Fresno Housing develops and manages affordable housing across the County and equips residents with services to access economic opportunity. The FUSE Executive Fellow will strengthen residents’ economic mobility by embedding evidence-based, outcome-driven programs and practices into Fresno Housing’s work. As a result, front-line workers and affordable housing residents will feel empowered to develop strategies to pursue education or training and grow their incomes while preserving benefits until they are ready to move to new homes.

Fellowship Dates: October 27, 2025 – October 23, 2026

Salary: Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual base salary of $80,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Compensation for this year of public service is not intended to represent market-rate compensation for the experienced professionals in our program.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the capacity of local governments to work more effectively for communities. We embed private sector executives in city and county agencies to lead projects that improve public services and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 400 projects in 58 governments across 26 states, impacting a total population equivalent to 1 in 10 Americans.

When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and community stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward high-priority local needs. Projects address today’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including affordable housing, economic mobility, climate resilience, public safety, infrastructure, technology, and more.

FUSE conducts a full executive search for each individual project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the community being served.

Executive Fellows are embedded in government agencies working with senior leaders for at least one year of full-time work. Prospective responsibilities may include thorough data analytics and research, developing enhanced operations and financial models, building change management and strategic planning processes, and/or building broad coalitions to support project implementation efforts. Executive Fellows are data-driven and results-oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects. They build strong relationships with a broad array of stakeholders, foster alignment within and across various layers of government, and build partnerships between governments and communities.

Throughout the fellowships, Executive Fellows receive training, coaching, and professional support to help achieve their project goals.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Fresno County understands that access to affordable housing can foster a foundation for personal growth, health, and communal well-being. The average household in Fresno’s affordable units earns an income of $19,000; 26,000 individuals are on the waitlist. Fresno Housing (the office responsible for affordable housing development and resident services and programs) believes that if these households access education and workforce development opportunities, they can increase their incomes, get on the path to economic mobility, and move to market-rate housing or even their own homes. This would open the affordable unit to another household, and the process could start anew.

Fresno Housing will partner with FUSE to develop an evidence-based, strategic approach to helping affordable housing residents navigate benefits and opportunities. The Executive Fellow will develop a curriculum that equips residents with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to access economic mobility; facilitate a case managers’ conference that empowers front-line workers to advance this approach; advise Fresno Housing on restructuring service delivery so that staff can deliver tailored support with fewer restrictions; conduct research and advocacy to capture and share insights; advise the executive leadership team on major program and event evaluations and implementations such as Fresno Housing’s annual State of Affordable Housing event and Beyond Housing’s donor advised funding event; and author an impact and outcomes report. As a result of this work, Fresno Housing will have an effective, outcome-driven approach to catalyzing economic mobility through affordable housing. In addition to empowering Fresno families to improve their incomes and well-being, leaders in other communities will have a replicable model that they can easily understand and adopt.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Starting November 2025, the FUSE Executive Fellow will develop deep relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including affiliated partners (e.g., Beyond Housing), community partners (e.g., workforce development and service organizations), and affordable housing residents. The Executive Fellow will seek to understand the resources, opportunities, and aspirations these partners have for affordable housing and economic opportunity in Fresno County. In addition, the Executive Fellow will review best practices for promoting economic opportunity in affordable housing communities similar to those in Fresno. Finally, the Executive Fellow will work with their Executive Sponsor and Project Supervisor to develop and approve specific project goals and deliverables. While these goals and deliverables will likely include the ones listed below, they may differ based on situational changes and the Executive Fellow’s specific skills and experience.

Next, the Executive Fellow will partner with local workforce development organizations to develop an evidence-based curriculum that empowers affordable housing residents to pursue economic opportunity. The curriculum should include three components: self-sufficiency, financial literacy, and workforce development. If successful, the curriculum will help residents navigate their way to long-term economic stability while complying with work requirements and planning for benefit reductions as their incomes increase. In addition, the curriculum should enable Fresno Housing to replicate its success, refine its model, identify and share best practices, and capture long-term outcomes.

At the same time, the Executive Fellow will work with City and County partners to design and facilitate a case workers’ conference for front-line staff who engage affordable housing residents every day. The conference will give both City and County staff the information and insights they need to assist residents in navigating workforce development and education opportunities while preserving their housing assistance until they are ready to move. Additionally, the executive fellow will advise the CEO of Fresno Housing and the executive leadership team on two major events, Fresno Housing’s biennial State of Affordable Housing Address to the Central Valley and Fresno Housing’s non-profit fundraising organization, Beyond Housing Foundation’s annual donor engagement fundraising event.

Based on insights from residents and front-line workers, the Executive Fellow will also advise the Resident Services and Empowerment Office on restructuring service delivery. The Executive Fellow will embed sustainable policies and approaches that enable case workers and other front-line staff to deliver tailored support to each resident while complying with regulations. If successful, the conference and restructuring process will reinforce the curriculum and equip additional residents with opportunities while also developing strategies to help them comply with work and income requirements.

In addition, the Executive Fellow will conduct research and advocacy to document accomplishments, disseminate lessons learned and best practices, and advance quality programs and policies at the state and federal levels. This should include academic research, public thought leadership, and advocacy in Sacramento and Washington, DC. At a minimum, the Executive Fellow will publish an academic article and 2-3 op-eds that secure buy-in from affordable housing policy leaders at all levels of government.

Finally, the Executive Fellow will author an impact and outcomes report. This report should rigorously analyze data from Fresno Housing and its partners to document what they are doing and evaluate how well they are doing it. If successful, it will inform how Fresno Housing refines this approach in the future.

It is critical that the Executive Fellow embeds sustainability into their deliverables. This includes employing user-centered design to ensure proposed solutions are feasible and effective for residents and front-line workers. In addition, new policies, programs, and procedures should be formally adopted by relevant County staff or community partners prior to the end of the Fellowship year. Any ongoing management responsibilities should be feasible under current County staff and budget staffing patterns.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

  • Executive Sponsor: Dr. Marc’ Bady, Chief Impact & Initiatives Officer, Fresno Housing
  • Project Supervisor: Dr. Marc’ Bady, Chief Impact & Initiatives Officer, Fresno Housing

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
  • Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
  • Generates innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
  • Respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
  • Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
  • Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
  • Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community-based relationships.
  • Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground.
  • Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.

FUSE is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.