Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) Assistant Director
Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco, CA, United States
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is an equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory employer. MTC provides all employees and applicants with an equal opportunity in every aspect of the employment experience regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical handicap, medical condition or marital status.
ABOUT MTC MTC was created by the California Legislature in 1970. The federal government, state Legislature and Bay Area voters have assigned MTC a wide-ranging portfolio of duties. For starters, MTC is the metropolitan planning organization for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is also the regional transportation planning agency for the Bay Area. MTC directly distributes more than $700 million a year to local public transit agencies and other recipients, and prioritizes requests from local agencies for millions more in scarce state and federal funds. Acting as the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), MTC collects in excess of $600 million a year in bridge tolls, and allocates these funds for the operation and upkeep of the region's seven state-owned toll bridges. We plan, invest and coordinate to keep the Bay Area mobile, sustainable and prosperous. At the same time as addressing the needs of a growing population, we are committed to preserving the diverse communities and natural beauty that make the Bay Area a desirable place to live and work. For more information about MTC, visit www.mtc.ca.gov.
ABOUT THE TEAM AND ROLE The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) is entering a new phase guided by its recently completed strategic plan, which establishes near-term programmatic priorities while also outlining a path toward long-term operational sustainability. The Assistant Director will serve as the day-to-day leader of the BAHFA team, helping to ensure that the agency’s core programs are delivered effectively, resources are used strategically, and the organization remains stable and adaptive in a dynamic and constantly evolving housing ecosystem. BAHFA’s near-term priorities are designed to build towards the agency’s long-term vision to bring about transformative, systems-level change to ensure housing affordability and security for all throughout the nine-county Bay Area.
A primary responsibility of the Assistant Director is to oversee the successful development, launch, and ongoing management of BAHFA’s new mixed-income financing tools, along with providing strategic oversight and operational support for the Doorway Housing Portal. The Assistant Director will also oversee monitoring and asset management of BAHFA’s existing program portfolio that includes more than 2,000 assisted units. The Assistant Director will supervise and mentor a team of 6-10 staff, strengthen day-to-day operations, and help establish the systems, processes, and internal capabilities needed for BAHFA to sustain itself through program generated revenue.
The Assistant Director will represent BAHFA in a wide range of external settings and champion BAHFA’s statutory mission to advance the “3 Ps” (producing new affordable housing, preserving existing housing, and protecting residents from displacement). The Assistant Director will build strong, trust-based relationships that keep the agency informed, responsive, and well positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities. This position is ideal for an experienced and pragmatic housing leader who understands how the Bay Area housing ecosystem works in practice while also thinking creatively about new approaches and value-add regional opportunities. The ideal candidate will balance thinking strategically while acting decisively, and will thrive in a hands on, entrepreneurial environment within a larger public agency.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Under general direction of the Deputy Executive Director for Housing and Energy, the BAHFA Assistant Director will be responsible for:
Program Leadership and Strategic Execution
Lead day-to-day implementation of BAHFA’s core program areas, ensuring high-quality delivery, sound operations, and alignment with BAHFA’s mission and strategic plan.
Organizational Management and Staff Leadership
Supervise, mentor, and support a team of professional staff, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture with clear roles, expectations, and professional development pathways.
External Partnerships and Regional Engagement
Represent BAHFA in meetings, workshops, and collaborative forums with regional partners, funders, community organizations, local governments, and practitioners.
Operational Sustainability and Adaptive Management
Support efforts to position BAHFA for long-term sustainability by identifying opportunities to streamline operations, generate program revenue, and strengthen BAHFA’s financial footing.
QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Deep knowledge of affordable housing finance , including public and private financing structures, tax-exempt bonds, subordinate lending, acquisition/rehab and mixed-income deal structures, and implications of program design for development feasibility.
Understanding of Bay Area housing systems , including local funding and financing approaches, state regulatory frameworks, and the practical constraints faced by nonprofit and for-profit developers.
Expertise in regional housing policy
and the “3 Ps”, with an ability to connect policy decisions to on-the-ground production, preservation, and protection outcomes.
Strong program design and implementation skills , with the ability to translate broad strategies into clear procedures, operational workflows, evaluation criteria, and performance management systems.
Advanced project management abilities , including oversight of complex, multi-year initiatives; coordination across teams and consultants; risk identification; and adaptive problem-solving.
Skill in supervising and developing staff , including setting goals, providing coaching and constructive feedback, delegating effectively, and fostering a collaborative and high-performance team culture.
Ability to analyze and interpret financial models, pro formas, and program budgets , and to identify implications for underwriting, program design, and long-term sustainability.
Strong communication skills , including the ability to present complex concepts clearly to policymakers, partners, and public audiences; draft concise, compelling written materials; and facilitate productive discussions with diverse stakeholders.
Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships , establishing trust with local jurisdictions, housing providers, community organizations, funders, and internal partners.
Sound judgment and political acumen , with the ability to navigate sensitive issues, balance multiple perspectives, and anticipate challenges in a dynamic policy environment.
Commitment to equity and inclusion , with an understanding of how regional housing finance and program design can advance equitable outcomes across the Bay Area.
Minimum Qualifications An appropriate combination of education and experience that has provided the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way of obtaining the required qualifications is:
Education : A Master’s degree in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment, such as transportation planning, project management, public finance, transportation engineering, economics, business or public administration; and
Experience : Three years of increasingly responsible experience in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment.
A Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline and four years of relevant experience is an alternative qualification.
Applicants with a degree issued from an institution outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by an academic accrediting service and provide proof of equivalency along with their application.
Preferred Qualifications
Seven (7) years of increasingly responsible experience in affordable housing, community development, real estate finance, or related housing programs, with at least three (3) years in a supervisory, managerial, or team-lead capacity.
Demonstrated experience with affordable housing finance, including a mixture of experience with traditional affordable housing finance tools (e.g., tax credits) as well as creative financing such as essential-purpose bond executions, public ownership models, and other approaches designed to lower borrowing costs and expand mixed-income housing feasibility.
Employment Requirements Successful completion of a background check, professional references and the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9.
Disability The Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the recruitment or skills assessment process to accommodate applicants with disabilities. If selected for an interview or testing, and you require accommodation, please notify the Human Resources Department when confirming your interview or test.
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ABOUT MTC MTC was created by the California Legislature in 1970. The federal government, state Legislature and Bay Area voters have assigned MTC a wide-ranging portfolio of duties. For starters, MTC is the metropolitan planning organization for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is also the regional transportation planning agency for the Bay Area. MTC directly distributes more than $700 million a year to local public transit agencies and other recipients, and prioritizes requests from local agencies for millions more in scarce state and federal funds. Acting as the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), MTC collects in excess of $600 million a year in bridge tolls, and allocates these funds for the operation and upkeep of the region's seven state-owned toll bridges. We plan, invest and coordinate to keep the Bay Area mobile, sustainable and prosperous. At the same time as addressing the needs of a growing population, we are committed to preserving the diverse communities and natural beauty that make the Bay Area a desirable place to live and work. For more information about MTC, visit www.mtc.ca.gov.
ABOUT THE TEAM AND ROLE The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) is entering a new phase guided by its recently completed strategic plan, which establishes near-term programmatic priorities while also outlining a path toward long-term operational sustainability. The Assistant Director will serve as the day-to-day leader of the BAHFA team, helping to ensure that the agency’s core programs are delivered effectively, resources are used strategically, and the organization remains stable and adaptive in a dynamic and constantly evolving housing ecosystem. BAHFA’s near-term priorities are designed to build towards the agency’s long-term vision to bring about transformative, systems-level change to ensure housing affordability and security for all throughout the nine-county Bay Area.
A primary responsibility of the Assistant Director is to oversee the successful development, launch, and ongoing management of BAHFA’s new mixed-income financing tools, along with providing strategic oversight and operational support for the Doorway Housing Portal. The Assistant Director will also oversee monitoring and asset management of BAHFA’s existing program portfolio that includes more than 2,000 assisted units. The Assistant Director will supervise and mentor a team of 6-10 staff, strengthen day-to-day operations, and help establish the systems, processes, and internal capabilities needed for BAHFA to sustain itself through program generated revenue.
The Assistant Director will represent BAHFA in a wide range of external settings and champion BAHFA’s statutory mission to advance the “3 Ps” (producing new affordable housing, preserving existing housing, and protecting residents from displacement). The Assistant Director will build strong, trust-based relationships that keep the agency informed, responsive, and well positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities. This position is ideal for an experienced and pragmatic housing leader who understands how the Bay Area housing ecosystem works in practice while also thinking creatively about new approaches and value-add regional opportunities. The ideal candidate will balance thinking strategically while acting decisively, and will thrive in a hands on, entrepreneurial environment within a larger public agency.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Under general direction of the Deputy Executive Director for Housing and Energy, the BAHFA Assistant Director will be responsible for:
Program Leadership and Strategic Execution
Lead day-to-day implementation of BAHFA’s core program areas, ensuring high-quality delivery, sound operations, and alignment with BAHFA’s mission and strategic plan.
Organizational Management and Staff Leadership
Supervise, mentor, and support a team of professional staff, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture with clear roles, expectations, and professional development pathways.
External Partnerships and Regional Engagement
Represent BAHFA in meetings, workshops, and collaborative forums with regional partners, funders, community organizations, local governments, and practitioners.
Operational Sustainability and Adaptive Management
Support efforts to position BAHFA for long-term sustainability by identifying opportunities to streamline operations, generate program revenue, and strengthen BAHFA’s financial footing.
QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Deep knowledge of affordable housing finance , including public and private financing structures, tax-exempt bonds, subordinate lending, acquisition/rehab and mixed-income deal structures, and implications of program design for development feasibility.
Understanding of Bay Area housing systems , including local funding and financing approaches, state regulatory frameworks, and the practical constraints faced by nonprofit and for-profit developers.
Expertise in regional housing policy
and the “3 Ps”, with an ability to connect policy decisions to on-the-ground production, preservation, and protection outcomes.
Strong program design and implementation skills , with the ability to translate broad strategies into clear procedures, operational workflows, evaluation criteria, and performance management systems.
Advanced project management abilities , including oversight of complex, multi-year initiatives; coordination across teams and consultants; risk identification; and adaptive problem-solving.
Skill in supervising and developing staff , including setting goals, providing coaching and constructive feedback, delegating effectively, and fostering a collaborative and high-performance team culture.
Ability to analyze and interpret financial models, pro formas, and program budgets , and to identify implications for underwriting, program design, and long-term sustainability.
Strong communication skills , including the ability to present complex concepts clearly to policymakers, partners, and public audiences; draft concise, compelling written materials; and facilitate productive discussions with diverse stakeholders.
Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships , establishing trust with local jurisdictions, housing providers, community organizations, funders, and internal partners.
Sound judgment and political acumen , with the ability to navigate sensitive issues, balance multiple perspectives, and anticipate challenges in a dynamic policy environment.
Commitment to equity and inclusion , with an understanding of how regional housing finance and program design can advance equitable outcomes across the Bay Area.
Minimum Qualifications An appropriate combination of education and experience that has provided the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way of obtaining the required qualifications is:
Education : A Master’s degree in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment, such as transportation planning, project management, public finance, transportation engineering, economics, business or public administration; and
Experience : Three years of increasingly responsible experience in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment.
A Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline and four years of relevant experience is an alternative qualification.
Applicants with a degree issued from an institution outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by an academic accrediting service and provide proof of equivalency along with their application.
Preferred Qualifications
Seven (7) years of increasingly responsible experience in affordable housing, community development, real estate finance, or related housing programs, with at least three (3) years in a supervisory, managerial, or team-lead capacity.
Demonstrated experience with affordable housing finance, including a mixture of experience with traditional affordable housing finance tools (e.g., tax credits) as well as creative financing such as essential-purpose bond executions, public ownership models, and other approaches designed to lower borrowing costs and expand mixed-income housing feasibility.
Employment Requirements Successful completion of a background check, professional references and the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9.
Disability The Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the recruitment or skills assessment process to accommodate applicants with disabilities. If selected for an interview or testing, and you require accommodation, please notify the Human Resources Department when confirming your interview or test.
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