Job Description

Role Description

The Director, Loan Origination (New Jersey) is responsible for driving lending activity in the state of New Jersey. The Director cultivates relationships with clients that may have financing needs, builds a continuous pipeline of new lending opportunities, and evaluates incoming loan requests for viability and preliminary loan structuring. In support of and alongside this work, this role draws on the existing relationships, programs, and products NFF is currently deploying across the state, which include debt products and financial strategy consulting.

NFF has core business hours where we expect all staff to be available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm local time. The role requires a minimum of 25% travel.

What You Will Do

• Relationship Management
  • Develop and nurture new and existing client relationships ensuring a smooth transition through the financing process.
  • Engage with clients in ways that demonstrate empathy and garners understanding of their experiences and needs, including those who have faced barriers to equitable access of capital.
  • Develop financing solutions that reflect client needs while working closely with all Loan Origination, Underwriting, Program, Closing, and Portfolio Management staff to ensure excellent customer service.
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with lending partners (banks, CDFIs, foundations, institutional investors and other capital providers and intermediaries) as well as stakeholders such as consultants, government agencies, nonprofit networks and advocacy organizations.
  • Work across the organization to identify business development opportunities and help coordinate lending activity so that it intersects with NFF’s overall priorities and key relationships.
• Loan Originations
  • Build a continuous pipeline of new lending opportunities consistent with NFF’s loan products, programs, deployment goals, mission, and strategy.
  • Assess new loan requests, discuss product options with clients, and propose viable loan structures for internal approval.
  • Gather basic due diligence, conduct initial assessment and analysis of client prospects, and draft initial loan overview memos in advance of the issuance of term sheets.
  • Proactively monitor industry and regional trends, policies, funding, and other external drivers that may inform strategies for pipeline development.
• Program Management
  • Originate loans from NFF’s BEACoN NJ program, a $20MM 10-year statewide revolving loan fund to support community ownership of assets for nonprofits.
  • Maintain an active pipeline and relationships with nonprofits, developers, consultants, and other stakeholders in connection with ongoing BEACoN NJ lending.
  • Provide client and project-related information to support periodic investor reporting.
  • Represent NFF and the BEACoN NJ program in public events, conferences, media, partner and funder meetings, and other external-facing opportunities as needed.
  • Leverage other NFF lending programs, including the NJ Social Impact Investing Fund, Faith in our Communities, and other programs that NFF may develop over time.
• Strategy and Market Development
  • Support the development and implementation of a tactical plan that will consistently generate a viable pipeline of high credit quality clients and transactions.
  • Identify, build, and nurture relationships with client segments in line with NFF's mission and strategy.
  • Connect with communities and identify ways to address inequitable access to capital.
  • Identify and develop community partnerships to support product and process design.
  • Support the integration of capital delivery and technical assistance, to ensure the capacity building needs of borrowers are met with a client-centered relational approach.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Finance, Economics, Accounting, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience in financial services and/or lending.
• Seven (7) years of progressive professional experience in the financial services industry as a loan officer or similar lending roles.
• Demonstrated experience in credit analysis, loan structuring, and business development, with sector expertise in at least one of the following: affordable housing, education, healthcare, human services, or other community facilities.
• Market knowledge and existing relationships with nonprofits and related stakeholders in New Jersey.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive, confidential information with high degree of integrity and discretion.
• Established effectiveness in clear, proactive verbal and written communication, coupled with strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency with online collaboration tools, Salesforce or similar CRM software, and Microsoft Office Suite.

The Strongest Candidates Will Have

• Commitment to NFF’s values, mission, and approach to community impact.
• Strong understanding of CDFIs and their role in nonprofit financing.
• Familiarity with real estate and financing structures.
• Experience with nonprofit accounting, financial statements, and business models.
• Experience with common community development finance programs, including New Markets Tax Credits and Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
• Strong organization and project management skills.
• Experience leading cross-functional efforts in a matrixed organization.
• Ability to work independently and effectively in a remote environment and build strong relationships with colleagues and partners across geographies and time zones.
• Willingness to collaborate with a dynamic and mission-driven team.
• Learning orientation and commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, changing, and at times ambiguous context.

Benefits

• Up to twenty (20) paid holidays/business closure days.
• Three (3) floating holidays.
• Flexible time off.
• Group medical insurance with a funded health reimbursement account.
• Dental and vision plans.
• Life insurance and disability plans.
• A retirement plan with both a non-elective employer contribution (4%) and additional match contribution (up to 2%).
• A “work from home” fund.
• Flexible spending accounts to cover health, dependent care, and commuter costs.

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