environment in which CHH and the City of Hamilton operate, another key aspect of your mandate as CEO of CityHousing Hamilton will be ensuring compliance with provincial and federal statutes and regulations, and municipal by-laws and policies, including the Residential Tenancies Act, the Ontario Business Corporations Act, and the Social Housing Reform Act. Using a “best practices” approach to developing and delivering quality services in a timely, cost-effective manner, you will develop goals and objectives and initiate projects related to housing policy, recommend broad policies and long-range strategies in the delivery of housing services, and establish partnerships to maximize affordable housing options for the citizens of Hamilton.

About the Candidate
To be considered for the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CityHousing Hamilton, you must have extensive knowledge and experience in the administration of federal, provincial, and municipal housing programs normally acquired through the completion of a degree in Public or Business Administration, Economics, Urban, Social Planning or Social Sciences, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.

This background is complemented by extensive senior management experience in a multi-stakeholder environment, progressively responsible experience in the housing field and/or homelessness, including program planning, evaluation, policy development and promotion, and a proven ability to foster staff and organizational development towards excellence in the delivery of homelessness and housing programs.

Knowledge and Skills
The following profile will also support and drive your accomplishments as CEO of CityHousing Hamilton:
  • Demonstrated competency to manage a large multi-disciplinary staff, preferable in a unionized environment, utilizing proactive management skills.
  • Demonstrated financial management skills in developing, implementing, and monitoring division budgets.
  • Highly developed analytical and business planning skills, with a proven track record for long-term visioning and strategic planning.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to deal effectively with elected officials, government departments, representatives of other levels of government, all levels of management, peers, staff, and the general public.
  • Excellent communication, both verbal and written, analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Proven ability to effectively negotiate complex agreements and excellent facilitation skills to build consensus.
  • Highly effective presentation skills.
  • A demonstrated record of strong leadership and guidance, customer focus, innovation/creativity, team advocacy, staff delegation, empowerment and development, and results orientation.
  • A high level of personal integrity and sound judgement.
  • Thorough proven knowledge and understanding of the Social Housing Reform Act, Ontario Works Act, Ontario Disability Support Program Act and all other statutes, regulations and by-laws affecting the division/section.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of the Occupational Health & Safety Act and applicable regulations as it relates to the position, and of the collective bargaining process.
  • Working knowledge of computer software applications.
  • A valid Class “G” driver’s licence (proof thereof is required after hire) and access to a reliable vehicle for City business.

Perhaps most important to truly succeed in this role will be your sound understanding of community development principles, demonstrated ability to work collaboratively to engage the community in system planning, and look for creative solutions based on best practice, and demonstrated understanding of the determinants of health and the role housing plays in economic and social development.

To apply to this high-impact executive mandate in municipal housing programming and management, submit your application to Phelps at careers@phelpsgroup.ca, specifying the job title in the subject line of your-mail. Application deadline: July 9th, 2022.

The City of Hamilton values the diversity of its workforce and the knowledge of its people.

The City is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation.

NOTE: As a condition of employment, you are required to provide proof that you are fully vaccinated or provide proof of valid exemption satisfactory to the employer prior to your start date. You must acknowledge and agree to comply with any future vaccine policy requirements as an ongoing condition of employment at the City of Hamilton.

PHELPS GROUP
401 Bay Street, Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M5H 2Y4
Phone: 416 364 6229