Senior Housing Access Manager

Seattle Social Housing Developer; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle Social Housing Developer seeks a Senior Housing Access Manager to lead equitable housing access and oversee waitlists, accommodations, language access, and affordability assignments across the SSHD portfolio.

This senior individual contributor role requires independent judgment within approved policies and laws, partners with asset management and finance to address affordability and revenue concerns, and builds repeatable systems for acquisitions and portfolio growth.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of progressively responsible experience in affordable housing, including compliance and occupancy administration.
• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, public policy, social work, urban planning, business, accounting, or related field.
• Experience coordinating reasonable accommodations and modifications with confidentiality.
• Experience administering waitlists, eligibility determinations, transfers, and defensible records.

Responsibilities

• Administer SSHD model and monitor affordability designations by property and bedroom count.
• Reconcile lease assignments, transfers, and affordability changes with the approved model.
• Coordinate waitlist procedures and verify eligibility against approved criteria.
• Manage communications and auditable records of offers and decisions.
• Maintain records security and prepare reports for audits and policy reviews.

Skills

Affordable housing compliance

Financial analysis

Data quality

Housing access coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, public policy, social work, urban planning, business, accounting, or related field

Job description

The Senior Housing Access Manager leads equitable housing access and day-to-day administration of the SSHD model across its growing portfolio. The position oversees waitlist processes, reasonable accommodations, disability and language access, and affordability assignments so that leasing decisions align with approved policies, resident needs, and the board-approved SSHD model.

This is a senior-level individual contributor role requiring independent judgment and authority within approved policies and laws/regulations. The manager establishes controls before leasing commitments are made and partners with asset management and finance to identify affordability imbalances and revenue concerns early. The position helps build repeatable systems for acquisitions and portfolio growth.

POSITION DETAILS

Job Title: Senior Housing Access Manager

Department: Compliance

Reports To: Director of Compliance

Location: Seattle, Washington, with travel to SSHD properties

FLSA Status: Full time; Exempt

Compensation: $110,000 - $126,000

SCOPE OF AUTHORITY & ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

The manager reports to the Director of Compliance and works closely with Operations, Asset Management, Finance, property management, eligibility and waitlist partners, restorative justice and resident governance staff, and legal counsel. Within SSHD-approved policies and written delegation, the manager exercises independent decision-making authority and is accountable to the Director of Compliance. The manager may review and approve routine reasonable accommodation and modification requests within delegated authority and direct property management and third-party partners to correct or refrain from actions inconsistent with SSHD's approved affordability designations, eligibility requirements, and occupancy procedures. The manager may prevent an unauthorized leasing assignment or affordability designation change from proceeding until required approvals are obtained. Complex accommodation matters, proposed denials, disputes, policy exceptions, changes to the board-approved affordability model, broader leasing restrictions, and matters outside delegated authority must be escalated to the Director of Compliance or other designated decision-maker. Changes to the board-approved model, budgets, and commitments outside delegated authority require the appropriate approval. Asset Management and Finance retain responsibility for financial performance analysis; the manager supplies accurate affordability data and compliance findings.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

SSHD model administration and monitoring

• Maintain a current portfolio record of approved, occupied, committed, and available affordability designations by property, affordability band, and bedroom count; distinguish a vacant apartment from an available affordability designation.
• Reconcile proposed lease assignments, transfers, and affordability changes with the approved model before commitments are made. Monitor bedroom distribution within each band so that affordability opportunities are not unintentionally concentrated in particular unit sizes.
• Reconcile the tracker with rent rolls, pending applications, transfer requests, and approved exceptions. Investigate discrepancies and maintain a clear record of decisions and approvals.
• Review affordability compliance with asset management and finance at least monthly. Flag assignment changes that may affect revenue and provide affordability and leasing data to support Asset Management and Finance's analysis of actual rents against budget. Asset Management and Finance retain responsibility for financial analysis and operating decisions; the manager identifies compliance implications and supports corrective actions within delegated authority.

Waitlist and leasing access

• Administer internal and external waitlist procedures, including approved priorities, lottery order, transfers, alternating opportunities, appeals, and documentation requirements.
• Coordinate with eligibility and leasing partners and property management to match households with suitable units and available affordability designations. Apply approved eligibility criteria consistently and route exceptions through the established review process.
• Oversee applicant communications, file handoffs, status tracking, and access barriers. Maintain an auditable record of offers, responses, deferrals, withdrawals, and decisions.
• Translate approved policies into practical workflows, checklists, FAQs, and training. Coordinate public-facing materials with communications staff before release.

Reasonable accommodations and accessible services

• Serve as the central point of coordination for reasonable accommodation and modification requests from applicants and residents. Conduct and document the interactive process with appropriate confidentiality and timely follow-through.
• Make determinations within written delegated authority. Escalate complex requests, proposed denials, disputes, and matters outside that authority to the Director of Compliance and legal counsel as appropriate.
• Maintain an inventory of accessible units and verified accessibility features with property management. Coordinate suitable placements, transfers, or approved modifications, with a focus on addressing known needs before move-in.
• Coordinate disability access, interpretation, translation, accessible formats, and other communication supports across application, eligibility, leasing, and resident processes.

Portfolio systems and acquisition readiness

• Establish consistent procedures, records, and quality checks across properties while accounting for property-specific requirements and approved models.
• Support acquisition planning through review of resident and applicant records, existing affordability commitments, accessibility needs, and compliance gaps. Prepare controls for internal resident transitions and external leasing before implementation. Before new leasing procedures begin, coordinate with Asset Management, Operations, and property management to confirm affordability assignments, resident-file handoffs, accessibility needs, and leasing controls are ready.
• Train and support property managers and third-party partners; review adherence to agreed procedures and resolve recurring process failures.
• Maintain secure records, role-based access, and appropriate handling of sensitive household information. Prepare reports for management and support audits, policy reviews, and corrective action.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to manage affordability requirements by income band and bedroom count and understand how leasing decisions affect rent revenue and property operations.
• Background in accounting and affordable housing compliance, with strong spreadsheet, reconciliation, financial reporting, and data quality skills; ability to work across property management and applicant tracking systems.
• Highly detail-oriented, with demonstrated accuracy in reviewing household files, financial data, affordability assignments, and compliance records. Clear written and verbal communication and sound judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to build procedures, manage competing priorities, train partners, and work effectively with diverse communities.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• At 5-8 years of progressively responsible experience in affordable housing, including compliance, housing access, or occupancy administration and independent management of complex eligibility or accommodation matters.
• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, public policy, social work, urban planning, business, accounting, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating reasonable accommodations and modifications, applying fair housing principles, protecting confidential information, and recognizing when legal or supervisory review is needed.
• Experience administering waitlists, eligibility determinations, transfers, and defensible records of housing decisions.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with mixed-income affordable housing or transitions of occupied properties into a new housing model is preferred. Seattle or Washington experience is not required; prior social housing experience is not required.
• Experience creating compliance infrastructure for a growing, multi-property portfolio and overseeing third-party leasing or eligibility partners.
• Relevant housing compliance, occupancy, or fair housing training or credentials.
• Experience coordinating language access and using trauma-informed and restorative approaches in resident-facing work.
• Experience working in a small or growing nonprofit, public agency, or Public Development Authority.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Must obtain Section 504 certification focused on disability access and reasonable accommodations within six months of starting the position, unless already held. Certification provider and course to be approved by SSHD.
• Must pass a background check.
• Ability to adapt to shifting priorities and take on additional responsibilities as the role and organization evolve.
• As a condition of employment, employees of Seattle Social Housing Developer aregenerally prohibitedfromresidingin housing that is owned, developed,operated, or managed by SSHD, except where SSHD has approved a limited operational exception.