Manager, Loan Underwriting

ImpactAlpha; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive health insurance coverage

Retirement benefits

Paid time-off

Commitment to diversity and inclusion

Annual in-person team gathering

Industry conferences meetings

Job summary

Avivar Capital is seeking a Manager of Loan Underwriting to lead the Debt Capital Solutions function and expand its impact-focused lending practice. You will oversee credit underwriting activities, guide portfolio growth, and work across departments to implement community-centered financing strategies.

The role requires deep knowledge of real estate lending, risk mitigation, and collaboration with lenders, CDFIs, and government partners. Strong leadership and project management are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required in Finance, Business, Economics, Engineering, or related field.
• MBA strongly preferred.
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in complex real estate lending and underwriting, including affordable housing.
• Experience with deal structuring and risk mitigation.
• Leadership experience with staff and departmental management.
• Experience with CDFIs, impact investing, and community development is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage underwriting team, ensuring rigorous loan analysis that balances community needs with fiduciary duties.
• Oversee underwriting across loan and catalytic capital programs and drive portfolio growth.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on loan structuring and development of new lending products.
• Provide coaching and professional development for underwriting staff.
• Maintain relationships with lenders, investors, and partners.
• Support budgeting, revenue planning, and staffing for the Debt Capital Solutions team.
• Ensure compliance and reporting per internal and external standards.

Skills

Credit underwriting

Team leadership

Financial analysis

NMTCs/LIHTCs expertise

Stakeholder management

Advanced Excel

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA

Tools

Salesforce

Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

About Avivar Capital, LLC

Avivar Capital, LLC is a US-based, SEC-registered investment advisor that specializes exclusively in assisting institutional, public, and private clients in the design, development, and execution of impact investing strategies, portfolios, and funds. The firm focuses on generating both social and environmental benefit alongside financial returns, serving as a bridge between capital and community-centered solutions. The firm’s team of professionals brings extensive experience across multiple disciplines including investment strategy, deal and fund structuring, asset management, due diligence, training, market research, facilitation, and impact evaluation. This multidisciplinary approach enables Avivar to serve as a comprehensive partner to clients navigating the complex landscape of impact investing. Avivar’s client base includes some of the country’s largest and most innovative impact investors who are committed to promoting positive change across numerous impact areas. These focus areas include education, health and wellness, financial inclusion, poverty alleviation, racial equity, gender equity, and environmental sustainability. The firm’s mission-driven approach ensures that all investment activities remain aligned with the goal of advancing social and environmental justice while delivering competitive financial returns. In response to growing client demand for customized debt and equity investment solutions, Avivar Capital is establishing Avivar Capital Fund Management, LLC (AFM), which will operate two distinct groups: Debt Capital Solutions and Equity Capital Solutions. This expansion reflects the firm’s commitment to deepening its impact investing capabilities and meeting evolving market needs.

About this Role

Avivar Capital is seeking a Manager of Loan Underwriting to lead the Debt Capital Solutions function as it expands to meet growing client interest in customized debt and equity investment funds. This is a critical leadership role that will advance Avivar’s mission of impact investing by overseeing all credit underwriting activities within the Debt Capital Solutions group. The Manager of Loan Underwriting will play a pivotal role in ensuring the underwriting team meets annual lending and investment goals while responding to community needs in a rigorous, efficient, and impact-focused manner. This position requires comprehensive knowledge of inclusive and sustainable community development-focused commercial lending and portfolio management, including origination, processing, closing, and asset management. The successful candidate will foster team cohesion and capacity, promote a client-centered approach to lending and investment activities, and work collaboratively across departments to strengthen internal processes. The role involves significant responsibility for the development of new products and strategies aligned with community priorities and requires strong attention to detail, particularly with respect to complex federal and state regulations, credit agreements, notes, guarantees, and collateral documentation. The Manager will serve as a subject matter expert representing Avivar at industry conferences and events while maintaining a commitment to racial equity and economic justice through community-centered lending practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Avivar’s underwriting team, ensuring rigorous, high-quality loan analysis that balances community needs with fiduciary responsibilities
• Oversee underwriting activities across loan and catalytic capital programs, maintaining credit quality and advancing portfolio growth
• Partner with senior leadership on loan structuring, risk mitigation, and the development of new lending products responsive to community needs
• Provide direct management, coaching, and professional development support to underwriting staff
• Collaborate with business development, loan administration, and portfolio management teams to ensure smooth and efficient processes
• Drive strategies to achieve annual lending and capital deployment goals in alignment with Avivar’s mission and strategic plan
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with lending partners, CDFIs, and other stakeholders
• Contribute to budgeting, revenue planning, and staffing needs for the Debt Capital Solutions team
• Support continuous improvement of systems and processes related to underwriting, compliance, and portfolio management
• Advance Avivar’s commitment to racial equity and economic justice through community-centered lending practices
• Underwrite select transactions and maintain a small portfolio of borrower relationships
• Represent Avivar as a subject matter expert at conferences and industry events
• Maintain and update loan tracking data in Salesforce in line with Avivar’s data policies
• Prepare reports and documentation to meet internal, external, and investor compliance requirements
• Contribute to special initiatives such as industry research, product development, process improvement, impact tracking, funding applications, or policy analysis
• Uphold and model Avivar’s values of integrity, trust, excellence, and humility in all internal and external interactions
• Collaborate across teams to support monitoring, compliance, and reporting needs

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required in Finance, Business, Economics, Engineering, or related field
• MBA strongly preferred
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience working on complex real estate lending and underwriting, including affordable housing
• Demonstrated experience with deal structuring and risk mitigation
• Proven experience leading staff and managing a department or program
• Familiarity and experience with community real estate financing programs such as New Market Tax Credits (NMTCs), Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), Historic Tax Credits (HTC), and Program Related Investments (PRIs)
• Experience and/or strong interest in CDFIs, impact investing, and community and economic development
• Proven ability to cultivate and maintain diverse relationships with lenders, investors, philanthropic organizations, and government agencies
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Exceptional client management and client service skills
• Expertise or lived experience in issues of racial and economic equity and the intersection of social justice with community economic development strongly preferred
• Experience living, working, or organizing in communities served by Avivar
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and high proficiency with PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and SharePoint
• Exceptional project management skills, including the ability to create work plans and oversee junior staff
• Ability to think and work independently in a fast-paced, team-based environment with minimal supervision
• Ability to take initiative and work proactively
• Exceptional team player with a positive attitude and ability to collaborate effectively
• Excellent problem-solving and analytic abilities
• Must reside and be authorized to work in the United States
• Willingness to travel on average one week per month

Benefits

• Competitive health insurance coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Paid time-off
• Commitment to supporting a diverse and inclusive team
• Annual in-person team gathering
• Periodic project team meetings at client meetings and industry conferences
• Virtual work environment with flexibility