Deputy Executive Director

Overview:

Frontier Housing has served Appalachian communities in the heart of the Ohio River Valley since 1974 by developing housing for homeowners and renters, providing owner-occupied repair services, and managing a revolving loan fund. Frontier offers a supportive, fast-paced work environment, where we work together to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) helps shape and guide the future growth and direction of Frontier Housing. The COO has the authority to make programmatic decisions and resolve challenges across the organization, and interpret organizational policies and procedures set by the board and CEO. The COO and leads Frontier’s programmatic efforts by overseeing the departments that deliver services to Frontier’s customers [i.e. the Lending, Housing Preservation, Construction, and Rental and Multi-family departments as of March 2025]. The COO will be an integral member of Frontier’s senior staff, and will oversee and provide leadership to several inter-departmental teams.

Reports to: President & CEO

Objectives:

• Collaborating with the President & CEO to establish and implement the organizational direction, ensuring alignment with Frontier’s mission, vision and values and the strategic plan and other directives of the board;
• Oversee company operations and employee productivity, building a highly inclusive culture that ensures team members can thrive while meeting organizational goals;
• Collaborating with the President & CEO, the Director of Finance, and the rest of the senior staff to set goals and develop annual and multi-year budgets;
• Ensure effective professional development, performance management, and retention.
• Translating strategy and goals into actionable and measurable workplans.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities Include:

• Lead the senior staff to set organizational production goals and develop annual and multi-year budgets.
• Develop innovative strategies to address the community development challenges facing the communities Frontier serves.
• Lead the development of annual and multi-year organizational plans, and oversee the development of departmental and individual workplans for the departments under the COO’s supervision.
• Foster effective communication within the organization, including across departments and among the senior staff, in order to achieve effective collaboration and culture of excellent performance.
• Identify and cultivate partnerships that contribute to the organization’s success while building and maintaining trusting relationships with key customers, partners, local leaders and stakeholders.
• Develop and implement business models for Frontier’s lines of business that align with the short- and long-term objectives developed in tandem with the President& CEO;
• Monitor performance and take corrective measures when necessary;
• Ensure the preparation of detailed programmatic updates and forecasts;
• Analyze internal operations and identify areas for process improvement to optimize quality, efficiency and productivity;
• Measure and assess organizational and departmental outcomes relative to goals, budgets and workplans;
• Assess potential operational and programmatic risks to the organization, and develop and implement effective mitigations;
• Develop and implement business continuity plans to safeguard Frontier against unexpected events that could cause a disruption of service delivery and other key operations;
• Direct and mentor programmatic department leaders and their staffs;
• Ensure compliance with national and local business regulations, and take appropriate action when necessary; and
• Perform other related work as required.

Experience & Qualifications:

• Five or more years of experience in executive leadership roles, including personnel management;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Experience leading a team of affordable housing professionals;
• Excellent leadership skills, with steadfast resolve and personal integrity;
• Experience with business planning tools for workplan and workflow development and tracking, including software platforms and applications which facilitate the creation of and reporting on workplans;
• Working knowledge of, and experience with single-family and multi-family affordable housing development practices, programs, methods, and funding opportunities;
• Experience preparing budgets at least at a departmental level and familiarity with financial management in a nonprofit context;
• Familiarity with mortgage lending and the workings of a CDFI;
• Understanding of regulatory issues facing affordable housing developers and financiers, including the particular issues facing nonprofit organizations;
• Understanding of data analysis and performance metrics;
• Ability to diagnose problems quickly and foresee potential issues;
• Skill with a variety of computer products and platforms including MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, MS Teams, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Salesforce;
• Familiarity with light-frame residential construction and energy-efficient construction techniques;
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, including people of varying economic means; and
• Knowledge of, and an affinity for, Frontier’s mission, and for energy-efficient construction practices and methods.

In addition, the successful candidate must be willing to work some evenings and weekends, and periodically travel to conferences and convenings out of state, including potential travel by airplane.

Preferred/Optional Experience & Qualifications:

• Lending experience, including mortgage lending experience;
• NMLS Mortgage Loan Officer license;
• Experience writing and managing grants;
• Experience developing single-family homes for homebuyers;
• Experience developing and managing multifamily rental housing;
• Experience with concepts of building science and energy efficiency for residential housing developing;
• The ability to speak Spanish.

Compensation Package: Competitive salary and benefits package, including a cell phone allowance, based on experience.

Location: This position is primarily located in the Frontier Housing office in Morehead, Kentucky, with some remote work possible based on performance capacity. Nevertheless, this position will be expected to work in Frontier’s Morehead office at least 60%-80% of a typical week.