Senior Analyst, Housing Finance Transactions

Background

ABOUT US |   HR&A Advisors, Inc. (HR&A) is an employee-owned company advising public, private, non-profit, and philanthropic clients on how to increase opportunity and advance quality of life in cities.     

We believe in creating vital places, building more equitable and resilient communities, and improving people’s lives.      

From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, we have guided hundreds of clients in transforming real estate and economic development concepts, and public infrastructure, first into actionable plans then into job-producing, community-strengthening assets.    

Our clients include real estate owners and investors, hospitals and universities, cultural institutions and philanthropies, community development organizations and governments.    

HR&A has offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh, and Washington D.C. We come from diverse backgrounds, have a breadth of lived experience, and share a passion for cities. We are former city officials, executive directors, planners, lawyers, architects, and economists.   

Hear more about the HR&A experience from our Staff.   

Learn more about careers at HR&A on our website.    

Summary

THE OPPORTUNITY | HR&A’s Housing Practice is rapidly growing its housing fund and transaction work, which involves helping clients structure funds, develop investment strategies, identify partners and execute transactions. Over the past two years, HR&A has facilitated the deployment of over $1 billion in housing investments from local governments and impact investors across the county.  This position will primarily support the design and implementation of affordable housing funds sponsored by local governments and impact investors including Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund, as well as structuring individual transactions on behalf of landowners and developers. 

THE PRACTICE | HR&A’s Housing Practice works at all levels of the housing ecosystem. We create housing plans and strategies based on local needs and priorities. We design and implement solutions, from inclusionary zoning policies to affordable housing investment funds. And we underwrite and close housing transactions on behalf of public and private sector clients.  This range of work, from planning to deal making, makes us better at designing policies and local housing plans that achieve their goals in practice and at integrating public incentives into individual projects. We enjoy understanding and working with the complexities of the housing market to advance the interests of all community members. 

Responsibilities

 THE ROLE | HR&A’s Housing Practice is seeking a Senior Analyst to assist with the structuring, underwriting, and closing of loans and investments in mixed-income and affordable housing developments. This role can be based in our New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, or Raleigh office. The Senior Analyst will work closely with Partners, Principals, Directors and Analytic staff in the Housing Practice across all of HR&A’s offices. Most work will be organized into small teams of three to five members. Teams are comprised of colleagues from across our offices. Day-to-day tasks will include: 

Transaction Management 

• • With minimal supervision from Project Managers, screen, underwrite, and close loans, grants, and investments in mixed-income and affordable housing developments. 

• • Evaluate requests for funding according to funders’ public policy, social impact, and financial feasibility guidelines. Make recommendations to Project Managers and clients on decision to advance, decline, or negotiate with applicants. 

• • Draft screening memos, underwriting memos, and financial models for client review. Conduct market research to evaluate the feasibility of proposed rents and the difference between prevailing market rents and proposed affordable rents. 

• • Work with clients and development teams to optimally structure affordable housing transactions.  

• • With minimal supervision, conduct due diligence, review third-party reports, and analyze business terms in legal documents.  

• • Coordinate the closing process by working with project sponsors, lenders, and other stakeholders such as public agencies and subsidy providers. 

 Product Development 

• • Conduct market research to identify and size gaps in the existing affordable housing finance ecosystem in specific markets.

• • Structure innovative housing investment vehicles that enable solutions identified in policy and planning processes. 

• • Work with current and potential clients to establish investment terms that balance financial return thresholds, risk tolerance and mission investing objectives. 

• • Support the negotiation of partnerships with other investors and public sector partners. 

• • Evaluate the feasibility of implementing and monitoring new investment vehicles. 

• • Lead workshops and outreach events with community, public sector, nonprofit and for-profit investors. 

• • Run request for proposal processes to select development partners. 

• • Support new business development opportunities through writing proposals and outreach to potential clients. 

Requirements

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED | Successful candidates will bring strong analytical, project management and relationship management capabilities aligned with the roles and responsibilities described above, including: 

• • Bachelor’s Degree in Real Estate, Finance, Planning or another related field. 

• • Master’s in Real Estate Development (MRED) or a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) a plus. 

• • 4-5 years of experience in Real Estate Development or Finance, including 2+ years of real estate underwriting experience, preferably with affordable multifamily. 

• • Knowledge of common underwriting practices and procedures. 

• • Knowledge of housing and affordable housing related market forces including general real estate principles, supply and demand economics and other multifamily demand drivers. 

• • Proficiency in real estate financial modeling, experience with affordable housing finance is a plus. 

• • Experience synthesizing data and crafting a compelling narrative. 

• • Experience presenting to internal senior leadership and external clients. 

Compensation and Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $101,000 to $114,500 plus opportunity for year-end bonus. Where an offer falls inside the pay range is dependent on experience. We offer competitive compensation packages, based on qualifications and experience. We are an employee-owned company, meaning you will have the opportunity to benefit from the firm’s growth over time through participation in our Employee Stock Options Plan. Each year, the firm will contribute funds to this long-term wealth-building account and may make contributions to other retirement accounts. We also provide a comprehensive benefits package that goes well beyond coverage of 90-95% of healthcare premiums, dental and vision coverage. 

How to Apply

HR&A is committed to attracting and retaining a talented, diverse, competitive team of professionals dedicated to solving the challenges of urban life. Women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Please submit a cover letter and resume as a single PDF document at  https://hraadvisors.applytojob.com/apply/. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications without a cover lever will not be reviewed. 

We ask that you submit a version of your resume that has your school information removed. There is no need to reformat your resume, and you should leave your degree (e.g. “B.A. Economics”). But please remove all undergraduate and graduate school name references. This request is part of our ongoing work to build a hiring system that is free from bias and based on candidate merit and performance in the hiring process. 

All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, medical condition, veteran status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law. 

For more information, please contact us at jobs@hraadvisors.com. Please do not call regarding this position.