Housing Implementation Sector Lead

ICF's Disaster Management Division seeks a Senior Director, Housing Implementation (Sector Lead) to direct a major sector within the HUD Line of Business, with accountability for business growth, delivery quality, financial performance, and people leadership across ICF's housing implementation portfolio. This Remote U.S. senior leadership role guides single-family housing recovery programs, construction management and resilient housing initiatives for state, local, territorial, utility, and developer clients.

The Sector Lead establishes the strategy and direction for the housing implementation practice in alignment with Line of Business and Division strategic plans. The role leads through an experienced management team rather than through direct project delivery and holds three interlocking accountabilities: growing the sector’s book of business, managing sector staff for high performance, and ensuring consistent delivery across all projects in the portfolio.

This is an opportunity for an experienced disaster recovery, grant management, operations, and housing leader to shape a business-critical sector, build trusted client relationships, develop leadership talent, ensure operational excellence across project teams, and deliver sustained growth and quality across a complex national portfolio.

Responsibilities:

Sector Strategy and Market Position

• Establish multi-year sector strategy and annual operating goals using housing expertise, HUD policy and funding direction, market trends, competitive intelligence, and company priorities.
• Anticipate and address complex housing implementation challenges, including changes in CDBG-DR program design, procurement practices, delivery models, and resilience funding.
• Strengthen ICF’s market position as a thought leader by representing the company with clients, industry groups, and conferences and contributing to Line of Business and Division planning.

Business Development and Growth

• Lead sector growth from opportunity identification through capture, teaming, proposal strategy, pricing, and bid/no-bid recommendations in partnership with Line of Business, account, and business development leaders.
• Achieve $40 million in annual sales and maintain a qualified pipeline of at least $100 million, with disciplined quarterly review of coverage, quality, risk, and conversion assumptions.
• Build senior client relationships, influence key decisions, and expand cross-sector and cross-Line of Business opportunities by connecting clients with ICF’s full capabilities.

Portfolio, Financial, and Delivery Oversight

• Own sector financial performance, including $30 million in recognized annual revenue, $40 million in contract awards, a $100 million qualified pipeline, profitability, margin, utilization, and backlog burn.
• Direct portfolio delivery through Project Managers and senior managers, establishing consistent standards, controls, quality benchmarks, staffing, and early intervention for projects that are off plan.
• Balance client satisfaction, execution, innovation, profitability, and risk while ensuring compliance with CDBG-DR regulations, locality specific program policies and procedures, 2 CFR 200 and other state-specific financial and procurement requirements, applicable relocation requirements, building codes, and other client-specific requirements.

People Leadership and Talent Development

• Lead the sector through subordinate managers and senior managers, with accountability for workforce planning, hiring, staffing, bench management, performance, engagement, and succession depth.
• Develop leadership talent through mentoring, Impact Conversations, internal mobility, and clear alignment between individual roles, the sector strategy, and business goals.
• Create an inclusive, high-performing environment and provide calm, decisive leadership during challenges, constraints, and post-disaster surge conditions.

Cross-Organizational Leadership

• Lead collaboration across sector and Line of Business boundaries, removing barriers to sharing staff, capabilities, and client relationships.
• Champion ICF’s strategy, mission, and direction while fostering timely decision-making, agility, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Engage stakeholders in critical cross-organizational decisions to resolve staffing, resource, and client-ownership issues and achieve aligned outcomes.

Measures of Success

• Achieve annual revenue, sales, pipeline, profitability, qualification discipline, and win-rate goals established in the approved operating plan.
• Deliver consistent quality demonstrated through client satisfaction, strong CPARS and past-performance ratings, on-time and on-budget execution, and no material compliance findings.
• Advance talent and organizational outcomes through retention, internal promotion, engagement, succession depth, cross-sector collaboration, and strategic initiative leadership.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 12+ years of progressive experience in disaster recovery, housing, or community development programs, including substantial CDBG-DR housing implementation experience.
• 5+ years leading through subordinate managers, with demonstrated accountability for business results and staff performance.
• 5+ years of demonstrated knowledge of HUD CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT regulatory frameworks, 2 CFR 200, and housing program delivery models, including single-family rehabilitation and reconstruction, affordable housing development, and buyout-adjacent housing programs.
• 2+ years of demonstrated business development experience, including capture leadership and proposal strategy for competitive state and local procurements.
• 2+ years of experience managing a portfolio with profit and loss responsibility of $20 million or more in annual revenue.
• Willing and able to travel by air and vehicle, with anticipated travel up to 50% (TBD).
• Must have a valid, current U.S. driver’s license and be able to successfully pass a Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) check.

PREFERRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• Established relationships with state and local disaster recovery agencies and housing authorities.
• Recognized external presence in the disaster recovery housing field through publications, conference speaking, or industry working groups.
• Experience leading organizations through structural or operating-model change.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS:

• Strategic leadership of a business-critical housing implementation sector, with the ability to translate regulatory, market, competitive, delivery, and company inputs into an actionable business plan.
• Executive-level communication, influence, negotiation, and relationship management with senior clients, industry stakeholders, and organizational leadership.
• Ability to lead through an experienced management team, develop talent, align a diverse workforce, and make high-impact decisions under broad objectives.
• Strong financial and operational discipline across revenue, sales, pipeline, profitability, margin, utilization, backlog, staffing, delivery quality, and risk.
• Business development, capture, proposal strategy, competitive positioning, pricing input, cross-selling, and client-growth capabilities.
• Ability to recognize challenges early, adjust course proactively, and maintain calm, clear direction during high-pressure or surge conditions.

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 [email protected] for assistance.

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 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 [email protected] 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.

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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 orassistwith responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is notpermitted. This policy is in place tomaintainthe integrity and authenticity of the interview process.

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodationthat involves the use of AI. Ifsuch anaccommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at [email protected]. Weare dedicated to providingthe 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 payfor 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: