Director of Community Development

Carvercda; Chaska (MN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

Carver County CDA in Minnesota seeks a Full-Time Director of Community Development to lead housing and redevelopment initiatives, manage staff and budgets, and coordinate with cities, nonprofits, and state agencies.

The role focuses on establishing goals, developing housing strategies, securing funding, and reporting to city and county leaders. A Bachelor's degree and 5+ years in housing finance or community development are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Housing, Urban Studies or Planning, Finance or related field required.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience with housing finance and/or community development programs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the achievement of departmental goals and objectives in support of the CDA's mission, vision, and values.
• Determine staffing needs, training needs, and department structure.
• Coordinate staff work assignments; ensure adequate staff coverage and efficient work coordination.
• Develop and implement employee procedures and policies.
• Assist with review, revision, and development of job descriptions and evaluation of performance standards.
• Approve time sheets, mileage claims, and leave requests.
• Administers, organizes, plans, and directs the usage of the LHTF, LAHA funding and CGPI.
• Responsible for development of affordable housing strategies, related housing policies, and programs.
• Proposes funding recommendations and identifies partnerships to strengthen affordable housing opportunities.
• Maintains accurate records and compiles data for timely reports.
• Secure diverse and sustainable funding sources to support community development initiatives including HUD, DEED, MHFA, Met Council and other sources.
• Assist cities, non-profit organizations, and developers in identifying community development and housing needs. Serve as the lead contact for economic development inquiries.
• Coordinate property acquisitions and site clearance; field calls and provide information, initiate purchases, negotiate purchase contracts and coordinate the relocation of existing owners/tenants.
• Assess property sites to determine necessary environmental remediation; develop, implement, and track response action plans, manage cleanup projects and contracts in accordance with state and local environmental regulations and requirements.
• Ensure property acquisitions, relocations and demolition projects meet Federal, state and CDA legal and policy requirements.
• Review, analyze and acquire tax forfeiture sites.
• Establish and carryout project budgets.
• Provide regular project status reports to City Councils, City Managers, county and state agencies, and CDA Executive Director.
• Coordinate and/or attend meetings with external partners (e.g. state agencies, cities, county, private and non-profit developers).
• Oversee, assess, and make recommendations of complex financing needed to support development or redevelopment of affordable housing units.
• Assist in preparation and management of project budgets, schedule, and contracts.
• Conduct site visits to monitor progress, identify potential issues, and implement corrective action.
• Oversee the program’s expansion of new properties into the portfolio and resales of existing properties; be involved in statewide and local coalition events.
• Assess market and programmatic demands and make recommendations on program structure and offerings.
• Oversee grant writing and funding application process.
• Develop and implement program and administrative budgets; approve all check and draw requests and ensure all program funds are utilized in a timely manner.
• Initiate, design, and implement project and financial tracking systems; coordinate the completion of program/activity reports; analyze data and reports.
• Coordinate, develop, and maintain partnerships with others such as real estate agents, bankers, eligible households, and funders.
• Oversee the application process and work with qualifying applicants and contractors to complete identified improvements. Manage the program’s waiting list.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local grant guidelines, regulations, and requirements.
• Oversee complicated and politically sensitive projects/issues, as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Perform research, analysis, reports and presentations, documentation, and compile information for various topics/projects.
• Coordinate and serve as project lead or liaison to both internal and external groups.
• Support and promote Next Stage business program to cities, Chambers, potential and existing business owners.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Housing, Urban Studies or Planning, Finance or related field

Job description

Full-Time Director of Community Development Available Openings: 1 Posted Date: August 27, 2026 Apply By: September 10, 2026 Pay Type: Salary Compensation: $109,866 - $148,325 (full pay range, depending on experience) Education Level: N/A

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the achievement of departmental goals and objectives in support of the CDA's mission, vision, and values.
• Determine staffing needs, training needs, and department structure.
• Coordinate staff work assignments; ensure adequate staff coverage and efficient work coordination.
• Develop and implement employee procedures and policies.
• Assist with review, revision, and development of job descriptions and evaluation of performance standards.
• Approve time sheets, mileage claims, and leave requests.

Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) and Community Growth Partnership Initiative (CGPI):

• Administers, organizes, plans, and directs the usage of the LHTF, LAHA funding and CGPI.
• Responsible for development of affordable housing strategies, related housing policies, and programs.
• Proposes funding recommendations and identifies partnerships to strengthen affordable housing opportunities.
• Maintains accurate records and compiles data for timely reports.

Redevelopment and community development projects:

• Secure diverse and sustainable funding sources to support community development initiatives including HUD, DEED, MHFA, Met Council and other sources.
• Assist cities, non-profit organizations, and developers in identifying community development and housing needs. Serve as the lead contact for economic development inquiries.
• Coordinate property acquisitions and site clearance; field calls and provide information, initiate purchases, negotiate purchase contracts and coordinate the relocation of existing owners/tenants.
• Assess property sites to determine necessary environmental remediation; develop, implement, and track response action plans, manage cleanup projects and contracts in accordance with state and local environmental regulations and requirements.
• Ensure property acquisitions, relocations and demolition projects meet Federal, state and CDA legal and policy requirements.
• Review, analyze and acquire tax forfeiture sites.
• Establish and carryout project budgets.
• Provide regular project status reports (i.e. written or presentations) to City Councils, City Managers, county and state agencies, and CDA Executive Director.
• Coordinate and/or attend meetings with external partners (e.g. state agencies, cities, county, private and non-profit developers).

Multi-family and single-family housing finance programs: (e.g. Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Conduit Financing)

• Oversee, assess, and make recommendations of complex financing needed to support development or redevelopment of affordable housing units.
• Assist in preparation and management of project budgets, schedule, and contracts.
• Conduct site visits to monitor progress, identify potential issues, and implement corrective action.

Homeownership programs: (e.g. Carver County Community Land Trust, Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, First Time Homebuyer and Down payment Assistance Programs)

• Oversee the program’s expansion of new properties into the portfolio and resales of existing properties; be involved in statewide and local coalition events.
• Assess market and programmatic demands and make recommendations on program structure and offerings.
• Oversee grant writing and funding application process.
• Develop and implement program and administrative budgets; approve all check and draw requests and ensure all program funds are utilized in a timely manner.
• Initiate, design, and implement project and financial tracking systems; coordinate the completion of program/activity reports; analyze data and reports.
• Coordinate, develop, and maintain partnerships with others such as real estate agents, bankers, eligible households, and funders.
• Oversee the application process and work with qualifying applicants and contractors to complete identified improvements. Manage the program’s waiting list.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local grant guidelines, regulations, and requirements.
  

Business Support: Act as coordinator/manager for special projects:

• Oversee complicated and politically sensitive projects/issues, as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Perform research, analysis, reports and presentations, documentation, and compile information for various topics/projects.
• Coordinate and serve as project lead or liaison to both internal and external groups.
• Support and promote Next Stage business program to cities, Chambers, potential and existing business owners.
  

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Housing, Urban Studies or Planning, Finance or related field required.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience with housing finance and/or community development programs.