Description

Disaster Recovery Director, Housing and Community Development

ICF seeks an experienced Disaster Recovery Director to lead multidisciplinary teams supporting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other housing and community development clients. This individual will lead complex technical assistance, training, capacity-building, product development, and program implementation efforts, including work supporting communities receiving Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. Responsibilities include ensuring successful delivery of services through the management of project scope, schedule, budget, staffing, quality, risk, and client relationships.

We are looking for a seasoned and effective project manager and client leader who can bring structure to dynamic assignments, lead teams through changing priorities, build trusted client relationships, and ensure strong project and financial performance. The successful candidate will bring sufficient disaster recovery and HUD program knowledge to understand client needs, anticipate implementation challenges, share expertise, and effectively direct technical resources.

This role can be located anywhere in the continental US. Candidates located in Mountain or Pacific Time Zones or willing to work after traditional Eastern time zone work hours preferred.

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead CDBG-DR, disaster recovery, and housing and community development projects of varying in scale and demands, with accountability for scope, schedule, budget, staffing, risk, quality, and client satisfaction.
• Translate client priorities and contractual requirements into clear project plans, milestones, staffing approaches, and deliverables, adapting plans as needs evolve.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to HUD and other government clients, leading client meetings and communications, anticipating needs and potential concerns, and bringing forward practical recommendations and solutions.
• Build and lead multidisciplinary teams, establishing clear roles and expectations, delegating effectively, addressing barriers, and holding team members accountable for high-quality delivery.
• Develop staff through coaching, feedback, stretch opportunities, and increasing responsibility, helping build the next generation of project leaders.
• Manage project financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, staffing mix, resource needs, and relevant metrics, identifying risks early, and taking corrective action as needed.
• Establish effective quality management practices and ensure deliverables and client-facing work are accurate, timely, and responsive to client needs.
• Bring sufficient knowledge of HUD, CDBG-DR, disaster recovery, and community development programs to provide guidance on project strategy, ensure demonstration of compliance, and engage specialized technical experts when needed.
• Navigate competing priorities and changing project conditions with sound judgment, proactively identifying delivery, client, staffing, and financial risks, and developing appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Identify opportunities to expand ICF’s support through strong delivery and client knowledge, contributing to business development efforts.
• Collaborate across our Housing and Community Development team and across ICF to bring the right expertise and capabilities to clients and share lessons, approaches, and tools that strengthen the broader practice.

 Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Urban Planning, Finance, Economics, Community Development, Emergency Management, or another relevant field.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant professional experience, including substantial experience leading complex consulting, technical assistance, disaster recovery, housing, community development, or program implementation work.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing projects with responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, staffing, risk, quality, financial performance, and client relationships.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and effectively directing technical and subject-matter experts.
• Experience working with federal, state, or local government clients.
• Strong working knowledge of CDBG-DR, HUD programs, disaster recovery, affordable housing, community development, or related federally funded programs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated experience communicating with clients and senior stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Urban Planning, Finance, Community Development, Emergency Management, or another relevant field.
• Significant experience supporting HUD programs, particularly CDBG-DR and/or CDBG-MIT. Experience managing HUD technical assistance, capacity-building, program implementation, or similar consulting engagements.
• Experience working directly with state, local, territorial, or other recipients of federal disaster recovery or community development funding.
• Experience managing large, multidisciplinary, or geographically distributed teams.
• Experience leading projects involving multiple simultaneous workstreams, subcontractors, consultants, or technical partners.
• Demonstrated success identifying or shaping follow-on work, task orders, recompetes, or other business-development opportunities.
• Experience briefing senior government officials, executives, or other senior client stakeholders.

Professional Skills

• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Strong project leadership and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Strong judgment and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify emerging issues and develop practical solutions.
• Ability to work effectively with senior clients, internal leaders, multidisciplinary teams, and external partners.
• Demonstrated professionalism, judgment, tact, and diplomacy in navigating sensitive client and project issues.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.

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Working at ICF

We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals. For more information, please read our EEO policy.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Work Authorization and Sponsorship

All candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for new H-1B visa sponsorship by ICF. Candidates who currently hold valid work authorization may be considered for a change of employer petition, subject to company policy and applicable immigration requirements.

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation, please email Candidateaccommodation@icf.com and we will be happy to assist. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.  

Read more about workplace discrimination rights or our benefit offerings which are included in the Transparency in (Benefits) Coverage Act. 

Bot and Third-Party Applications

Please note that this application must be submitted directly by the applicant for consideration. Failure to do so may result in the application being excluded for consideration.  Applicants needing an accommodation for disability or religious purposes in connection with the application process should contact Candidateaccommodation@icf.com for assistance.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process.  

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodation that involves the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at candidateaccommodation@icf.com. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.  

Pay Range

There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is: