Chief Operating Officer

Jubilee Housing

Status: Full-time, exempt employee

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

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

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 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, including 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) serves as a key member of the executive leadership team and provides strategic and operational leadership for Jubilee Housing’s mission-driven programs, resident-centered services, organizational infrastructure, and internal operations. The COO will foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, equity, and continuous improvement while strengthening the organization’s operational capacity to support growth and long-term sustainability.

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 Chief Financial Officer and Chief Advancement Officer, to support financial and team performance and supervise the Chief Administrative Officer, VP of Programs, and Director of Research, Impact, and Evaluation with overall responsibility for a 50+ person team. 

The ideal candidate has a strong orientation toward strategic implementation, infrastructure development, 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 operations and programming to achieve Jubilee’s goals.
• Steward Jubilee’s mission, values, and culture as a key executive team member, focusing on collaboration, accountability, compassion, and continuous learning.
• Lead implementation of the strategic plan, including establishing organizational performance dashboards, milestones, and accountability measures.
• Lead day-to-day organizational operations in alignment with Jubilee’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.
• Lead, develop, and inspire skilled teams; mentor and support direct reports in building strong, accountable, and collaborative departments. 
• Oversee development of resident programs and services to meet the needs of a growing resident community. 
• Foster cross-functional collaboration across property management, programs, finance, development, and operations.
• Support Board committees and presentations related to operations, organizational effectiveness, and strategic initiatives.

Oversight of Program Development

• Provide executive oversight for resident services and supportive programming, including family support, youth development, workforce development, reentry services, and community engagement initiatives.
• Lead long-term program planning for resident services and special initiatives to ensure each reflects mission alignment, financial sustainability, and measurable impact.
• Ensure programs are resident-centered, culturally responsive, and outcomes-driven.
• 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.
• Guide processes and frameworks to successfully scale programs to match the needs of a growing housing portfolio. 
• Establish program performance indicators and accountability systems to measure impact and effectiveness.

Oversight of Administrative Functions

• Provide oversight and partnership to the Chief Administrative Officer in their efforts to lead and develop a comprehensive talent plan for human resources functions, including talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation and benefits, performance management, training, compliance, and culture development.
• Advance the development of workforce planning and evaluation strategies that support organizational growth and succession planning.
• Direct technology modernization initiatives that improve operational effectiveness, resident services delivery, reporting, and collaboration.
• Lead enterprise-wide risk management efforts, including operational, legal, financial, reputational and safety risks.

Oversight of Research, Evaluation, and Learning

• Oversee organizational research, evaluation, and data analytics functions.
• Support the Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning (RIE) to develop frameworks and systems to measure resident outcomes, program effectiveness, and impact.
• Ensure that the RIE team uses data and research to support strategic decision-making, funding opportunities, policy advocacy, and continuous improvement.
• Advance evidence-based practices and learning across the organization.

External Relations and Partnerships

• Identify opportunities for innovation, partnerships, and service expansion aligned with Jubilee’s Justice Housing® model.
• 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 a nonprofit or for-profit organization; affordable housing, community development, or human services settings preferred.
• 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.
• 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, decision-making, and clarifying organizational goals and performance expectations.
• Proven ability to structure, lead, and inspire high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication skills—comfortable engaging at all levels of the organization, including residents, staff, policymakers, donors, and more. 
• Strong conflict resolution skills, such as addressing resident concerns. 
• 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 programs and services.
• Experience with grant compliance and reporting.
• Experience and practice of trauma-informed approaches and practices. 

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 $170,000 - $190,000. 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 September. Early applications are encouraged due to the pace of the search. Please direct confidential inquiries to Kate Dykgraaf 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.