Associate Director for Programs and Operations, Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions

The Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions

The Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions (CHRIS) at the University of Denver (DU) is the first center of its kind in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West — an interdisciplinary hub for housing research, data, policy evaluation, and education. Bringing together expertise in real estate, land use law, public policy, and social sciences, CHRIS produces rigorous, nonpartisan research spanning the full housing continuum — from deeply affordable to market-rate, rental to homeownership — with a focus on production and preservation, affordability, and resilience.

CHRIS applies innovative research methods, policy tools, and technologies, including in emerging areas like industrialized construction, to expand whats possible for how housing is built, financed, accessed, and preserved. Through policy evaluation, comparative research, and market analytics, CHRIS translates evidence into practical, forward-looking solutions for policymakers, practitioners, and communities, while building regional data infrastructure that strengthens housing decision-making across Colorado and the region. CHRIS also advances the next generation of housing leaders through research training, applied learning opportunities, and executive education for practitioners and policymakers.

Housed in the Office of the Provost, CHRIS provides central leadership, infrastructure, and accountability while drawing on faculty expertise from across the University, including the Franklin L. Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management, the Sturm College of Law, the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, and the Graduate School of Social Work. The Center partners closely with governments, nonprofits, philanthropy, and the private sector to evaluate housing policies, analyze market dynamics, and identify evidence-based solutions.

Position Summary

The Associate Director for Programs and Operations serves as CHRISs operational backbone, providing senior-level leadership across financial management, administration, communications and events, and the relationship-building work that connects CHRIS to its faculty, advisory bodies, students, and educational programs. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this position is essential to CHRISs ability to function as an effective, well-run organization during a period of rapid growth — building the internal systems, and infrastructure that allow the Centers research and policy work to move forward, while also helping sustain the relationships CHRIS depends on with its advisory bodies, partner schools, and students.

This is a broad, hands-on role spanning roughly 50% financial, administrative, and operational responsibilities; 25% communications and events; and 25% relationship and program management, including support for CHRIS’s advisory bodies, its role in the DU Executive Certificate in Affordable Housing, and student and graduate assistant engagement. The Associate Director will initially work closely with CHRISs interim support partners — the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab (Colorado Lab), Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute (RMLUI), and Burns School of Real Estate Management — to assume responsibilities and functions currently being provided on an interim basis, including budget tracking and grant compliance, HR and hiring logistics, and communications and events. This transition may happen incrementally, and CHRIS expects to continue relying on these partners for higher-level systems work and support even after this position is filled and fully trained.

Length of position is dependent on gift/grand funding availability.

Essential Functions

Financial Management & Grants Administration: Manage day-to-day budget tracking, payment processing, and expense report reconciliation for CHRIS; support the Executive Director in developing and monitoring annual budgets, financial policies, and expense forecasts. Track and reconcile multiple grant and gift sources; support timely and compliant funder reporting; assist with grant proposal preparation, budget development, and post-award administration, including tracking deliverables and deadlines. Serve as a point of contact with DUs Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) on grant administration, compliance, and contracting matters, in coordination with the Executive Director.

Grant & Contract Support: Assist the Executive Director and CHRIS researchers with grant proposal preparation, budget development, and post-award administration, including tracking deliverables and deadlines.

HR & Hiring Support: Work with DU Central HR on job classifications, postings, recruitment logistics, interview scheduling, and onboarding for CHRIS positions. Support new-hire onboarding, including paperwork, equipment, and systems access. Manage administrative tasks related to personnel changes and ensure appropriate data security and project handoff.

Operations & Office Administration: Design, implement, and improve CHRISs office policies, procedures, and administrative systems. Manage the Centers day-to-day operations, including correspondence, scheduling, purchasing, and vendor and space management. Support technology needs, including software licensing, systems access, and coordination with University IT.

Communications & Digital Presence: Manage CHRISs website, social media, newsletter, and contacts database. Support outreach to funders, partners, and stakeholders. Draft, edit, format materials such as briefs, presentations, and reports, ensuring consistency with CHRISs brand and messaging.

Events & Convenings: Plan and manage logistics for CHRIS events, including research releases, practitioner convenings, and advisory body meetings — venue and vendor coordination, registration, materials preparation, and on-site support.

Advisory Body & Committee Support: Support the Executive Director in managing CHRIS’s Faculty Advisory Committee, Founders Circle, and other advisory bodies as they launch — scheduling, agenda and materials preparation, member communications, and coordination of joint activities.

Executive Certificate in Affordable Housing — CHRIS Liaison: Support CHRIS’s role in the DU Executive Certificate in Affordable Housing, offered jointly by the Burns School and RMLUI — coordinating promotion and outreach on CHRIS’s behalf, tracking enrollment and program data relevant to CHRIS, and helping connect CHRIS research and faculty to the curriculum.

Graduate Assistant & Student Engagement: Support recruitment, posting, and onboarding coordination for graduate research assistants on CHRIS-affiliated projects (faculty remain PIs); serve as a point of contact for CHRIS-affiliated students; support student-facing programming as it develops.

Collaboration: Partner with Colorado Lab, RMLUI, and other interim and ongoing support partners to ensure a smooth transition of operational functions into CHRIS, and to maintain effective working relationships with these partners over time.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to represent CHRIS professionally to funders, university stakeholders, faculty, and external partners, and to communicate effectively with both technical and lay audiences.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including budget development and monitoring, grant and contract compliance, expenditure tracking and financial reporting across multiple funding sources.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and multiple projects, and to meet deadlines in a fast-paced, startup environment.
• Ability to anticipate problems, exercise sound, independent judgment, and develop solutions with minimal supervision.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality when regularly exposed to sensitive information, and to navigate relationship management with faculty, board members, funders, and other senior stakeholders with professionalism and tact.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate and manage effective working relationships across a diverse range of internal and external constituents, including university administration, faculty, donors, and community and industry partners.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (including Excel); working knowledge of website management, CRM/database tools, and social media platforms.
• Working knowledge of grant and contract lifecycle management, from proposal development through post-award administration and closeout.
• Ability to take initiative, problem-solve proactively, and work both independently and collaboratively across a small, interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and respectfully with a diverse range of colleagues, students, and community members.
• Familiarity with grant-funded research administration and university systems (e.g., Banner) preferred.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 6 or more years of relevant experience in operations, financial and grants management, program management, or nonprofit/higher education administration.
• Experience developing and managing budgets and financial reporting across multiple funding sources, including philanthropic and/or government grants.
• Experience with the full grant and contract lifecycle, including proposal support, compliance monitoring, and post-award administration.
• Experience with HR processes, hiring logistics, and staff onboarding.
• Demonstrated experience managing organizational communications, including website, and social media management.
• Technical writing experience, including preparing reports, proposals, or other formal written materials for institutional or funder audiences.
• Experience operating in a high-volume, grant-funded, or deadline-driven organizational setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Experience in an institution of higher education or a grant-funded research or policy organization.
• Experience with university sponsored programs or grants compliance processes.
• Experience with event planning and management, including donor or funder-facing events.
• Experience supporting advisory boards, committees, or executive-education programs.
• Experience recruiting or coordinating student workers or graduate assistants.
• Knowledge of principles and practices related to social media and communications strategy.
• Working proficiency in graphic design or layout tools (e.g., Canva, Adobe InDesign).

Working Environment

• Standard office environment.
• Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
• Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

• Ability to work in front of a computer for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus.

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) October 2, 2026.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 12.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $90,000 - $100,000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement

All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history and National Sex Offender Registry background check.