Chief Operating Officer

Jubilee Housing

Status: Full-time, exempt employee

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Deadline: Resume reviews begin immediately. Best considered by late January.

About Jubilee Housing

The mission of Jubilee Housing is to build diverse, compassionate communities that create opportunities for everyone to thrive. Since 1973, Jubilee has worked to provide high-quality quality affordable housing and holistic support to those experiencing persistent economic hardship in the Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights neighborhoods of Washington, DC. 

Jubilee develops justice housing: affordable for those with limited financial means, located near good schools, grocery stores, and public transit, and supported by wraparound services that help residents pursue their goals. The organization owns and manages more than 500 units across a dozen properties in northwest DC and provides tailored programs for youth, families, and community members returning from incarceration. Jubilee is also an innovator in financing affordable housing, with an active pipeline of several hundred new units.

The FY26 budget projects annual revenues of $11.5 million. Its diverse revenues include philanthropic donations, local and federal grants, and earned revenue from rentals and real estate development activities. With offices in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC, Jubilee has a 90-person staff and a 21-person Board of Directors. Jubilee prioritizes a team culture that embodies its mission through integrity, service, and mutual respect, fostering a supportive community where all can flourish and where there is enough for everyone. 

Learn more about Jubilee’s work at jubileehousing.org. 

Position Summary

Jubilee Housing seeks an experienced and mission-driven leader to advance its justice housing model. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for the strategic oversight, alignment, and infrastructure of resident-focused services and programs, including property management, building maintenance, and supportive resident services. The COO will help sustain growth, maintain a high degree of resident support, and bring vision to how Jubilee expands its reach. 

With a 2025–2030 strategic plan in place, the COO will guide the implementation and steward Jubilee Housing’s culture, values, project management, and financial performance. They will champion the long-term operational excellence required of the organization’s size, complexity, and ambition with a focus on designing and implementing systems, policies, and processes that enhance productivity, efficiency, and cross-department coordination. 

The COO reports to the CEO, serves as a key member of the executive team, and has a consultative relationship with the Board of Directors. They will partner closely with their peers, including the CFO and CAO, to support financial and team performance. They supervise the VP of Programs, Director of Property Management, and Director of Maintenance, with overall responsibility for a 50+ person team. 

The ideal candidate has a strong orientation toward strategic implementation, infrastructure improvements, and change management. They are a collaborative, values-driven nonprofit leader with experience leading teams and strong project management skills. Familiarity with affordable housing and social services is considered an asset to this role. 

Specific areas of responsibility include:

Leadership and Strategy

• Advise the CEO, senior leadership, and board on strategy, performance, and innovation across programming and property operations to achieve Jubilee’s goals.
• Steward Jubilee’s mission, values, and culture as a key executive team member.
• Lead implementation of the strategic plan, including ensuring property management operations and resident programs align with goals and business model.
• Present reports and updates to the board; serve as primary liaison to the strategic plan.
• Lead, develop, and inspire skilled teams; mentor and support direct reports in building strong, accountable, and collaborative departments. 

Operational Excellence

• Strengthen systems, policies, and performance metrics that promote accountability and continuous improvement across all departments, and the successful implementation of strategic imperatives.
• Collaborate with the CFO and property management team to balance mission and margin—aligning program goals with financial and operational realities.
• Ensure compliance with housing regulations, contracts, and funding requirements.
• Consult with the finance team on the development of and planning for annual and multiyear operating and capital budgets.
• Strengthen systems, tools, and procedures to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and transparency across the organization; train teams on new procedures and systems.

Oversight of Program Development

• Ensure high-quality, equitable property management and resident services across all Jubilee-owned sites, emphasizing resident retention, satisfaction, and stability.
• Lead long-term program planning for property management, resident services, and special initiatives to ensure each reflects mission alignment, financial sustainability, and measurable community impact.
• Guide processes and frameworks to successfully scale programs to match the needs of a growing housing portfolio. 
• As a partner to the VP of Programs, support integration of youth, family, and reentry programs into a cohesive framework, promoting a resident-driven justice housing model.
• Oversee property operations—including leasing, administration, and the maintenance team—to ensure timely, cost-effective repairs, preventive maintenance, and overall facility upkeep across all properties.
• Monitor key metrics that guide organizational performance and decision-making.

External Relations and Partnerships

• Build and sustain relationships with funders, government agencies, and community organizations to expand Jubilee’s resources and influence.
• Partner with the institutional advancement team to share impact stories and attract philanthropic and public investment.
• Set strategic direction for programmatic partnerships that enhance support for residents, including for workforce development, reentry, and social services. 
• Represent Jubilee to coalitions, community initiatives, agencies, and donors.

Experience, Skills, and Qualities

The COO position requires a diverse set of skills and experiences. While we understand that no single candidate can possess every qualification listed below, the following are priority areas:

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in affordable housing, community development, or human services settings.
• Strong financial acumen, with budget management experience.
• A high level of emotional intelligence, integrity, cultural sensitivity, and interpersonal skills; ability to effectively engage and influence key stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Proven ability to structure, lead, and inspire high-performing teams.
• Strong understanding and practice of trauma-informed approaches and practices. 
• Excellent communication skills—comfortable engaging at all levels of the organization, including residents, staff, policymakers, donors, and more. 
• Strong conflict resolution skills, such as supporting the team to address resident concerns. 
• Systems-oriented; adept at successfully implementing and integrating systems, policies and protocols, and training teams on how to adopt new ways of working. 
• Excellent change management approaches, including building consensus, making tough decisions, and ensuring clarity about organizational goals and performance expectations.
• Analytical and strategic thinker who is flexible, solutions-oriented, and deadline-driven.
• Self-starter who takes initiative and delivers results with minimal supervision.
• Commitment to community development and helping low-income communities.

Considered a plus:

• Experience with affordable housing, including multifamily property management.  
• Experience with grant compliance and reporting.

Location

Jubilee Housing is headquartered in Adams Morgan in Washington, DC. Team members work a hybrid schedule with three days on-site each week.

Compensation

The range for this position is $160,000 - $170,000. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, matched retirement contributions, and paid time off, including paid parental leave.

Application Process

This search is being conducted in partnership with Good Insight, an executive search firm serving the nonprofit sector. Interested applicants should upload a PDF cover letter and resume at good-insight.org/careers. 

Resume reviews begin immediately. For best consideration, please apply by late January. Early applications are encouraged due to the pace of the search. Please direct confidential inquiries to Carlyn Madden and Erin Lau at JubileeHousing@good-insight.org. 

Equal Opportunity Employer

Jubilee Housing is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.