Executive Vice President, Operations and Business Line Oversight

ABOUT US

The LeSar portfolio of firms’ mission is to end the housing affordability and homelessness crises in California and beyond. LeSar assists its clients with growing healthy, sustainable, and vibrant communities. We provide creative solutions to complex problems through systems change, transformation leadership, and our technical expertise in the subject areas of  housing, homelessness, resiliency, and community and economic development. Our clients include public agencies, nonprofit organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, foundations, educational partners, healthcare insurers, business associations, and other stakeholders looking to create physically and economically sustainable communities. Founded in 2005, LeSar employs seasoned industry experts who excel at working with our clients to align diverse perspectives and skillsets to address complex public policy and planning issues at the systems, sector, and organizational levels and in multi-disciplinary, collaborative settings.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Executive Vice President (EVP) is a strategic, execution-focused role that partners closely with the CEO and executive leadership team in advancing the organization’s next phase of growth, integration, and operational excellence. As part of the executive leadership team, which consists of the CEO, COO and business line leaders, the EVP optimizes, integrates, and scales company infrastructure, platforms, systems, and business line expertise.

This role will oversee external-facing operational domains, including technology strategy, IT integration, marketing and communications, business development, innovation, and enterprise risk/litigation management. This role may also oversee one or more of the portfolio’s business lines.

The incumbent for this role brings deep knowledge with our industries and demonstrates the ability to drive cross-portfolio integration, technology-enabled growth, and market positioning that aligns and benchmarks our infrastructure and methods with leading market peers.

WORKING HOURS

Standard hours Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week. This position is primarily remote and may require occasional travel. Strong preference given to applicants living in and around San Diego or Sacramento.

HOW YOU IMPACT SUCCESS

• Executive Leadership & Partnership. Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, COO, and business line leaders modeling distributed leadership, strengthening cross-portfolio alignment, and supporting future strategic opportunities.
• External Operations Strategy & Integration. Lead the integration and performance of external-facing functions to ensure technology, marketing, business development, and innovation efforts are fully aligned to enterprise growth and industry standards.
• Technology, IT Strategy & AI Enablement. Provide executive oversight of enterprise technology and AI strategy to maintain cutting-edge infrastructure, enhance data visibility, and enable a high-performing remote workforce.
• Business Development & Growth Enablement. Strengthen and diversify the growth engine by advancing go-to-market discipline, expanding cross-portfolio opportunities, and reducing reliance on founder-led business development.
• Marketing & Communications. Elevate brand positioning and market visibility by aligning marketing, thought leadership, and communications to support reputation, differentiation, and revenue growth.
• Enterprise Risk, Legal & Compliance Coordination. Oversee a proactive, enterprise-wide risk and compliance framework in coordination with internal and external partners to safeguard the organization in a complex, tech-enabled environment.
• Operational Excellence & Growth Maximization. Advance scalable infrastructure, disciplined operating standards, and leadership capacity to support sustained growth, reduced key-person dependency, and long-term strategic optionality.
• Business Line Leadership & Performance Oversight. Provide strategic and operational oversight for assigned business lines, partnering with leaders to drive performance, expand services, strengthen cross-portfolio integration, and ensure disciplined, high-quality operations aligned with enterprise strategy.

 *A full job description is provided at the time of screening interviews.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in business administration, organizational development, leadership studies, public policy, law, or a related field

• 15+ years of progressive operational leadership experience in a professional services or management consulting business
• Significant experience in one or more of the following industries: affordable housing, homelessness solutions, public policy, systems-change, and transformation (strongly preferred)
• Demonstrated success optimizing and scaling established platforms and organizations
• Experience leading technology-enabled transformation initiatives in complex, multi-entity or portfolio environments preferred
• Strong business development and market strategy in an entrepreneurial business environment desired
• A background in the California housing policy environment is desired

 COMPETENCIES

Strategic & Executive Leadership

• Possesses a servant leadership style, putting people first and demonstrating a deep commitment to advancing the organization’s mission and serving clients across sectors
• Demonstrates strong enterprise thinking and systems orientation; sees the organization holistically and understands how decisions, processes, and functions interconnect to drive long-term performance
• Brings a true CEO-partnership mindset, operating as a trusted strategic advisor who anticipates needs, surfaces risks, and translates executive priorities into disciplined operational execution
• Exercises sound judgment and executive presence; remains composed and decisive in complex or ambiguous situations and inspires confidence among senior leaders and external stakeholders
• Leads organizational change effectively in hybrid, remote, and evolving work environments; aligns people, processes, and technology to support growth, scalability, and workforce engagement during periods of transformation
• A strategic and analytical problem solver who drives operational excellence by strengthening systems, optimizing processes, and removing barriers to scale
• Demonstrates the ability to manage upward, across, and downward with confidence; brings strong executive presence and engages in thoughtful, candid dialogue that advances decision-making
• Excels at translating strategic vision into actionable operational plans that drive measurable outcomes and organizational alignment

Operational & Technical Excellence

• Demonstrates strong digital and AI fluency, with the ability to evaluate, adopt, and scale emerging technologies that improve operational efficiency, insight generation, and organizational competitiveness
• Excels at cross-functional integration, breaking down silos and aligning teams, workflows, and priorities to ensure seamless execution across departments and business units
• Drives data-informed decision making by establishing meaningful metrics, leveraging analytics, and fostering a culture where operational and strategic choices are grounded in evidence and measurable outcomes
• Brings sophisticated risk management capabilities, proactively identifying operational, financial, compliance, and reputational risks and implementing appropriate mitigation strategies

Interpersonal Effectiveness

• Operates as a high-trust collaborator who builds strong, credible relationships across executive leadership, functional teams, and external partners
• Embodies low-ego, high-accountability leadership; takes ownership of outcomes, gives credit generously, and fosters a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Communicates with clarity and effectiveness across technical and non-technical audiences, translating complex operational concepts into actionable insights for diverse stakeholders

Work Style

• Brings a disciplined, collaborative, and intellectually rigorous approach to work, supported by strong business and financial acumen
• Demonstrates a consistent track record of adaptability, accountability, sound judgment, and the ability to perform effectively in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments
• Highly effective at balancing executive-level strategy with hands-on operational oversight, ensuring strong internal controls, policy alignment, and consistent delivery of high-quality programs, products, and services
• Operates with a high degree of emotional intelligence and self-awareness, using empathy and sound judgment to navigate complex organizational dynamics and lead through change

NOTE TO APPLICANTS

In addition to a current resume, all applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a writing sample for review.  Additionally, a 5-10 slide PowerPoint presentation will be required as part of the interview process.