Resident Services & Programs Manager

Root & Branch | Seattle, WA
$75,000–$85,000 + benefits

About Root & Branch

Root & Branch is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization focused on preserving affordable housing and supporting the people who live in it.

Today, Root & Branch serves as the nonprofit partner in a growing portfolio of affordable housing communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. We are now taking the next step: building Root & Branch into a substantive housing nonprofit that provides meaningful, practical services directly to residents.

We are hiring our first dedicated employee to help us do it.

Root & Branch is affiliated with Great Expectations, an affordable housing owner and developer, and Arboreal Management, a property management company. You'll have access to the resources and infrastructure of an established housing organization while having the opportunity to build Root & Branch's programs from the ground up.

The Role

We are looking for a Resident Services & Programs Manager who combines hands-on experience working with low-income residents with the ambition and organizational ability to build a program.

This is a working-manager role. Initially, you will personally deliver much of Root & Branch's resident services while also designing the systems, partnerships, and programs that will allow the organization to grow.

Your first major assignment will be Burke-Gilman Place, a 100+ unit HUD-assisted affordable housing community undergoing a substantial renovation. You will lead the resident-facing side of the renovation and relocation process, helping residents understand what is happening, navigate relocation, access available resources, and successfully return to their homes.

At the same time, you will establish a light-touch resident-services program across the affordable housing communities where Root & Branch serves as a nonprofit partner. The goal is simple: when a resident is struggling to remain successfully housed, Root & Branch should be able to help.

Over time, we hope this role and Root & Branch will grow considerably.

What You'll Do

Lead Resident Relocation at Burke-Gilman Place

You will take ownership of the resident experience during a major occupied renovation project. Working closely with residents, property management, ownership, contractors, and relocation specialists, you will:

• Build relationships with residents and serve as a consistent, trusted point of contact throughout the renovation.

• Help residents understand renovation schedules, relocation requirements, available benefits, and what to expect.

• Coordinate temporary and permanent relocation activities and help resolve individual resident issues.

• Help residents access relocation benefits and other resources for which they may qualify.

• Pay particular attention to residents who may have difficulty navigating the process independently.

• Track every household through the relocation process and identify problems before they become crises.

• Help ensure that residents are treated respectfully and that the project delivers on its commitments to them.

Build Root & Branch's Resident Services Program

Across Root & Branch's broader affordable housing portfolio, you will create a practical, scalable model for helping residents maintain stable housing.

You will:

• Provide direct assistance to residents facing housing instability or other significant challenges.

• Connect residents with rental assistance, public benefits, community organizations, and other housing resources.

• Reach out to residents facing serious delinquency or potential eviction and determine whether resources or intervention can help preserve their housing.

• Help residents navigate government agencies and nonprofit service providers.

• Develop relationships with local organizations so Root & Branch can connect residents with specialized services rather than trying to provide everything itself.

• Create straightforward referral and follow-up processes with property management teams.

• Develop systems for tracking residents served, resources provided, outcomes, and recurring needs across the portfolio.

• Identify opportunities to improve the resident experience across Root & Branch communities.

This is intentionally a light-touch service model, not traditional intensive case management. Many residents will never need Root & Branch's assistance. Some will need a referral or a few phone calls. A smaller number will need sustained help navigating a difficult situation. Your job is to make sure useful help is available when it matters.

Help Build Root & Branch

Because you will be our first dedicated employee, this role goes beyond delivering an existing program. We want you to help create the organization.

You will:

• Help define Root & Branch's resident-services strategy and priorities.

• Develop policies, procedures, documentation, and outcome measures.

• Build relationships with public agencies, housing organizations, nonprofits, and community partners.

• Prepare reports and updates for Root & Branch's board and housing partners.

• Identify opportunities for grants, partnerships, and new programs.

• Help tell the story of Root & Branch's impact using both resident experiences and measurable outcomes.

• Help determine where Root & Branch should focus as the organization grows.

You may have administrative support, including remote support staff, but this will remain a hands-on role. We are looking for someone who is equally comfortable sitting down with a resident facing eviction, building a spreadsheet to track program outcomes, and presenting a new program idea to the board.

Who We're Looking For

We think a strong candidate will have approximately 4–6 years of experience in affordable housing, resident services, social services, housing stability, community development, or a related field.

You might currently be a Resident Services Coordinator, Housing Stability Specialist, Senior Case Manager, Program Manager, social worker, or someone in a similar role who is ready for substantially more ownership.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have:

• Experience working directly with low-income households.

• Knowledge of affordable housing, rental assistance, public benefits, housing stability, or related social-service systems.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with residents from a wide variety of backgrounds.

• The judgment to handle difficult and sensitive situations calmly and respectfully.

• Strong organizational skills and comfort managing many individual cases and commitments simultaneously.

• The ability to work independently and take ownership without waiting for detailed instructions.

• An interest in building programs and improving systems, not just administering an existing program.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Comfort working with data and basic technology.

An MSW or other relevant graduate degree is welcome but not required. We care more about your experience, judgment, initiative, and ability to work effectively with residents.

Experience with HUD-assisted housing, affordable housing compliance, resident relocation, eviction prevention, or major occupied renovations is particularly valuable but not required.

The Opportunity

This is an unusual opportunity for someone who wants to combine direct service with entrepreneurship.

On your first day, Root & Branch will be a small organization with a big opportunity. You'll have a real 120-unit affordable housing renovation to work on, an existing portfolio of communities in which to build a resident-services program, and the backing of an established affordable housing organization.

We don't expect Root & Branch to stay small.

If you're successful, the programs you build will expand, the number of communities we serve will grow, and you will have the opportunity to take on increasing responsibility as the organization develops.

We're looking for someone who wants to be able to look back several years from now and say: I helped build that.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary range for this position is $75,000–$85,000, depending on experience.

This is a full-time Seattle-based position and includes our standard employee benefits.

Root & Branch is an equal opportunity employer. We value a team with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.