Description

ORGANIZATION and POSITION OVERVIEW

Originally created in 1987 by a collaborative effort of five local churches to address homelessness on Milwaukee’s south side, Hope House of Milwaukee has evolved from a short-term shelter into a multi-faceted organization serving those experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity across Milwaukee. 

Through transitional shelter, rent assistance, long-term supportive housing, education and health programming, Hope House serves 5,000+ people a year, including 200+ families experiencing or on the brink of homelessness. Our mission is to end homelessness and create healthy communities.  

Over the past decade, Hope House has refined and bolstered efforts focused on ending family homelessness with significant success. This has included shifting programming to prioritize community-based housing and the supportive services needed for families’ long-term stability, while using shelter as a short-term, last-resort resource. This shift regularly sees greater than 90% of clients maintaining housing after programming – a dramatic increase from previous models. Also, more recently, Hope House and partners have invested significantly in prevention, piloting and then building on an effort to identify and intervene with families on the cusp of becoming homeless. 

Today, Hope House owns and operates two facilities: 1) Orchard Street location – Founded 38 years ago, this location serves as our administrative headquarters, is home to our transitional shelter, and houses on-site supportive education and health services accessible to both those staying in shelter, former guests, and the surrounding community; 2) St. Catherine’s of Hope – Gifted to Hope House by longtime partner Mercy Housing in 2021, the St. Catherine’s Residence serves single women and families with a mix of naturally occurring affordable housing and subsidized units for those who previously experienced homelessness. The programming and safe, affordable housing options that St. Catherine’s provides are an important asset to ending homelessness and improving housing security in Milwaukee. 

In addition to the facilities we operate, Hope House has established a large network of nonprofit and for-profit residential property owners, enabling Hope House staff to efficiently move families into permanent housing. In 2025, Hope House housed 218 families, including 590 children, and 165 single women.

This is a pivotal time in the life cycle of Hope House – a time to set the stage for the next chapter.  Currently, Hope House is experiencing an exciting period of growth as our budget has doubled in the last seven years and our leadership role in the Milwaukee social services sector continues to expand. 

The next Executive Director will have the wonderful opportunity to deepen community partnerships, expand access to services, and maximize our impact. They will shape and lead the bright future of the organization. The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Directors and has overall accountability, responsibility, and authority for day-to-day operations to achieve the strategic objectives of the board. This includes providing strategic leadership consistent with the organization’s mission and values and promoting a positive organizational culture centered on meeting the needs of the community. The Executive Director will be a champion of housing centered strategies and be a stellar nurturer of partnerships in the community.

To learn more about Hope House please visit: https://hopehousemke.org/

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY

•  Engages and energizes staff, the Board of Directors, and the community partners around the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
• Maintains and takes an active role in public policy and advocacy which affects those served by Hope House.
• Builds strategic alliances, develops and implements collaborative approaches to service delivery through continued work with community-based and local & national organizations both public and private.
•  Monitors the market conditions, identifies community needs, and trends affecting the organization; capitalize on opportunities and adjust as needed.
• Implements and executes Board approved strategic objectives to ensure that Hope House can successfully fulfill its mission and effectively manage change necessary to maximize impact.

BOARD GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNICATION

• Partners with the Board to retain their involvement and to achieve the mission.
• Establishes and maintains regular communication with the Board of Directors; keeps the Board apprised of any trends or considerations related to essential matters.
• Ensures the Board of Directors is staffed and kept fully informed of the ongoing status of programs, fiscal matters and those factors influencing its activities. 
• Communicates with the Board in a timely and accurate manner, all information necessary for the Board to function properly and to make informed decisions. 
• Continues to enhance the image of the organization by being active and visible in the community and by developing good relations with professional, public, and private organizations.
• Participates in marketing, communications, and public relations activities. 
• Represents Hope House at meetings of professional and community organizations.
• Serves as the primary liaison with all collaborative partnerships.

FINANCES AND FUND DEVELOPMENT

• Ensures the fiscal health of the organization and proper stewardship of complex resources.
• Serves as a complex project manager and ensures compliance. 
• Manages organization assets; balances budgets, diversifies and strengthens revenue, maintains clean audit. 
• Responsible for fiscal management within the approved operating budget, ensure maximum resource utilization, and maintenance of the organization in a positive financial position. 
• Ultimately responsible for fund development - governmental and private grant management and, developing other resources necessary to support the mission.
• Ensures the organization meets and exceeds regulatory compliance and that services are delivered to clientele at the highest levels of quality. 
• Partner with key internal and external stakeholders to establish a comprehensive way to support organizational goals and budgets.
• Procure and manage resources necessary to ensure the healthy financial operation of Hope House.

ATTRIBUTES AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong organizational leadership experience and the ability to creatively solve complex problems.
• Experience with the full landscape of housing services and needs including public and private funding, policies, advocacy, and more.
• Proven ability to navigate the systems that influence and impact Hope House’s capacity to deliver on the mission; Effectively communicate these aspects to the Board of Directors.
• Ability to effectively lead, motivate, inspire, and mentor staff. 
• Capacity to raise visibility and develop a high profile with key external constituents and partners.  
• Compassionate, collaborative, and forward-thinking leadership style with an understanding and empathy for those who are homeless or unhoused. 
• Embrace and possess knowledge base in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice. 
• 5 years leadership experience preferably within nonprofit administration; social service sector, and/or governmental entity, is a plus. 
• Broad knowledge base regarding nonprofit management and leadership, including board of director relationships and staff leadership. 
• Demonstrated understanding of, and passion for, the mission of Hope House. 

Requirements

ATTRIBUTES AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong organizational leadership experience and the ability to creatively solve complex problems.
• Experience with the full landscape of housing services and needs including public and private funding, policies, advocacy, and more.
• Proven ability to navigate the systems that influence and impact Hope House’s capacity to deliver on the mission; Effectively communicate these aspects to the Board of Directors.
• Ability to effectively lead, motivate, inspire, and mentor staff. 
• Capacity to raise visibility and develop a high profile with key external constituents and partners.  
• Compassionate, collaborative, and forward-thinking leadership style with an understanding and empathy for those who are homeless or unhoused. 
• Embrace and possess knowledge base in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice. 
• 5 years leadership experience preferably within nonprofit administration; social service sector, and/or governmental entity, is a plus. 
• Broad knowledge base regarding nonprofit management and leadership, including board of director relationships and staff leadership. 
• Demonstrated understanding of, and passion for, the mission of Hope House.