Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) Assistant Director
Location: San Francisco, CA
Employment Type: Full-time, Term-limited through June 30, 2029
Requisition ID: 26-014
About the Employer
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) was created by the California Legislature in 1970 and serves as the metropolitan planning organization for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC is the regional transportation planning agency for the Bay Area and acts as the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), collecting over $600 million annually in bridge tolls. MTC directly distributes more than $700 million yearly to local public transit agencies and other recipients. The organization plans, invests, and coordinates to keep the Bay Area mobile, sustainable, and prosperous while preserving the diverse communities and natural beauty that define the region.
Role Summary
The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) is entering a new phase guided by its recently completed strategic plan. The Assistant Director will serve as the day-to-day leader of the BAHFA team, ensuring that the agency's core programs are delivered effectively, resources are used strategically, and the organization remains stable and adaptive in a dynamic housing ecosystem. A primary responsibility is to oversee the successful development, launch, and ongoing management of BAHFA's new mixed-income financing tools and provide strategic oversight of the Doorway Housing Portal. The Assistant Director will also oversee monitoring and asset management of BAHFA's existing program portfolio that includes more than 2,000 assisted units. This position is ideal for an experienced and pragmatic housing leader who understands how the Bay Area housing ecosystem works in practice while thinking creatively about new approaches and value-add regional opportunities.
What You'll Do
Program Leadership and Strategic Execution
- Lead day-to-day implementation of BAHFA's core program areas, ensuring high-quality delivery, sound operations, and alignment with BAHFA's mission and strategic plan
- Oversee the development, launch, and ongoing management of BAHFA's new mixed-income financing tools, including coordinating program design, project evaluation and execution, operational protocols, and partnerships needed for long-term viability
- Provide strategic direction and operational oversight for the Doorway Housing Portal, supporting platform improvements, regional adoption, partner engagement, and overall program performance
- Oversee monitoring and asset management of BAHFA's portfolio of over 2,000 assisted affordable units, along with new projects added to the portfolio
- Translate strategic goals into operational plans with clear milestones, resource needs, and accountability structures
- Monitor affordable housing trends and innovations, and work to incorporate/adjust BAHFA programs accordingly
Organizational Management and Staff Leadership
- Supervise, mentor, and support a team of 6-10 professional staff, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture with clear roles, expectations, and professional development pathways
- Oversee work planning, workflow management, and staffing allocations to ensure programs are delivered effectively and adaptively
- Build and strengthen internal systems and processes across BAHFA, championing continuous improvement practices that support a more self-sustaining business model
- Serve as the primary internal leader for troubleshooting, problem-solving, and cross-agency coordination on BAHFA operations
External Partnerships and Regional Engagement
- Represent BAHFA in meetings, workshops, and collaborative forums with regional partners, funders, community organizations, local governments, and practitioners
- Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships that keep BAHFA informed about emerging needs, operational challenges, opportunities for collaboration, and evolving market and policy conditions
- Support BAHFA's role as a regional convener by fostering alignment, sharing best practices, and ensuring programs respond effectively to real-world conditions and partner feedback
Cross-Agency Collaboration and Internal Alignment
- Collaborate closely with staff across MTC and ABAG—including finance, legal, technology, and communications—to ensure smooth execution of BAHFA programs and shared initiatives
- Prepare and deliver presentations, briefings, and written materials for BAHFA, ABAG, and MTC committees, as well as for partners and other audiences
- Ensure BAHFA's programmatic work is integrated with broader regional housing strategies and the MTC-ABAG Strategic Framework
Operational Sustainability and Adaptive Management
- Support efforts to position BAHFA for long-term sustainability by identifying opportunities to streamline operations, generate program revenue, and strengthen BAHFA's financial footing
- Monitor program performance, budgets, compliance requirements, and risk exposure, raising issues proactively and developing recommendations to resolve challenges
- Identify and act on opportunities to pilot innovations, refine program models, and adopt practices that increase effectiveness and efficiency
Required Qualifications
- Deep knowledge of affordable housing finance, including public and private financing structures, tax-exempt bonds, subordinate lending, acquisition/rehab and mixed-income deal structures, and implications of program design for development feasibility
- Understanding of Bay Area housing systems, including local funding and financing approaches, state regulatory frameworks, and the practical constraints faced by nonprofit and for-profit developers
- Expertise in regional housing policy and the "3 Ps" (producing new affordable housing, preserving existing housing, and protecting residents from displacement), with an ability to connect policy decisions to on-the-ground production, preservation, and protection outcomes
- Strong program design and implementation skills, with the ability to translate broad strategies into clear procedures, operational workflows, evaluation criteria, and performance management systems
- Advanced project management abilities, including oversight of complex, multi-year initiatives; coordination across teams and consultants; risk identification; and adaptive problem-solving
- Skill in supervising and developing staff, including setting goals, providing coaching and constructive feedback, delegating effectively, and fostering a collaborative and high-performance team culture
- Ability to analyze and interpret financial models, pro formas, and program budgets, and to identify implications for underwriting, program design, and long-term sustainability
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to present complex concepts clearly to policymakers, partners, and public audiences; draft concise, compelling written materials; and facilitate productive discussions with diverse stakeholders
- Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships, establishing trust with local jurisdictions, housing providers, community organizations, funders, and internal partners
- Sound judgment and political acumen, with the ability to navigate sensitive issues, balance multiple perspectives, and anticipate challenges in a dynamic policy environment
- Capacity to work both collaboratively and independently, exercising initiative, managing competing priorities, and maintaining accountability for results in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment within a public agency
- Commitment to equity and inclusion, with an understanding of how regional housing finance and program design can advance equitable outcomes across the Bay Area
- Master's degree in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment, such as transportation planning, project management, public finance, transportation engineering, economics, business, or public administration; plus three years of increasingly responsible experience in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment. Alternatively, a Bachelor's degree in an appropriate discipline and four years of relevant experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Seven or more years of increasingly responsible experience in affordable housing, community development, real estate finance, or related housing programs, with at least three years in a supervisory, managerial, or team-lead capacity
- Demonstrated experience with affordable housing finance, including a mixture of experience with traditional affordable housing finance tools (e.g., tax credits) as well as creative financing such as essential-purpose bond executions, public ownership models, and other approaches designed to lower borrowing costs and expand mixed-income housing feasibility
Compensation
$176,002.11–$234,498.99 annually
Benefits
MTC offers a competitive benefits package and flexible schedules with hybrid work options. For complete benefits information, visit www.mtc.ca.gov.
How to Apply
The deadline to apply is Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific. A resume and cover letter are not required with your application, but are highly encouraged. If you need technical assistance with your online application, please contact Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627, available from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (PST), Monday–Friday, excluding holidays. First round interviews are tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 1, 2026.
Additional Information
This is a term-limited full-time position through June 30, 2029. Successful completion of a background check, professional references, and the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 is required. Applicants with a degree issued from an institution outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by an academic accrediting service and provide proof of equivalency along with their application. The Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the recruitment or skills assessment process to accommodate applicants with disabilities. If selected for an interview or testing and you require accommodation, please notify the Human Resources Department when confirming your interview or test.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is an equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory employer. MTC provides all employees and applicants with an equal opportunity in every aspect of the employment experience regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical handicap, medical condition, or marital status.
