HOUSING DIRECTOR - 54885

Executive Service

HOUSING DIRECTOR

Tennessee Human Rights Commission

Knoxville, TN

$5,508-$8,783 monthly ($66,096-$105,396 annually)

Closing Date: 03/11/2024

Please follow the link below for more information:

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:3491fc62-6f8d-3b19-a928-a66e7321cdbf

Who we are and What we do:

Tennessee Human Rights Commission's (THRC) mission is to safeguard individuals from discrimination through enforcement and education. THRC is a neutral fact-finding agency charged to investigate each complaint of discrimination to determine if a violation of the Tennessee Human Rights Act or the Tennessee Disability Act has occurred.

THRC is an independent state agency responsible for enforcing the Tennessee Human Rights Act and the Tennessee Disability Act which prohibit discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodation on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, disability (not in public accommodations), familial status (housing only) and age (40+, not in housing). THRC also ensures the State of Tennessee's compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin by State agencies receiving federal financial assistance. An individual who feels he or she has been illegally discriminated against in employment, housing, public accommodations or in services delivered by a state agency, can file a complaint with THRC.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Process incoming housing complaints at the intake phase
2. Thoroughly investigate housing complaints
3. Conducts mediations, conciliations, and settlement discussions.
4. Directs the processing, investigations, and resolutions of complaints in housing.
5. Provides daily compliance oversight with federal and state Fair Housing laws.
6. Supervises and monitors complaint processing goals.
7. Accepts and assigns cases to investigators.
8. Monitors and tracks staff work to ensure timely complaint processing.
9. Ensures quality of complaint processing.
10. Ability to apply knowledge of federal and state housing anti-discrimination laws.
11. Supervises intake supervisor and housing coordinator.
12. Provides day-to-day operations of the office and staff.
13. Monitors the Agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
14. Acts as the primary case reviewer for submitted housing cases closures and provides investigative feedback and assessment.

15. Performs compliance reviews on complaints to ensure the process meets the THRC and HUD standards.
16. Provides monthly reports to executive management.

17. Provides housing program oversight.
18. Review and update the agency's housing unit Standard Operating Procedures for efficient and effective case investigative process.
19. Assists with development and conducting training on the intake and investigative process.
20. Manages case data in the HUD enforcement case management system (HEMS).
21. Organizes and maintains open and closed case inventory.
22. Onboard and train new and seasoned staff.
23. Counsel and develop intake and investigative staff.
24. Trains intake and investigative staff on new techniques to improve processes.
25. Provides supervision and evaluates performance for direct reports.
26. Document and rate performance for direct reports
27. Makes work assignments to staff to achieve agency objectives and priorities.
28. Resolves problems according to policies and procedures.
29. Recruit, select, train, assign, schedule, coach, counsel, and discipline employees.
30. Represent agency at community events.
31. Assists with planning and participating in Fair Housing education and outreach efforts.
32. Builds effective working relationships with federal partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in Legal Studies, Social Sciences, Public or Business Administration, or related field; five (5) years of experience in equal opportunity, Fair Housing, civil rights investigations, or other civil rights work; and five (5) years of supervisory experience in management of complaints of discrimination, social services, and case management; or any equivalent combination of related training and experience. Excellent verbal and written communication, legal research, and extensive writing skills.

Required Experience:

1. Thorough knowledge of federal and state regulations and guidelines pertaining to Fair Housing laws.
2. Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures of Fair Housing program administration.
3. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
4. Extensive knowledge of interviewing, investigative, and conciliation techniques.
5. Ability to plan, coordinate and supervise the work of professional and technical subordinate staff. Supervise a minimum of 2 direct reports.
6. Ability to maintain a variety of monitoring and compliance records and to prepare and submit regular and special reports.
7. Ability to exercise good judgment in analyzing facts and recommending a course of action.
8. Ability to express ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively, both verbally and in writing.
9. Ability to maintain a neutral posture in the handling of all civil rights issues.
10. Ability to communicate effectively and work with groups of individuals from various backgrounds.
11. Ability to prepare presentations and conduct fair housing training.
12. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders.
13. Ability to make presentations for Commissioners and Executive level staff.

Preferred Qualifications:

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.