Senior Director, Programs

About You

You are deeply committed to helping both human and natural systems thrive—and frustrated by the idea that supporting one must come at the expense of the other. You have several years of experience in residential real estate development, applying technical skills, leadership, and creativity across projects or places. You see potential for the sector to evolve into one that nurtures people, places, and nature, and you're eager to engage in the often messy process of systems change to help make that happen.

Your experience may have begun with the construction of specific buildings or the development of individual neighborhoods, but your focus is now broader: shifting how practitioners, companies, industries, and regulators think and operate. You’re confident in your ability to design and lead transformational programs and ensure their lasting impact.

You’re an organizational leader who knows that success is tied to the growth of the entire team. You thrive in spaces where convention is challenged and understand that change requires doing things differently. At the same time, you're pragmatic and results-oriented.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you!

About Us

Build It Green (BIG) is a California-based nonprofit working to transform housing and neighborhood development so that they nurture people, places, and nature. We’re pragmatists who believe homes and neighborhoods can be shaped in ways that support ecological health, social equity, and community vitality in our state—without tradeoffs between them.

To achieve meaningful change, we design our programs around “thinking frameworks” that help us—and our partners—see things differently and pursue transformative results. These frameworks are central to what sets BIG apart.

In recent years, BIG has shifted focus from individual homes to neighborhood-scale work. We’ve built strong, collaborative relationships with both neighborhood-scale leaders and building and development professionals—another distinguishing feature of our approach. As our work evolves, these connections will enable us to drive unique and impactful results in places throughout California.

Our beliefs and commitments regarding neighborhood development are outlined in the Regenerative Neighborhood Development Creed. If this creed resonates with you, you’re aligned with BIG. Learn more about BIG at builditgreen.org. 

What the Work Looks Like 

Transforming how homes and neighborhoods emerge in California to holistically benefit people and nature requires programs that shift perspectives, build practical skills, and deliver tangible results. 

As BIG’s Senior Director, Programs, upon joining our team you will be responsible for taking programs that the organization has recently put in place and evolving the offerings to ensure program beneficiaries will receive value, that this value aligns with the systemic impacts BIG aims to achieve, and that the program portfolio produces revenue so that the work of BIG can be sustained and continue to evolve. In the months and years ahead, you will play key roles in identifying how programs may evolve and designing them to maximize impact. 

You will not be alone in your work. In line with BIG’s collaborative spirit, you will work closely with BIG’s Executive Director and other leadership staff, the programs team, our board of directors, and key partners. Since BIG is a small team, you will have the opportunity to be involved in the design, leadership, and execution of programs. 

You will also be part of BIG’s leadership team and will play a meaningful role in shaping BIG’s direction, both programmatic and operational, work plan, budget, and revenue strategy. You will supervise 1-2 program staff initially, and perhaps more as BIG grows. 

The specifics of what you will be responsible for include, but will not be limited to: 

• Building off the designs that have already been done for programs, over your first year you will enhance their ability to provide value, transform the residential real estate development sector into one that nurtures people and nature, and generate revenue to help sustain BIG. 
• Specifically, leading our Builder and Developer Affinity Group and Small Development Incubator programs; in addition to leading on the growth of these programs you will also play a key role in program implementation. 
• Collaborating with the Executive Director, other staff, and partners to add your unique insight to other key BIG programs, the Regenerative Neighborhoods Initiative and the Housing System Innovators Network; in doing so you will help ensure all of our programs are woven together rather than siloed. 
• Supervising 1-2 program staff to ensure effective program design and delivery and that both you and the staff grow capabilities during the work that can benefit each of you as individuals, BIG, and system transformation in the future.
• Working in close cooperation with other key staff, such as communications staff, and partners in the design and implementation of the programs you direct. 
• Serving as a member of BIG’s leadership team, helping to shape the overall programmatic and operational direction of the organization as well as BIG’s work plan, budget, revenue development strategy, capability development efforts, and methods for tracking progress. 
• Bringing your unique knowledge of the residential real estate development sector to the BIG team and our overall ability to see the whole of the fields we are trying to shape. 
• Developing your own capability to understand the “thinking frameworks” and practices that ground BIG’s work and having the patience to build the ability and will to apply them to programs.

Skills and Qualifications

We understand no single applicant will possess all of these skills and qualifications. If you feel you meet most of them and find this opportunity exciting, we encourage you to please apply!

• Five-plus years of management/leadership experience in some element of residential real estate development. We seek someone who understands this sector, can help us navigate its various components, and who will ultimately contribute to the sector’s evolution into one that nurtures people and nature. 
• A track record of successfully designing and implementing programs, as well as managing and evaluating them to ensure their success and sustainability; requires strong project management and attention to detail
• Excitement to be part of an organization taking early-stage programs and evolving them to maximize their potential and impact. 
• Staff management experience and the ability to nurture staff into becoming their most effective selves. 
• A demonstrated ability to collaborate with co-workers and outside partners. 
• A deep commitment to transforming the residential real estate development sector and the strength to maintain this commitment in the face of skepticism. 
• An understanding that current approaches within the sector will not achieve the environmental and human vitality objectives for which we strive and the willingness to go through a personal development process to establish the skills and capabilities to approach work in a transformative fashion. 
• A self-starter with initiative, commitment to quality work, and good judgment, even with light-touch management 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice that values and respects all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression/identity, religion, ability and socioeconomic circumstances.
• Ability to build trust and work collaboratively with, and for the mutual benefit of, co-workers, professionals, and neighborhood residents/leaders
• A combination of education and/or demonstrated success in development/construction, urban planning, community development, environmental/social justice/racial justice advocacy, and/or other related fields. 
• Comfort in both leading and doing; the humility to roll up sleeves and get stuff done. 
• Working knowledge of Google Suite, Slack, Zoom, and other common technology platforms. 

Work Environment

Very strong preference will be given to candidates who can regularly access BIG’s office in Oakland. For a remote candidate to be considered, the individual must have appropriate telecommute tools to conduct work at home or at an alternative work location. When working in the office, BIG supplies necessary tools. BIG currently offers all staff the ability to work a hybrid schedule and provides a Telecommute Expense Reimbursement stipend and a laptop with all necessary software.

The successful candidate should expect: 

• To spend considerable time is spent using a computer laptop.
• To maybe be asked to move objects up to 15 pounds.
• To have the ability to travel to various locations may be required such as attending conferences or training sessions within the Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations. 

Build It Green is an equal opportunity employer, committed to centering equity and inclusion in our programs and across all aspects of our organization to make it a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace. We believe that diversity is necessary to meet our mission. Recruiting and supporting staff to create an inclusive and equitable organization that reflects the communities and places we serve is a priority. People of color, LGBTQIA+ people, women, and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Compensation and Benefits 

Our office is located in the heart of downtown close to BART and AC Transit lines. Employees based in the Bay Area currently work on a hybrid remote and in-office schedule.  Ideally, the candidate is based in the Bay Area, but we will also consider candidates based within the state of California.

The salary range for this position is $158,000 - $166,000. We offer a competitive wage and benefits package that includes:

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental and vision insurance for the  employee
• 403(b) retirement savings plan with a 5% employer match
• Life and disability insurance
• Health savings and flexible spending accounts
• Flexible schedule
• Targeted 15 paid holidays per year
• Paid time off begins with two weeks per year for 0-2 years of service, three weeks for 2-5 years of service, and four weeks after 5 years of service