Senior Development Officer (Production/Policy), Housing Department

Job Description:

Senior Development Officer (Production/Policy), Housing Department

Description

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov .

About the Department

The City of San José Housing Department is a leader in the production of affordable housing. Its mission is to strengthen and to revitalize our community through housing and community development programs. The Housing Department has an operating budget of approximately $119 million annually and 112 employees, the Department administers multiple local, state, and federal funds. The Housing Department is committed to creating and supporting a diverse work environment with a staff that values inclusion.

Position Duties

The Housing Department is currently seeking to fill a full-time Senior Development Officer vacancy supporting housing production and policy.

Salary range for this classification is $140,846.16 - $171,509.52 annually. This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

The Senior Development Officer will lead efforts in housing production and policy. This role plays a critical part in advancing the City’s goals around housing development, housing policy initiatives, land use coordination, and cross-agency collaboration. The position will oversee the production activities and policy programs within the Housing Production Division and will be responsible for reviewing the structure of multi-family financing proposals for new construction and preservation of housing. The Senior Development Officer reports to a Housing Planning and Policy Administrator and will supervise 1 or more employees.

Key responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

• Working with housing developers and community groups to proactively manage housing projects from the earliest stages through completion.
• Underwriting loans for the production, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable rental housing with tax credit and/or tax-exempt bond financing, with a focus on determining feasibility and effect on the City’s repayments, risks and policy objectives.
• Reviewing financial statements and proformas for feasibility.
• Lead the research, development, and refinement of housing policies to advance the City’s affordable and moderate-income housing goals.
• Conduct policy analysis on emerging housing trends, legislative changes, and land use reforms.
• Directs the selection, negotiation, preparation and implementation of various loans, grants, and contracts.
• Drafts memorandums, reports, and prepares presentation material for Department leadership.
• Project manages new housing, including developing program guidelines, facilitating staff workgroups, establishing project deliverables, timelines and outcomes, documenting decisions, and facilitating communication across project stakeholders.
• Supervises professional staff to include prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff are trained; and making hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations and any other recommendations related to the change in status of employees.
• Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Finance, Business Administration, Planning, Housing, Real Estate Development, Economics, Public Administration, Political Science, Sociology, or a related field.

Experience:

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in real estate development and/or housing policy, including two (2) years of supervisory or development project lead experience.
• Deep understanding of California housing laws, zoning, and funding sources (e.g., LIHTC, bonds, HCD etc.).
• Extensive experience at a management level in banking, lending or real estate development with a strong underwriting, loan servicing and regulatory compliance background.

Acceptable Substitution: Additional related experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Required Licensing: Possession of a valid State of California driver's license.
Form 700 Requirement: This position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions. You must complete and file an “Assuming Office Form 700” with the City Clerk’s Office within the first 30 days of employment with the office.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Demonstrates extensive experience at a management level in banking, lending or real estate development with strong underwriting, loan servicing and regulatory compliance background.
• Experience with affordable housing principles and policies; and state and federal governmental lending in support of affordable housing development.
• Experience with the principles and processes of loan underwriting for the production, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable multi-family rental properties and single-family properties.
• Collaborate with internal departments (Planning, Public Works, OED, City Attorney’s Office etc.), external developers, regional partners, and community stakeholders.
• Ability to organize, work effectively and to successfully manage multiple projects and processes, including preparing complex reports for City executive staff, and meet deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• The ability to plan, direct, and delegate the work of others; ability to stimulate and motivate the work of subordinates.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

• Job Expertise -Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
  • Knowledge of real estate finance, development, marketing and appraisal
  • Knowledge of loan underwriting and title and escrow process.
  • Knowledge of urban renewal, neighborhood preservation, low-income housing programs or affordable housing development.
• Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills and displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
• Analytical Thinking - Strong analytical skills approaching a problem or situation by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach.
• Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.
• Collaboration - Develops networks and builds alliances; engages in cross-functional activities.
• Project Management - Ensures support for projects and implements agency goals and strategic objectives.
• Supervision - Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision-making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.
• Initiative - Exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning ahead; displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges; pursues continuing education opportunities that promotes job performance.

Selection Process:

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions in the online application process:

• Please describe your experience working with housing policy development, loan underwriting, and financing.
• Please describe your experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders in support of the development of affordable housing.
• Please describe your experience with financial feasibility and quantitative analysis for a housing development project. What key assumptions did you evaluate, and how did your analysis inform decision-making or negotiations?

You must answer all questions to be considered, or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Please also ensure to attach your resume while submitting your application.
If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Vaishali Vashistha at vaishali.vashistha@sanjoseca.gov.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: 7/30/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$140,846.16 - $171,509.52 Annually