Housing Director

Mental Wellness Center; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Mental Wellness Center is seeking a Housing Director to lead ARFs and independent living apartments across Santa Barbara and Goleta. You will drive strategic direction, staff development, and cross-agency collaboration to deliver trauma-informed, recovery-oriented housing.

The role requires ensuring compliance with licensing and housing standards, coordinating with BWELL and other partners, and traveling between sites. Minimum five years in leadership is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Health, Social Work, Psychology, or related field is required.
• Minimum five years of supervisory or management experience in behavioral health or related fields.
• Experience overseeing housing, residential services, or subsidized housing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational oversight of ARFs and independent living apartments.
• Oversee occupancy, staffing, facilities, service coverage, and program performance.
• Respond to urgent after-hours needs and significant resident concerns.
• Supervise and develop housing leadership and staff.
• Ensure ARF operations comply with licensing and contractual requirements.
• Collaborate with regulators, partners, and housing authorities to support residents.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Regulatory compliance

Staff development

Multi-site operations

Program quality

Education

Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Health, Social Work, Psychology, or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic recordkeeping

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Mental Wellness Center - SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101
Salary Range: $100,000.00 - $118,000.00 Salary/year

About Mental Wellness Center

The Mental Wellness Center is a leading nonprofit organization in Santa Barbara, California, dedicated to supporting individuals and families impacted by mental illness through education, housing, and community-based services. MWC plays a critical role in the region's mental health ecosystem, working collaboratively with public agencies, healthcare providers, housing partners, and community organizations to create a more responsive and compassionate continuum of care.

The Role

The Housing Director provides the strategic and operational leadership needed to support Mental Wellness Center's Adult Residential Facilities (ARFs) and independent living apartments throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta. These programs provide housing and residential support for adults diagnosed with serious mental illness and are an essential part of MWC's commitment to recovery, stability, independence, and long-term housing success.

Blending housing program leadership, staff development, regulatory oversight, and multi-site operations, you will strengthen systems, service delivery, and consistency across MWC's housing programs. You will ensure the ARF program operates in alignment with Community Care Licensing (CCL), Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness (BWELL) requirements, and organizational standards, while overseeing independent living apartments in accordance with applicable housing and subsidized housing requirements.

As a leader, you will have the opportunity to develop people, strengthen housing practices, solve complex challenges, and continually improve the resident experience. You will work closely with housing leadership, staff, organizational leaders, the Housing Authority, treatment providers, and community partners to promote safe, well-coordinated, trauma-informed, person-centered, and recovery-oriented housing environments.

This role is ideal for a thoughtful, collaborative leader who is passionate about supporting adults living with serious mental illness and who brings heart, sound judgment, and both strategic and strong operational leadership to the work. The Housing Director reports to the Chief Program Officer.

Because this position oversees housing programs throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta, it requires regular travel between program sites. The Housing Director must reside in Santa Barbara or within approximately 30 minutes of Santa Barbara and be able to respond to urgent program, resident, staffing, or facility needs outside regular business hours when necessary.

Seeking a Leader Who Wants to Make a Difference

Most importantly, you are someone who cares deeply about the people you serve and the people you lead. You are looking for an opportunity where your experience matters, but where you can also bring your ideas, creativity, and leadership to help housing programs grow and evolve.

You do not need to have every answer. You do need to be curious, collaborative, willing to learn, and excited about the possibility of building on what is working while helping MWC imagine what is possible.

Key Responsibilities

Housing Operations & Program Oversight

• Provide strategic and operational oversight of MWC’s Adult Residential Facilities and independent living apartments.
• Oversee occupancy, staffing, facilities, service coverage, and overall program performance.
• Respond to significant resident, staffing, facility, and operational concerns, including urgent after-hours needs.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Supervise, coach, and develop housing leadership and other assigned staff.
• Establish clear expectations and promote accountability, collaboration, and a person-centered workplace culture.
• Partner with Human Resources on staffing, onboarding, performance management, retention, and required training.

Adult Residential Facility Oversight

• Ensure ARF operations comply with Community Care Licensing, contractual requirements, and organizational standards.
• Oversee licensing documentation, regulatory reviews, significant incidents, and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with BWELL, treatment providers, conservators, and other partners to support resident care.

Independent Living & Subsidized Housing Oversight

• Oversee independent living apartments, including units supported by subsidized housing programs.
• Monitor occupancy, vacancies, resident transitions, housing documentation, and compliance requirements.
• Maintain Housing Authority partnerships and provide guidance on significant tenancy concerns, including termination or eviction decisions.

Program Quality, Outcomes & Reporting

• Lead quality improvement and service development across MWC’s housing programs.
• Use program, staffing, occupancy, and compliance data to guide decisions and improvements.
• Oversee required reports and communicate significant trends, risks, and recommendations to leadership.

Organizational Leadership & Collaboration

• Contribute to agency-wide planning and organizational initiatives as a member of MWC’s leadership team.
• Coordinate housing priorities with Human Resources, Finance, Operations, and Program Leadership.
• Represent MWC in housing partnerships, regulatory discussions, and community collaborations.

What You Bring

• Relevant leadership experience in behavioral health, residential services, housing, or programs serving adults living with serious mental illness.
• A person-centered approach grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented practices.
• Strong people leadership skills, including the ability to build trust, establish accountability, and develop staff.
• Multi-site operational experience managing staffing, compliance, systems, and competing priorities.
• Sound judgment when addressing complex resident, tenancy, staffing, facility, and compliance matters.
• Knowledge of regulatory and housing requirements, including CCL, documentation, quality, and safety standards.
• A collaborative and strategic mindset with the ability to build partnerships, use data, and turn ideas into action.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with residents, staff, leadership, regulatory agencies, and community partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Health, Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in behavioral health, residential services, housing, human services, or a related field.
• Minimum five years of supervisory or management experience, including responsibility for staff performance, operations, and program oversight.
• Experience overseeing residential, independent living, subsidized housing, or similar community-based programs preferred.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record consistent with MWC's policy and insurance requirements if driving is required.
• ARF Administrator Certification preferred or ability to obtain within nine months of hire.
• CPR, First Aid, and CPI certification, or ability to obtain within 60 days.
• Ability to travel regularly between MWC housing locations throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta and respond to urgent program needs as required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic recordkeeping and reporting systems.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Salary: $100,000-$118,000 annually.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• 401(k) with employer match
• Supplemental insurance options
• Discounted pet insurance
• Medical benefit opt-out incentive for eligible employees who waive agency-sponsored medical coverage and provide proof of alternative qualifying coverage
• Monthly cell phone stipend when required for work-related business, in accordance with agency policy

Location

Location: Mental Wellness Center, 617 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA, with regular travel to housing locations throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta.