Lending/Loan Operations

Opportunity Finance Network; Stamford (CT); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K match

PTO/Sick Time

Remote Work & Schedule Flexibility

Healthcare (vision and dental)

Job summary

Housing Development Fund, a CDFI with an office in Stamford, CT, seeks a Chief Commercial Lending and Operations Officer to lead commercial lending, underwriting, and related operations. The role supports mission delivery across Connecticut and New York, partnering with banks and philanthropic funders.

The CLOO will drive loan policy adherence, manage relationships with external servicers and funding partners, and oversee organizational operations with other senior staff, data reporting, and IT

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in banking, CDFI, housing authority or related housing finance.
• Experience in underwriting, loan approvals and financial modeling is preferred.
• Leadership in nonprofit or CDFI settings with program management
• Familiarity with CRA and CDFI Fund regulations and loan policy guidelines

Responsibilities

• Oversee Commercial Lending team including Director and Commercial Accounts Manager.
• Guide loan origination, underwriting, approval, closing and monitoring processes.
• Represent HDF in external lending activities and with funding partners.
• Review and update Loan Policy Guidelines in line with CRA and CDFI Fund rules.
• Coordinate with CEO on organizational operations, data reporting and IT platforms.

Skills

Time management

Organization

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field

Tools

MS Office

Salesforce

AI tools (Claude, CoPilot)

SharePoint

Job description

Founded in 1989 as a 501(c)(3), Housing Development Fund is a community development financial institution. Housing Development Fund (HDF) is an A+ Aeris-rated CDFI focused exclusively on housing lending in Connecticut and New York and currently managing a portfolio of approximately $75M in assets. HDF’s mission is to facilitate the development of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities. We accomplish this by helping households become and remain owners of affordable homes, as well as financing the development of rental and homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households. By providing free counseling and unique lending products to first-time homebuyers and developers, HDF helps families achieve housing stability. HDF is a team of approximately 22 employees who work in a hybrid/remote format with an office in Stamford CT.

Summary

This is a permanent, full-time (exempt) position at HDF. This position is hybrid/remote with a preference for Connecticut or New York residents who can come to the Stamford office at least once and ideally twice weekly.

The Chief Commercial Lending and Operations Officer will play a pivotal role in supporting and guiding HDF’s commercial lending activities in support of our mission to create more rental and homeownership activities in Connecticut as well as overseeing some organizational operations. The Chief Commercial Lending and Operations Officer oversees the Commercial Lending Department including the strategic planning and operations of the department and an existing portfolio of construction and permanent loans across Connecticut. This position will oversee the Director of Commercial Lending and Commercial Accounts Manager who together manage loan originations, underwriting, approving, closing and monitoring all commercial loans made by HDF and with our consortium of bank and philanthropic partners. This role will take a team approach to growing HDF’s portfolio of commercial loans through streamlining department operations utilizing existing and new technologies with a goal to maximize efficiency and organization in processing, underwriting, closings, advances, record keeping and auditing. This role will also support the CEO in management of relationships and legal agreements with existing funding partners.

Approximately 25% of CLOO time will also be spent overseeing specific organizational operations including hiring processes, retention and benefits, employee review and some technology programs and platforms including HDF’s existing AI software and other data reporting tools. The CLOO will communicate with the CEO and work closely on these functions with strong collaboration and support from HDF’s existing Data and Administrative Manager, the Director of Audit and Internal Controls, IT Analyst, CFO and external vendors and partners.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and actively manage Commercial Lending team including Director of Commercial Lending, Commercial Accounts Manager and external consultants supporting HDF on specific programs. Oversee strategic planning of commercial lending operations at HDF including targeting, project tracking metrics, impact, outreach and marketing.
• Oversee and support the Director of Commercial Lending and Commercial Accounts Manager with acquiring and reviewing new loan opportunities, determinations regarding funding resources, guiding loans through the underwriting, approval and closing process including managing document collection, legal counsel review, closings and advances. This may include performing any of these functions at any time to ensure timely deal flow and manage team capacity. Review and sign-off on all loans, advances, audits and other standard processes with clear task delineation of the team.
• Assist the CEO and Director of Commercial Lending with externally representing HDF at commercial lending activities, events, outreach to developers, etc.
• Oversee regular review and changes to HDF’s Loan Policy Guidelines in accordance with current CRA and CDFI Fund regulations. Ensure affordability and other relevant requirements are appropriately communicated and maintained with borrowers, outside partners and are consistent with HDF’s internal Loan Policy Guidelines.
• Be additional point of contact with our external servicer. Work closely with Director of Audit and Internal Controls on financial management of portfolio, risk analysis.
• Oversee commercial lending funder relationships with CEO support, manage related meetings and presentations as requested.
• Oversee Data and Administrative Manager and work closely with CEO on planning and managing specific organizational operations matters.
• Identify and partake in professional development opportunities for education, up-to-date industry policy, and career advancement.

Requirements

• Motivation, passion, and commitment to the mission of Housing Development Fund.
• Substantive professional and/or personal knowledge of areas addressed by Housing Development Fund strongly preferred.
• Personal qualities of integrity and credibility and exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, experience fostering effective working relationships. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, changing, and at times ambiguous context
• Value diversity, equity, and cultural differences in daily work.
• Advanced time management, organization, analysis skills
• 10+ Years prior experience at a bank, CDFI, Housing Authority or other housing finance group in multifamily residential development finance or lending (preferably affordable).
• Experience in and ability to review, evaluate and understand commercial loan applications, risk analysis, loan structuring, project proformas and development budgets. Expertise in underwriting and financial modeling a plus.
• Deep understanding of affordable housing development finance, different existing public financing tools, measures and policy around AMI, rental subsidy tools, etc.
• Knowledge of Connecticut developer, non-profit developer, municipal operations and/or zoning landscape a plus.
• Mid or higher-level management and/or human resources experience – ideally within a nonprofit or CDFI. Experience and demonstrated success managing detailed programs, designing and implementing streamlined process management.
• Fluent in use of all MS Office platforms, standard AI tools (Claude, CoPilot, etc.), Salesforce, social media platforms. Prior experience with commercial lending software and Sharepoint a plus. Prior experience and comfort working with AI tools in the real estate finance space and/or internal AI platforms preferred.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Some travel in Connecticut required from time to time

Compensation and Benefits

• $140,000-$160,000
• 401K match
• PTO/Sick Time, Coordinated PTO, Plus approximately 10 Holidays
• Free Employee Healthcare plus vision and dental, HSA
• Education Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Remote Work & Schedule Flexibility