Senior Analyst (Underwriting – Real Estate Investments)

Somewhere; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A mission-driven real estate company in Gauteng is seeking a Senior Analyst to lead financial modeling and investment analysis for acquisitions and development projects. Ideal candidates will have 5-7 years of real estate finance experience and advanced modeling skills. The role emphasizes collaboration with leadership and requires strong communication skills, with an alignment on affordability and sustainability objectives.

Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of real estate finance experience (development, acquisitions, underwriting, or private equity).
• Proven modeling skills in Excel or Google Sheets.
• Ability to interpret deal docs and zoning reports.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial modeling, deal underwriting, and investment analysis.
• Work closely with the Founder on sourcing and evaluating deals.
• Support LOI, PSA, and closing processes with underwriting and data analysis.

Skills

Real estate finance experience

Advanced modeling skills in Excel or Google Sheets

Underwriting value-add, adaptive reuse, or infill housing deals

Understanding of capital stacks and waterfalls

Strong written and verbal communication

Job description

Position Summary

Our U.S. client is a mission-driven real estate investment and development company focused on affordable-by-design housing in high-demand neighborhoods.

Currently raising and deploying capital across multiple strategies—and need a highly capable, investment-minded Senior Analyst to drive the underwriting engine behind our growth.

THE ROLE : SENIOR ANALYST (UNDERWRITING)

As Senior Analyst, you will be responsible for leading the financial modeling, deal underwriting, and investment analysis for new acquisitions and development projects.

You will work closely with the Founder on sourcing, evaluating, and capitalizing deals, and play a key role in investor presentations, IC memos, and transaction execution.

This is a hands-on role for a sharp, detail-oriented thinker who understands real estate economics, capital structures, and market dynamics.

You’ll be expected to juggle multiple deals, think creatively about adaptive reuse, and apply conservative underwriting assumptions in high-volatility markets.

Acquisition Underwriting

• Build and maintain detailed financial models (multi-scenario, dynamic, investor-facing)
• Underwrite acquisition, renovation, lease-up, and disposition strategies
• Model debt scenarios (construction, bridge, perm, agency) and equity waterfalls
• Run DSCR, IRR, equity multiple, sensitivity, and breakeven analyses

Market Research & Comps

• Research submarket trends, comps (rents / sales / land), demographic shifts, and policy overlays
• Summarize findings into high-level memos and deal packages

Due Diligence & Transaction Support

• Support LOI, PSA, and closing processes with underwriting, document review, and data analysis
• Coordinate with brokers, lenders, attorneys, and third-party consultants
• Review environmental, title, and zoning reports for deal-critical items

Capital Raising Support

• Help prepare pitch decks, data rooms, and investor memos
• Respond to investor questions related to underwriting assumptions or project returns
• Maintain internal databases of historical and pipeline deal metrics

Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of real estate finance experience (development, acquisitions, underwriting, or private equity)
• Advanced modeling skills in Excel or Google Sheets (you will be tested)
• Proven experience underwriting value-add, adaptive reuse, or infill housing deals
• Deep understanding of capital stacks, waterfalls, IRR modeling, and return metrics
• Ability to interpret deal docs, leases, zoning reports, and lender term sheets
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to distill insights clearly and concisely

Comfortable working in a lean, entrepreneurial environment

Mission alignment with focus on affordability, sustainability, and neighborhood revitalization