Director of Health, Housing, and Community Services
Department of Health, Housing, and Community Services
City of Berkeley, California
Annual Salary: $182,945 - $267,549 DOE/DOQ
View the full recruitment brochure here
The City of Berkeley, California, is seeking a visionary Director of Health, Housing, and Community Services to lead a staff of about 240 full-time employees and oversee an approximate budget of $100 million. The Director will champion the community's welfare and wellbeing, entrusted with a broad spectrum of essential human service programs. They will oversee all critical activities of the Health, Housing, and Community Services Department, ensuring that the Deputy Director and each of the Department’s five Division Managers are empowered and supported to carry out impactful work. As the leader and voice of the Department, the Director will provide policy direction and advise the City Manager and the City Council on all aspects of community health services. The ideal candidate is a perceptive and empathetic leader, who views all programs and initiatives through a lens of inclusivity and emphasizes excellence in service delivery. This highly experienced Director must be adept at breaking down barriers, fostering collaboration, and forging strategic partnerships while navigating labor and workforce needs. Step into a vital leadership role in a progressive and pioneering community – apply today!
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate is a highly experienced public sector professional with a background in environmental health, housing, public health, and/or mental health. They should be a visible, influential, decisive, and diplomatic leader with a proven track record of empowering and uniting others in service of a common cause. This position requires orchestration of outreach, education, and initiatives, necessitating strong communication and presentation skills. They should also be an open communicator and promote transparency and integrity to foster trust within the organization and community. The Director will have strong mentorship skills, political awareness, and the ability to seamlessly coordinate with commissions, nonprofits, and vendors within the community. The Director will also artfully navigate grant funding complexities, connecting the dots to big-picture strategies while strategically braiding funding to address long-term programmatic needs.
The next Director will prioritize work-life balance and self-care for themselves and their team, recognizing the high-touch nature of their work. As the Department Director, they must also develop strategic partnerships, understand labor standards, and have relevant supervisory experience, ensuring they are equipped to handle the complexities of the role effectively.