Executive Director Debt Capital Markets Origination

Inland Real Estate Group of Companies; Downers Grove (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Inland Real Estate Group of Companies seeks an Executive Director – Debt Capital Markets Origination to lead our debt origination for acquisitions, development, and structured debt across the investment platform.

You will foster lender relationships, coordinate with the CIO and portfolio managers, and guide strategic financing initiatives to align with investment timelines and capital formation priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in finance, real estate, economics, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years in commercial real estate finance or debt capital markets preferred.
• Experience sourcing, negotiating, and closing CRE debt transactions across asset classes.

Responsibilities

• Lead debt capital markets origination for acquisition and development financing.
• Develop and manage external lender relationships (banks, insurers, funds, agencies).
• Lead lender marketing processes to improve pricing and terms.
• Evaluate financing feasibility and capital structure with portfolio managers.
• Prepare financing recommendations, term sheet analyses, and transaction summaries.

Skills

Debt markets

Lender relationships

Negotiation

Financial analysis

Executive presence

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Office

Financial models

Job description

The Executive Director – Debt Capital Markets Origination is responsible for leading Inland’s debt capital origination mandate within the Investments Department. This role will develop and maintain external lender relationships, source competitive financing alternatives, lead market execution for new acquisition financing, and support strategic growth initiatives across the company’s investment platforms. The position is designed to create dedicated coverage for new financing activity while partnering closely with the CIO, broader Investments Department, and applicable Portfolio Managers to ensure the financing strategy is aligned with investment objectives, transaction timelines, portfolio considerations, and company-wide capital formation priorities.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead debt capital markets origination for acquisition financing, development financing, structured debt, and other financing opportunities across Inland’s investment platform.
• Develop, expand, and manage external lender relationships, including banks, life insurance companies, debt funds, agencies, CMBS lenders, private credit providers, and other capital sources.
• Lead competitive lender marketing processes to improve pricing discovery, financing terms, execution certainty, and strategic optionality.
• Partner with the Investments Department and Portfolio Managers to evaluate financing feasibility, capital structure alternatives, and transaction-level debt assumptions.
• Prepare financing recommendations, lender comparisons, term sheet analyses, and transaction summaries for internal review, investment committee consideration, and executive decision-making.
• Lead negotiations of term sheets, financing proposals, commitment letters, and key business terms in coordination with internal stakeholders, outside counsel, lenders, borrowers, sponsors, and transaction counterparties.
• Coordinate with the Debt Transaction Manager to advance financing execution from lender selection through closing, including diligence coordination, documentation, approvals, and closing logistics.
• Co-lead broader refinancing activities with the Director – Debt Portfolio & Treasury when transactions require market outreach, competitive bidding, or new lender execution beyond an incumbent lender.
• Maintain current knowledge of debt capital markets conditions, lender appetite, credit spreads, leverage levels, underwriting standards, covenant structures, and asset-class-specific financing trends.
• Support strategic growth initiatives by identifying financing products, capital sources, relationship opportunities, and execution strategies that enhance Inland’s investment and capital formation capabilities.
• Promote a disciplined, accountable, and scalable debt origination process with clear ownership, consistent communication, institutional-quality execution, and strong cross-functional coordination.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

This position provides functional leadership, day-to-day direction, and transaction oversight to the Debt Transaction Manager and any future team members assigned to support debt origination activity. The role is responsible for establishing execution priorities, coordinating workloads, developing process discipline, and supporting team member development within the Debt Capital Markets Origination function.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, real estate, accounting, economics, business administration, or a related field required. Advanced degree, MBA, CFA, or other relevant financial industry certification preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in commercial real estate finance, debt capital markets, lending, investment banking, mortgage banking, private credit, institutional real estate investment, or a related field. Demonstrated experience sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and closing commercial real estate debt transactions across multiple asset classes and lender types is required. Experience working with acquisition teams, investment committees, portfolio management, asset management, legal counsel, and external capital providers is strongly preferred.

Certifications/Licenses:

• None required.

Skills:

• Strong knowledge of commercial real estate debt markets, lender landscape, transaction structures, pricing conventions, credit standards, and documentation processes.
• Demonstrated ability to build, maintain, and leverage lender relationships across banks, life insurance companies, debt funds, agencies, CMBS lenders, private credit providers, and other capital sources.
• Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to evaluate financing alternatives, compare term sheets, assess risk-adjusted execution outcomes, and communicate recommendations clearly.
• Strong negotiation skills and sound business judgment when evaluating transaction terms, lender proposals, execution risks, and strategic alternatives.
• Executive presence and stakeholder influence, including the ability to prepare executive-level materials, present recommendations to senior leadership, and represent Inland professionally with external capital providers.
• Strong transaction management capabilities, including attention to detail, accountability for deadlines, and ability to coordinate multiple internal and external parties.
• Collaborative orientation with the ability to partner effectively across departments and align financing strategy with investment, portfolio, legal, and capital formation objectives.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, financial models, lender comparison tools, and transaction management processes.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Working Conditions:

• Professional office environment.
• Frequent interaction with internal and external business partners.
• Travel is expected and may include lender meetings, industry events, and other business development activities, generally estimated at 10% or more.
• Ability to work additional hours as necessary to support transaction deadlines.