Description

About City Heights CDC

City Heights Community Development Corporation (CHCDC) is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization with a mission to enhance the quality of life in City Heights by working with our community to create and sustain quality affordable housing, livable neighborhoods and foster economic self-sufficiency.

Position Summary

The Chief Advising Officer (CAO) will serve as a trusted and strategic advisor to the President/CEO and executive leadership team to drive business growth and foster a culture of excellence. This role guides cross-functional collaboration, drives execution of CHCDC’s mission and ensures organizational alignment and innovation. The CAO will help scale the organization’s impact through systems thinking, interdepartmental integration and executive coaching.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Serve as a thought-partner to the President/CEO and executive leadership team.
• Lead business development initiatives, change management process and cross-functional planning in support of CHCDC’s strategic plan.
• Facilitate the development and monitoring of the organization’s operational plan across departments, ensuring alignment and delivery on Key Performance Indicators [KPI’s].

Executive Communication 

• Represent the President/CEO in internal and external engagements, including high-level meetings with funders, government agencies, community leaders, and coalitions.
• Draft communications, strategy briefs, grant narratives, board reports and presentations. 
  Serve as liaison to all stakeholders, by providing high-level administrative and strategic support to the President/CEO and Board of Directors.

Organizational Effectiveness & Culture

• Build systems and policies that ensure consistency, transparency, timeliness and operational sustainability.
• Assess and mitigate business and programmatic risks.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and results-oriented work.
• Co-lead team development, including annual retreats, team performance planning and culture-building efforts with the executive leadership team.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert, handling inquiries, developing action plans, and assisting with preparation and dissemination of communication plans.
• Supervise, direct, train, evaluate and assign work to department staff.

External Positioning

• Support the organization’s efforts in expanding its influence across the region through coalitions, advocacy and thought leadership.
• Lead executive partnership development opportunities across government, philanthropy and private sectors.
• Keep the executive leadership team informed of political, economic and social issues impacting community development in City Heights and greater San Diego. 

Requirements

Qualifications

Required skills and qualifications

• Strong alignment with CHCDC’s mission and values, including demonstrated commitment to equity and unapologetic advocacy for people who refuse to give up on community.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• Minimum of seven years of senior leadership experience in nonprofit management, social impact strategy, or mission-driven business operations, with a clear record of driving organizational growth and innovation.
• Proven ability to lead and inspire cross-functional teams, manage complex vendor and partner relationships, and oversee high-impact collaborative initiatives from concept to execution.
• Executive-level strategic leadership experience, including the ability to design and implement initiatives that align with long-term organizational goals and community needs.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas across audiences, mobilize support, and drive shared understanding across diverse coalitions.
• Experience advising senior executives and coalition leaders, with a strong ability to align messaging, influence public discourse, and elevate community-centered narratives.
• Highly relational and collaborative leadership style, with a track record of cultivating trust across grassroots constituencies, institutional partners, and policy stakeholders.
• Agile mindset and comfort operating in dynamic, fast-paced environments, balancing strategic oversight with a hands-on approach to execution and adaptive problem-solving.

Preferred skills and qualifications

• Advanced academic credentials, such as a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in government and regulatory affairs.
• Sophisticated analytical acumen, including proficiency in data interpretation, performance metrics, and financial oversight.
• Track record of success in enterprise-wide program and project coordination.
• Proficiency in high-level project management systems and reporting technologies.