Manager of Underwriting

The Manager of Underwriting oversees all of our credit underwriting activities. This role builds team cohesion and capacity and brings a restorative, client service orientation to Community Vision’s capital lending and investment activities. The Manager of Underwriting ensures that Community Vision’s underwriting team meets its annual lending and investment goals and is responsive to community needs in an efficient, rigorous, respectful and impact-focused manner. The role builds internal relationships to ensure smooth collaboration across teams; improves internal processes; and identifies new products and strategies to elevate Community Vision’s response to community priorities.

Capital Solutions manages a $110M+ loan fund and growing catalytic capital resources, building a restorative approach to deploying a spectrum of community development capital to clients and projects that increase community ownership of community assets, supporting wealth creation and power building in communities of color.

The Manager of Underwriting reports to, and works closely with, the organization’s Senior Director of Credit. This position requires a collaborative leadership style, an ability to guide active and engaged teams to meet established goals, and a passion for process assessment and improvement.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Manage Community Vision’s underwriting and catalytic capital teams in pursuit of the organization’s mission. Collaborate with the Senior Director of Credit to ensure the department delivers its services in a respectful, reparative, rigorous, high impact manner that is aligned with community priorities and Community Vision’s annual capital deployment goals, theory of change and strategic plan.
• Oversee all underwriting activities for both our general loan pool and catalytic capital programs, ensuring Community Vision maintains rigorous, high quality loan analysis that appropriately balances client needs and Community Vision’s fiduciary responsibilities.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Credit to provide creative, collaborative problem solving guidance for loan structuring and risk mitigation, in line with our Board approved loan policies.
• Ensure Community Vision meets its annual lending and catalytic capital goals, driving strategic growth of the loan portfolio by developing and implementing strategies that build Community Vision’s lending opportunities with a focus on maintaining credit quality, while expanding Community Vision’s geographic reach and deepening community impact.
• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Credit to establish annual work plans and goals for loan originations team members, in line with the Community Vision’s overall impact and revenue goals and aligned with the organization’s strategic plan.
• Provide 1:1 management, feedback, and guidance of underwriting and catalytic capital team members, cultivating individuals’ strengths, identifying areas of growth, and investing in team members’ professional development. Ensure all team members execute their workplans and meet annual goals.
• Coordinate with Community Vision’s business development officers and consultants regarding our lending and catalytic capital pipelines, ensuring we meet client needs and deadlines while adhering to predictable credit committee schedules.
• Guide lending process optimization to ensure Community Vision’s underwriting activities are efficient and effective and mesh seamlessly with business development, loan administration, loan closing, and portfolio management activities.
• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Credit to develop new lending products and programs that respond to community needs, leverage organization capitalization, compliment existing offerings, are financially sustainable, and have metrics for success.
• Advance Community Vision’s commitment to racial equity and economic justice through a restorative, community- and client-centered approach to client acquisition, underwriting, and lending.
• Cultivate relationships with CDFIs and other lenders. Establish strong collaborative relationships with current and prospective lending partners.
• Support connection and collaboration between business development, loan originations, loan administration, and portfolio management staff.
• Identify community capital needs, lifting these opportunities to the Senior Director of Credit and Executive Staff.
• Collaborate with Community Vision’s impact team to establish data requirements and metrics and ensure high quality data collection as part of the lending process.
• Contribute to the annual department budgeting process. Partner with the Senior Director of Credit to develop annual revenue and activity goals and staffing plans. Assist in new hire recruitment.
• Contribute to on-going assessment and improvement of systems and procedures that support capital deployment, loan administration, impact measurement, compliance and portfolio/asset/risk management.
• Foster a culture that values collaboration and inclusivity, high performance, problem solving, excellent client services, learning, and innovation.
• Underwrite 4-6 transactions per year and maintain a small portfolio of borrower relationships.
• Support the External Relations department in development of grant and investment applications related to loan fund capitalization, catalytic capital investments and/or grant support, with particular focus on CDFI Fund applications.
• Act as a subject matter expert to build the organization’s reputation as a trusted community real estate lender. Participate in conferences, panels and other public speaking opportunities, as appropriate.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Ideal Qualifications

• At least 5-7 years of experience working on complex real estate lending and underwriting (including affordable housing), deal structuring, and risk mitigation.
• Familiarity and experience with developing and managing business development and outreach activities for lending, investment, and/or grantmaking.
• Prior experience managing staff and building team culture and cohesion.
• Familiarity and experience with community real estate financing programs like New Market Tax Credits (NMTCs), Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), Historic Tax Credits (HTC), and Program Related Investments (PRIs).
• Experience in CDFIs, impact investing, and/or community/economic development.
• Experience in and enthusiasm for process improvement and optimization.
• Experience cultivating and maintaining a diverse set of relationships. Experience working with lenders, investors, philanthropy and government agencies is a plus.
• Experience or expertise on issues of racial and economic equity and the intersection of social justice and community economic development is highly preferred.
• Dedication to a collaborative approach grounded in equity and with respect for others’ concerns.
• An entrepreneurial spirit that puts clients and communities first.
• Exhibit sound judgment, problem-solving, resilience and results-driven capabilities.
• Exceptional writing, speaking, and presentation skills.
• Experience living, working, or organizing in the communities we serve – especially areas outside of the Bay Area; Central Valley knowledge is especially desirable.
• Maintain required job knowledge, skills, and core professional competencies. Attends and participates in required educational programs and staff meetings.

MORE ABOUT THE POSITION

The Manager of Underwriting is a full-time exempt position. This position reports to the Senior Director of Credit. Occasional evenings and out of area travel may be necessary. Position involves regular computer and telephone use plus some minimal lifting.

Community Vision is currently in a hybrid work environment. The position can be based at either of Community Vision’s offices in San Francisco or Oakland, working in one of our offices at least 2 days per week.

Community Vision is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing applicants and employees with a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Community Vision are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations where we operate. Community Vision will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and encourages applicants with these characteristics to apply.