Chief Executive Officer

Florida Community Loan Fund; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Community Loan Fund (FCLF) seeks a strategic, mission-driven CEO to guide the organization in Florida’s community development finance landscape. The role reports to the Board and drives financial strength, portfolio quality, capitalization, and mission advancement.

The CEO will steward capital deployment, governance, and organizational infrastructure, building relationships with investors, public partners, and borrowers while maintaining strong asset quality and sustainability.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years of progressive executive leadership experience within complex mission-driven, financial services, community development, or related organizations.
• Exceptional ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with investors, financial institutions, public sector agencies, philanthropic organizations, and community partners.
• Deep expertise in community development finance, affordable housing finance, economic development, or related sectors.
• Sophisticated understanding of public policy, regulation, and legislative factors influencing CDFIs and housing.
• Proven ability to identify opportunities, develop forward-looking strategies, and drive growth and impact.
• Experience leading organizational change during transitions while maintaining culture and trust.

Responsibilities

• Lead organizational performance and long-term sustainability as chief executive.
• Translate Board priorities into measurable financial and community outcomes across lending, capital, and compliance.
• Strengthen strategic relationships and expand partnerships to deepen impact across Florida.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Relationship management

Governance oversight

Capital formation

Public policy & advocacy

Education

Master's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Florida Community Loan Fund seeks a strategic, mission-driven, and financially astute Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization into its next chapter of community impact, organizational advancement, and long-term sustainability. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO serves as the chief executive and enterprise leader of FCLF. This individual provides strategic direction and holds full accountability for institutional performance, financial strength, portfolio quality, capitalization strategy, and mission advancement.

The CEO ensures disciplined capital allocation, rigorous credit oversight, and operational excellence while maintaining the confidence of borrowers, investors, philanthropic partners, public sector stakeholders, and the communities FCLF serves. The CEO translates Board-approved priorities into measurable financial and community impact outcomes across lending, capital formation, compliance, and organizational infrastructure. The role requires balancing mission alignment with sound financial stewardship to safeguard asset quality, preserve institutional credibility, and support responsible growth.

FCLF is entering a significant leadership transition following the tenure of a highly respected, long-serving executive. The next CEO will inherit a strong foundation, an experienced leadership team, and a trusted reputation built over decades of service to communities throughout Florida. Success will require honoring the organization’s mission-driven culture and relationship-based approach while leading the organization through its next phase of growth, opportunity, and impact.

The successful candidate will be a visible and influential leader who can strengthen strategic relationships, expand partnerships, advance capital deployment, and identify new opportunities to deepen FCLF’s impact across the state. This individual will bring the leadership, judgment, and external presence necessary to position FCLF for continued relevance, sustainability, and leadership within Florida's community development ecosystem and the national CDFI sector.

Must Haves:

Executive Leadership & Organizational Accountability

Minimum of 15 years of progressive executive leadership experience, including significant accountability for organizational performance, financial results, governance, and long-term institutional sustainability within complex mission-driven, financial services, community development, or related organizations.

Relationship Development, External Influence & Stakeholder Engagement

Exceptional ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with investors, financial institutions, public sector agencies, philanthropic organizations, community partners, borrowers, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. Demonstrated success serving as the visible external representative and advocate for an organization and its mission.

Community Development Finance & Impact Investing Expertise

Demonstrated leadership experience within community development finance, affordable housing finance, economic development, impact investing, banking, or related sectors, with a strong understanding of CDFI business models, community impact strategies, and public-private financing structures. Experience with CDFI Fund programs, New Markets Tax Credits, Capital Magnet Fund, and related financing tools strongly preferred.

Public Policy & Regulatory Ecosystem Insight

Sophisticated understanding of the public policy, regulatory, and legislative factors influencing community development finance, affordable housing, economic development, and CDFI institutions.

Strategic Vision, Growth & Innovation

Proven ability to identify emerging opportunities, develop forward-looking strategies, and position organizations for sustainable growth, expanded impact, and long-term relevance in changing market and policy environments.

Demonstrated success securing and managing diverse sources of capital, overseeing complex financial structures, maintaining balance sheet strength, and ensuring long-term organizational sustainability within a capital-intensive environment.

Leadership Transition & Organizational Change Management

Proven ability to lead organizations through periods of leadership transition, organizational evolution, and strategic change while preserving institutional knowledge, strengthening organizational culture, and building alignment among boards, staff, and key stakeholders. Demonstrated success implementing complex strategic priorities, fostering organizational stability and trust, and leading with humility, transparency, accessibility, and authenticity during periods of change and growth.

Who We Are:

We Drive Positive Economic and Social Change

At Florida Community Loan Fund (FCLF) we are dedicated to improving lives and communities. Our financing meets the needs of nonprofit organizations and mission-based for-profit companies that develop affordable housing, supportive housing, community facilities, and economic development projects. Every loan we make brings high social impact to its community.

We care about your mission, not just our bottom line.

Our core purpose.

FCLF exists to maximize opportunities for people and places outside of the economic mainstream.

Our vision.

Opportunity and dignity exist for every person and community in Florida.

Our mission.

Our expertise and capital make projects successful and help organizations improve lives and communities.

What We Do:

Florida Community Loan Fund (FCLF) is a nonprofit lending institution providing capital and expertise to make projects successful and help organizations improve lives and low-income communities throughout the Sunshine State.

Established in 1994, FCLF operates statewide from a network of offices in Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale. FCLF financing has helped more than 200 organizations succeed in their projects, providing over 1.35 million low-income Floridians annually with housing or essential services through 425+ lending transactions to projects totaling over $1.4 billion.

FCLF is a dynamic, growth-oriented community development financial institution with an energetic 20-person team, $400 million in assets under management, and an annual budget of approximately $8.5 million.