Seattle Social Housing Developer Resident Governance Coordinator Seattle, WA · Full time Company website

Apply for Resident Governance Coordinator

The Seattle Social Housing Developer is creating permanently affordable, high-quality homes that strengthen communities and expand opportunity. We’re looking for passionate, mission-driven people who want to make a real impact in housing justice. If you thrive in collaborative environments and are excited to help shape Seattle’s future, explore our open roles and join us in making homes affordable forever.

The Resident Governance Coordinator is a foundational role within the SSHD, serving as the primary connection between the agency and its residents on matters of governance. This is a governance and civic infrastructure role: the Resident Governance Coordinator builds, runs, and continuously improves the systems residents use to govern themselves collectively including elections, councils, quorum, policy input, and governance communications. The role's core responsibility is to the integrity, accessibility, and effectiveness of the governance system, not to manage any individual resident's personal welfare. 

During the start-up phase, the Resident Governance Coordinator will collaborate closely with the Resident Governance Design Work Group to test and implement the agency’s governance infrastructure. As implementation progresses, the Resident Governance Coordinator will proactively gather and apply resident feedback to refine rules and regulations, fostering a culture of shared responsibility, accountability, and resident ownership. 

The long-term purpose of the Resident Governance Coordinator is to embed resident voice and shared governance into the organization’s core operations, ensuring residents are active participants in decision-making, not just recipients of services. Over time, the role builds leadership capacity among residents and creates systems of mutual accountability, sustaining a fair, responsive, and inclusive governance environment. 

This Role Is Not: 

A resident services, case management, or counseling position. The Resident Governance Coordinator does not provide individual counseling, crisis intervention, or social casework. Residents with personal, legal, or social-service needs are referred to external providers. 

The Resident Governance Coordinator's judgment and discretion are applied to governance situations such as a contested election, a council conduct issue, a heated policy debate, and not to managing an individual resident's personal circumstances. 

POSITION DETAILS 

Job Title: Resident Governance Coordinator 

Department: Operations 

Reports To: Director of Resident Engagement & Governance 

FLSA Status: Exempt 

Compensation & Benefits 

Salary Range: $100,000 - $125,000. This full-time, salaried position includes a full package of benefits, including health, dental, and vision. SSHD employees are also eligible for the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) retirement pension plan through the State of Washington. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Resident Governance & Elections 

• Educate residents on upcoming elections, including registration deadlines and key voting procedures. 
• Facilitate and oversee nomination and election processes for building-level Resident Governance Council. 
• Administer the Constituency process, including quorum tracking, hybrid voting systems, and ensuring timely and accessible communication of meeting notices to all residents. 
• Provide ongoing logistical, technical, administrative, and capacity-building support to Resident Governance Councils to ensure effective and compliant operations and resident leadership development. 

Governance Onboarding, Communication & Advocacy 

• Conduct governance onboarding for new residents, ensuring clear understanding of the social housing model, governance structure, and resident rights and responsibilities within that structure. 
• In collaboration with the Communications Engagement Specialist, translate complex organizational information - policy updates, Board actions, governance decisions - into clear, accessible, plain-language materials. 
• Support the resident governance infrastructure through onboarding, training, capacity building, and leadership development for governance roles. 
• Serve as the governance liaison between residents and the property management team and the SSHD Operations Department, communicating policies, procedures, and updates (e.g., leasing, maintenance, compliance) that intersect with governance, and ensuring resident feedback gathered through governance channels informs property management practices and continuous improvement of operations. 
• Facilitate resident engagement in decisions that impact property management (e.g., community standards, use of common spaces, conflict-resolution frameworks) through the governance structure, advancing participatory governance aligned with the SSHD Charter. 
• Serve as the purchaser for the Resident Governance Council's annual allotted budget, managing purchases and expenditures within approved limits. 
• Ensure the Resident Governance Council remains compliant with the Public Records Act (PRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), applying working knowledge of both statutes to council operations and recordkeeping. 
• Where a resident raises a personal, legal, or social-service need during governance activities, identify it and refer the resident to the appropriate external provider, rather than managing the issue directly. 

Required Skills & Abilities 

• Community Organizing & Engagement: Demonstrated experience in resident organizing, community-led advocacy, or participatory engagement, with the ability to build trust across diverse communities. 

1. Governance & Legal Literacy: Familiarity with renter protections, social housing models, Community Land Trusts (CLTs), and public governance frameworks. Working knowledge of the Public Records Act (PRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and related compliance requirements preferred. 
2. Facilitation & Inclusive Practice: Ability to support inclusive, accessible governance processes by working effectively with residents from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. 
3. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex policy, governance decisions, and organizational updates into clear, plain-language materials. 
4. Operational & Technical Capability: Ability to manage hybrid engagement tools (e.g., digital voting platforms), coordinate meetings and governance events, and support participatory processes with strong attention to detail. 
5. Organizational Skills & Adaptability: Strong ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and community-facing governance responsibilities in a dynamic environment. 
6. Judgment & Discretion in Governance Contexts: Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive, confidential, and high-stakes governance situations - contested elections, council conduct issues, policy disputes - with professionalism and sound judgment. 
7. Training, Support, and Capacity-Building Skills: Demonstrated ability to design and facilitate trainings that support the governance infrastructure and leadership development pipeline for resident-led decision-making. 
8. Lived Experience: Experience living in multifamily, affordable, or social housing is highly valued to support authentic engagement with the resident community. 
9. Technology Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with collaboration, communication, or engagement platforms. 
10. Work Schedule Flexibility: Ability to work evenings and weekends and adjust schedule to support resident governance meetings, elections, and community governance events. 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, social work, community development, political science, communications, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience. 

1. Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in community organizing, resident governance, housing, public engagement, or a related field. 
2. Demonstrated experience facilitating group processes, community meetings, or participatory decision-making environments. 
3. Experience working with diverse populations, particularly in affordable housing, multifamily housing, or community-based settings. 
4. Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution, mediation, or restorative justice practices applied to group or governance settings. 
5. Experience coordinating programs, events, or initiatives that require managing multiple priorities and stakeholders. 
6. Ability to handle sensitive or confidential information with discretion and sound judgment. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience working within social housing models, public housing authorities, or Community Land Trusts (CLTs). 

1. Familiarity with Washington State housing laws, tenant protections, or landlord-tenant regulations. 
2. Experience supporting or participating in resident governance structures, tenant associations, or cooperative housing models. 
3. Knowledge of participatory governance, community-led decision-making, or democratic facilitation practices. 
4. Experience designing or facilitating community engagement processes across diverse populations, including multilingual or culturally responsive outreach. 
5. Familiarity with hybrid engagement tools, such as digital voting platforms, survey tools, or community communication systems. 
6. Experience working in trauma-informed or equity-centered environments. 
7. Bilingual or multilingual skills relevant to the resident population. 
8. Experience working in or with public sector or quasi-public agencies. 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

1. Must pass a background check. 
2. Ability to adapt to shifting priorities and take on additional responsibilities as the role and organization evolve.  
3. Ability to travel within a 60-mile radius and work occasional evenings/weekends. 
4. Must reside in King County; may not reside in any Seattle Social Housing Developer property. 
5. A willingness to adapt to shifting priorities and take on additional responsibilities as the role and organization evolve. 

OUR CULTURE OF CONSTRUCTIVE CLARITY 

We are carrying out a bold mandate, which requires us to be exceptionally honest and clear with one another. We actively value different perspectives and expect our team members to share constructive disagreements and challenge ideas during our planning stages. We know that brilliant minds process and share information differently. Whether you prefer to speak up in a meeting, share written feedback after digesting a proposal, or discuss ideas one-on-one with your manager, we welcome and support your communication style. What matters most to us is that we don't ignore unresolved issues. Once we have weighed all viewpoints and made a decision, we align and move forward as a unified team. If you value transparency, structured feedback, and committing to shared goals, we would love to have you join us. 

BUILDING EQUITY THROUGH HOUSING AND HIRING 

As part of Seattle Social Housing's overall commitment to racial equity, we work for affordable housing development that is grounded in justice. We see the hiring of this position, and all positions, as an opportunity to be a more equitable and racially just organization. 

Seattle Social Housing is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. People of color, Native and Indigenous people, trans and LGBQIA people, people with disabilities, and other individuals who bring critical perspectives from historically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Application Notice 

We do not have a set closing date for this position. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the posting will be removed once we have identified a strong pool of qualified candidates. We encourage you to apply early.