Residential Advisor

The Housing Trust of Nova Scotia is a fast-growing nonprofit organization with 295 units (the Portfolio) of mixed-income housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality and a partnership with Nova Scotia's Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing to develop over 100 units of affordable housing across the province for healthcare workers.

The Residential Advisor role will include the following key objectives:

• launching and implementation of the Housing for Healthcare Program,
• developing and managing a pre-qualification residential leasing program within the mixed-income housing portfolio that exceeds stakeholder expectations,
• taking a key role in overseeing the delivery of property management services to ensure a positive housing experience for all current and future residents.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Housing Trust's external property management firm and a variety of other internal and external government and private sector stakeholders. This is a full-time, permanent role and an exciting opportunity to make a difference in the lives of working Nova Scotians who make a vital contribution to our economy and communities. The Housing Trust's goal is to achieve at least 1000 units under management by 2030.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will join a dedicated team, be passionate about the Housing Trust's cause and the work we do, and thrive in a fast-paced environment with multiple internal and external stakeholders. As this is a senior role, the qualified candidate will have extensive experience in the industry, particularly in community work, multi-unit residential leasing, property management, and be able to hit the ground running.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Housing Trust's partners to ensure a positive experience for residents, achieve and maintain 100% occupancy, and implement the Housing Trust's mixed-income model
• Understand, advise on, and ensure compliance with the Modular Contribution Agreement (a $45M public partnership to build housing across the province for healthcare workers and other skilled workers)
• Develop and implement a property management and leasing strategy, facilitative tactics (communications and outreach), and implementation plan for the delivery of the Housing for Healthcare Workers Program to achieve 100% occupancy upon project completion/opening and maintain high-level occupancy rates thereafter:
• Recommend a mix of occupations and household income levels based on unit mix and location through local consultation, understanding workforce factors, community needs, etc.
• Seek out and establish key relationships in the various communities including healthcare institutions and professionals
• Organize and lead public and client information sessions
• Coordinate program development and residential pre-leasing with modular development peers and the Housing Trust's external property management team
• Liaise with potential applicants, pre-screen and create and maintain a pool of potential residents to meet leasing targets for further consideration by the external property management firm
• Deal with all pre-leasing and email/website inquiries.
• Research and write policies to support the implementation of the Housing for Healthcare program and mixed-income model
• Ensure that internal operating systems capture required information for reporting, compliance, and decision making; ensure accuracy and currency of public facing information (e.g., web site).
• Utilize technology to create concise and compelling reports on rental progress and renter/household demographics for internal and external stakeholder communications, including the internal team, the Modular Committee, the Board, and Nova Scotia's Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing, etc.
• Organize, lead, and advise the Housing Trust's newly formed Property Strategies Committee (mandated to support sustainable property operations and enhance resident experience)
• Lead on efforts to develop and implement supports for higher-need residents; assess and recommend opportunities to improve resident experience across all properties
• Liaise with provincial communications and internal team to organize major openings etc.
• Manage other projects from start to finish as assigned, as required.

Skills:

• Process/program development and implementation
• Strong communication across various mediums
• Property Management - leasing and operational experience and expertise
• Data analysis and presentation
• Marketing, communications, and outreach, including public presentation
• Customer service
• Organization and time management
• Performance in a fast-paced environment
• Budget and reporting

Requirements:

• A minimum of two to five years of residential leasing and property management experience, combined with experience and related education in at least one of community development, healthcare, program development, marketing and communications, public relations, outreach, and nonprofit leadership
• Ability to travel (requirements will vary - must hold a valid Nova Scotia Driver's license)
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Strong customer service focus
• Knowledge of Nova Scotia's healthcare sector and the challenges it faces in housing support employees in rural communities
• Experience with Yardi or another leasing program is preferred
• Ability to join the team as soon as possible

If you are interested in this role, please reply to [email protected] with your resume and a cover letter to outline how your experience aligns with the role's responsibilities and to describe your interest in the role. The Housing Trust offers competitive compensation, commensurate with experience, health and dental, and an RRSP program. We also offer a flexible work environment. References and a police check may be required.

No phone calls, please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.