Director, Housing Loan Program

Background

For over 40 years, Nonprofit Finance Fund has provided these nonprofits and their leaders with capital, consulting, and thought leadership. As a community development finance institution (CDFI), we work with nonprofits, partners, and systems to build racial equity and community wealth and well-being. Our vision is a world of equitable prosperity, where communities of color and other systematically excluded communities have the capital, community assets, knowledge, and agency to thrive. You can learn more about our work to achieve that vision by reading our Strategic Plan for 2024-2026 and our commitment to racial equity.

None of this work would be possible without the incredible people who work here. Our team consists of a diverse group of passionate professionals who care deeply about racial equity and community wealth and well-being. You can read more about what it’s like to work here – and read a few examples of “a day in the life” for NFF staff” – on the careers page of our website.  

Thank you for your interest in NFF. We hope you’ll join us. 

Summary

NFF’s Financing team provides loans to nonprofit organizations for their real estate and working capital needs with a commitment to ensuring Black, Indigenous, and communities of color and their leaders have access to and control of the funds they need to meet their goals. Currently, NFF manages around $400 million of financing assets, primarily loans to nonprofit organizations in the education, healthcare, human service, and housing sectors.  

Historically, NFF has lent to nonprofit developers and operators focused on supportive housing; transitional housing for youth aging out of foster care and adults returning from incarceration; emergency and shelter housing for people experiencing homelessness; and residential treatment and recuperative care facilities. We have had a limited focus on more traditional affordable housing projects. As requests for project financing have consistently grown in volume and size, NFF seeks to play a more intentional, proactive, and wider-ranging role in the affordable housing sector.  

We are seeking a Director, Housing Loan Program to lead this work in formalizing and expanding NFF’s affordable housing finance program. This position will play a central role in developing appropriate capital resources, identifying tailored products, and creating specific policies and guidelines.   This individual serves as a single point of contact to represent NFF’s housing work externally. Internally, this role will serve as an in-house expert that trains, supports, and coaches other staff who serve as generalists across various functional areas (e.g., business development, underwriting and closing, portfolio management) and other NFF departments. The role will collaborate with our Marketing & Communications team to raise NFF’s profile in this sector, and advocate for greater access to resources for NFF, CDFIs generally, and our clients in the housing sector.

A successful Director, Housing Loan Program will help us rethink our approach to lending by prioritizing the needs of strategically aligned organizations and developers, eliminating practices rooted in white supremacy, and demonstrating a willingness to be creative and flexible in decision-making. This is an opportunity for someone to lead this work at NFF and within the industry.  Please review NFF’s 2024-2026 Strategy here. 

The preference is for the position to be in commutable distance to NFF’s New York office location. Remote locations will be considered. Our offices have re-opened, and staff can opt into in-person work as desired and based on the needs of the role. There is potential for up to 10% travel, which will consist of client visits, local/national conferences, and travel to NFF office for staff retreats.

The Director, Housing Loan Program will report to the Vice President, Financing who is based in Philadelphia. 

Responsibilities

Program Leadership 

• • Develops a strategy for our affordable housing lending that responds to needs for appropriately structured and priced loans; aligns with NFF’s impact and business goals.  

• • Designs affordable housing products that can fill market needs and gaps; helps to identify the necessary types of capital to support those products. 

• • Leads the development of internal infrastructure necessary to expand and scale up NFF’s housing lending, which may include things like: templates for loan term sheets, due diligence checklists, and credit memos; standardized reporting requirements and loan covenants; best practices for portfolio management and loan monitoring; training staff on housing development best practices, common risks and techniques for risk mitigation; typical capital sources, capital stacks, and funding streams; among others. 

• • Ensures NFF’s lending in the housing sector is well positioned to support nonprofit developers and operators led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color particularly those that face barriers to obtaining financing. 

• • Coordinates with the Market Leaders on NFF’s lending team and NFF Community Engagement staff to identify gaps and opportunities for NFF to finance affordable housing, particularly those in geographies where NFF has an active presence and/or relationships (e.g., NYC, LA, Philadelphia, Bay Area, Colorado, New Jersey, Washington State), as well as in possible expansion areas to be identified. 

• • Coordinates with all NFF Financing staff who will help with implementation of local and national strategies, and meeting lending goals, including loan origination, underwriting, portfolio management, and New Markets Tax Credit teams.

• • Deepens and maintains strong networks with affordable housing developers, operators, funders, consultants, state and national associations, and lending peers.  

• • Serves as an NFF housing expert; share knowledge internally and externally, represent NFF in various industry associations and working groups, among other ways.  

• • Builds NFF’s brand among housing partners and stakeholders; raises awareness of our work in housing; and develops our reputation over time as a vital CDFI in this space. This will be accomplished through direct relationship building and networking, as well as by working with our Marketing & Communications team to develop and post relevant content via social media, as well as occasional emails, blogs, etc.

Loan Origination, Structuring, and Portfolio Management 

• • Leads the development of a pipeline of viable loan opportunities in partnership with the Market Leaders on NFF’s Loan Origination team.   

• • Identify, assess, and shepherd viable lending opportunities into and through the loan pipeline. 

• • Conduct and/or oversee the analysis of housing loan opportunities, including the following: project feasibility; capital stack; borrower structure and financials; development team qualifications and track record; market studies and community engagement; project cash flow, repayment and/or take-out sources; and other relevant areas as appropriate. 

• • Support Underwriting team in proposing appropriate loan structures, reporting requirements, covenants, and other loan features  

• • Assist Portfolio Management team in reviewing borrower reporting where staff need additional context or housing expertise; provide support on requests for modifications, extensions, and waivers for loans in the housing portfolio as needed. 

• • Collaborate with Portfolio Management team to establish best practices around monitoring and risk analysis of the housing portfolio overall; provide context on sector and market trends that may impact credit quality within the housing loan portfolio 

Requirements

• • You have a minimum of 10 years of professional work experience, with at least 7 years in affordable housing finance and/or development.   

• • You are proficient in reading and understanding financial statements, project budgets, and operating pro formas/cash flow projections  

• • You have market knowledge and relationships in the affordable housing sector 

• • You have a strong relationship-building approach with the ability to center the needs of clients and communities.   

• • You are a strategic thinker; you combine strategy and innovation to successfully design and implement processes, systems and policies that support the organization’s overall vision and growth     

• • You possess strong project management skills with demonstrated success managing multiple projects and priorities

• • You have an aptitude for problem-solving and are able to identify challenges and provide solutions

• • You maintain a high level of integrity and are able to handle sensitive information in a confidential manner

• • You are flexible, adaptable, and willing to pivot on short notice to meet the organization’s needs

• • You are committed to continuous improvement and demonstrate a growth mindset

• • You have exceptional and proactive communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills

• • You enjoy collaborating with team members who are working together to re-envision the Community Development Finance Industry   

• • You embody NFF’s mission, core values and commitment to equity 

Compensation and Benefits

At NFF, we are invested in discussing the depth and breadth of each candidate’s background and experience during the interview process and using that information to determine the best offer while considering internal pay equity. The starting salary range for this position is $120,000-$145,000. If provided an offer, NFF will determine salary compensation based on relevant skills and years of experience. NFF also takes into consideration internal equity in setting salary bands for each role. NFF provides an attractive benefits package that currently includes up to 18 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays, unlimited vacation time off, health insurance with NFF funded health reimbursement account on medical plan, and employer contributions toward retirement plan. In addition, NFF provides flexibility to work remotely and access to a “work from home” fund, and flexible spending accounts including medical, commuter, and childcare benefits.   

How to Apply

Apply at the following link: https://boards.greenhouse.io/nonprofitfinancefund/jobs/4331696005