Rental Housing Program Manager

City of Seattle; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 149,000 - 154,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Seattle’s Office of Housing seeks a Rental Housing Program Manager to lead a three-person team and oversee funding awards exceeding $110M, directing a multi-year strategy to improve affordability, sustainability, and racial equity.

You will optimize resource allocation by aligning city investments with public funding sources, streamline the funding process from application through award, and use data-driven tools to evaluate feasibility, long-term affordability, and equity outcomes,

Qualifications

• Overseeing complex housing finance transactions.
• Affordable housing finance and policy, including underwriting, loan structuring, and regulatory compliance.
• Private and public funding sources, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME, and CDBG.
• Collaborative, team-driven leadership and project management.

Responsibilities

• Leading, supervising, and developing a team responsible for underwriting, closing, construction administration, disbursement, and closeout.
• Planning and managing the City's competitive rental housing funding process, including application review, underwriting, staff recommendations, and implementation of awards.
• Ensuring funded projects are financially feasible, comply with applicable funding requirements, and support long-term financial and operational sustainability.

Skills

Underwriting

Loan structuring

Regulatory compliance

Project management

Job description

Seattle’s Office of Housing (OH) works to build strong, healthy communities and increase opportunities for all people to live in a community of their choice, in a home they can afford. OH invests in the production and preservation of affordable homes for people with low incomes, including individuals and families who are exiting homelessness. The Office also assists low-income homeowners with home repair loans and weatherization grants so they can safely remain in their homes and neighborhoods.

We are looking for a Rental Housing Program Manager who will oversee funding awards of over $110M and lead a team of three staff members, including two underwriters and a project manager, responsible for implementing the City’s Rental Housing Program. In this role, you will develop and implement a multi-year funding strategy to prioritize projects that improve affordability, sustainability, and racial equity. You will optimize the allocation of City resources by aligning rental housing investments with other public funding sources, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and state housing funds. You will also enhance the efficiency and impact of the Rental Housing Program by streamlining the funding application, underwriting, and award processes, developing new tools and data-driven approaches to better evaluate project feasibility, long-term affordability, and equity outcomes, and proactively addressing financial challenges in existing projects by facilitating loan restructures, debt buy-downs, and other strategic interventions to stabilize at-risk developments.

Rental Housing Program Manager position leads a team of three staff members (two senior project managers and a project manager) and is responsible for implementing the City's Rental Housing Program.

The top 3 priorities of this work are:

1. Program Oversight & Strategic Leadership:

1. Leading, supervising, and developing a team responsible for underwriting, closing, construction administration, disbursements, and project closeout, including assigning work, managing workload, providing technical guidance, and ensuring high-quality and timely work products.
2. Planning and managing the City's competitive rental housing funding process, including application review, underwriting, staff recommendations, and implementation of awards.
3. Ensuring funded projects are financially feasible, comply with applicable funding requirements, and support long-term financial and operational sustainability.

2. Project & Pipeline Management:

1. Overseeing the negotiation and structuring of City financing for affordable housing investments.
2. Overseeing the team's management of funded projects from award through underwriting, loan closing, construction, disbursement, and closeout, ensuring projects meet City requirements and advance toward completion on schedule.
3. Overseeing the assignment and administration of City, state, and federal funding sources and ensure compliance with applicable program requirements.

3. Stakeholder Engagement & Policy Implementation:

1. Coordinating across Office of Housing teams and other City departments to resolve project issues, implementing program requirements, and supporting timely execution of affordable housing investments.
2. Maintaining effective working relationships with affordable housing developers, lenders, investors, public funders, community stakeholders, and other partners.
3. Representing the Rental Housing Program in meetings with external partners, public forums, and interdepartmental initiatives.

The top 3 work goals are:

1.Leading the Rental Housing Program and Team - Managing staff workload, performance, and professional development while ensuring consistent, high-quality underwriting, closing, construction administration, disbursement, and closeout work.

2.Successfully Administering OH's Competitive Funding Processes - Managing the competitive funding process from application through award and implementation, ensuring timely, consistent, and well-supported funding recommendations aligned with OH priorities, racial equity goals, and available resources.

3.Ensuring Effective Program Execution and Accountability - Improving processes, tools, tracking, and coordination across the project lifecycle to support timely closings and construction, effective use of City resources, compliance with funding requirements, and successful project delivery.

You will be most successful if you have demonstrated experience in affordable housing finance involving public and private sources, community redevelopment, real estate finance, or other related areas. A commitment to listening, creating space for diverse perspectives, and the pursuit of affordable housing for all must be at the center of your professional practice. The ability to communicate at all levels tactfully and effectively will also contribute to your success. Specifically, you’ll be prepared to take on this role with a combination of the following:

Experience in:

• Overseeing complex housing finance transactions

• Affordable housing finance and policy, including underwriting, loan structuring, and regulatory compliance
• Private and public funding sources, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME, and CDBG

Knowledge of and Skills in:

• Collaborative, team-driven leadership and project management
• Demonstrating a commitment to public service and ensuring housing access for low-income and historically marginalized communities
• Building and maintaining strong internal and external relationships
• Professional writing and presentation skills, including conducting information sessions

The ability to:

• Navigate political, financial, and community dynamics to advance equitable and sustainable housing solutions
• Maintain professionalism in controversial, complex, and public situations
• Explain technical information to a non-technical audience
• Work with a diverse population

This Civil-Service position is FLSA-exempt (not eligible for overtime). It is classified as a Manager 1, General Government and is non-represented.

Pay: The full pay range for this discretionary pay position is $51.88 - $77.82 per hour or $108,325.44 - $162,488.16 annually, based on 2088 hours per year.The pay range identified for this specific role is $71.14 - $73.89 ($148,540.32 - $154,282.32 annually, based on 2088 hours per year).

Working Schedule: This position offers the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule. Employees will be expected to be in-office three days a week.

Background Check: Applicants must successfully pass a background check, which will be conducted in accordance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be given a chance to explain or correct background information and provide verifiable information of good conduct and rehabilitation.

Hiring Timeline: First-round interviews for this position are tentatively scheduled for October 14–19, 2026. Second interviews are tentatively scheduled for October 26-30, 2026.

Accommodations: We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact Sandra Wong at [e-mail] to request accommodation.

Benefits –The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits. Please select an option under the “Most Employee Benefits” heading.

Why work at the City?

At the City of Seattle, public service is more than a job; it’s a chance to shape the future and make a meaningful difference in the lives of everyone who works, lives, or plays in our city. With 12,000 employees across 40+ departments and 1,100 job titles, we are united by a common purpose: to create a Seattle that is vibrant and welcoming for all. Whatever your role, you’ll help power a forward-looking city that leads by example — inclusive, innovative, equitable, and community-focused — while joining a diverse team committed to solving challenges and making a lasting impact together. Join us in building a Seattle where everyone thrives!

Who Can Apply: This position is open to all candidates who demonstrate alignment with the skills and experience described above.

Questions: If you have questions please contact Sandra Wong at [e-mail]