Racial Equity & Impact Lending Officer

About the job

LOW INCOME INVESTMENT FUND

RACIAL EQUITY & IMPACT LENDING OFFICER

Location: New York, NY

Reports to: Director, Racial Equity & Impact Lending

Exempt classification: Exempt

Status: Regular,Full time

Salary range: $115,000 to $125,000 Annually

The Company

Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is a national community development financial institution (CDFI), headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York City, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., that invests in communities of opportunity, equity and well-being. As a CDFI, LIIF supports projects that have high social value but lack access to traditional financial institutions. Since 1984, LIIF has deployed more than $3.1 billion to serve more than two million people in communities across the country from its five offices. An S&P-rated organization, LIIF funds healthy communities by providing innovative capital solutions. Currently, LIIF is driving $5 billion in investments to advance racial equity (2020-2030). More on LIIF can be found at liifund.org .

Position Summary

Are you passionate about social justice and racial equity? Are you interested in how financial institutions can play a role in building an equitable society? Are you looking for an opportunity to combine your passion for racial equity with your project management, research, organization, and relationship building skills?

Join the Racial Equity & Impact Lending team at the Low Income Investment Fund, a dynamic CDFI at the forefront of bringing racial equity to the heart of community development finance!

As part of LIIF’s lending group, the Racial Equity & Impact Lending team is responsible for leading LIIF’s new Impact Scorecard and Impact-Risk-Profitability framework (IRP) to drive greater impact with our $250 million in annual lending to affordable housing, education, early care and education, and community facilities projects. The team is also responsible for leading loan products that advance the organization’s racial equity objectives. LIIF is seeking an Officer to work with the Director of Racial Equity & Impact Lending to manage the Impact Scorecard and to coordinate implementation of the IRP Framework. This is a key role in LIIF’s ongoing commitment to racial equity, and to drive capital toward projects that increase access, drive outcomes, and build power and agency for Black and Latino communities, and other communities of color. This role has high-visibility throughout the organization, and multiple potential pathways for career growth and development in lending, programs, and other departments across LIIF.

The Impact-Risk-Profitability framework is a strategic priority for LIIF. When fully implemented, it will enable LIIF to optimally balance impact, risk, and financial sustainability of the lending portfolio, and identify where the organization can mobilize more flexible, favorable capital for the highest-impact projects and borrowers that are advancing racial equity. Our IRP Framework is changing how LIIF makes lending decisions, changing how we use our power as a financial intermediary to match the most flexible, favorable capital with the community development projects and practitioners that are making the most progress on racial equity.

Essential Functions

Impact Scorecard management:

• Responsible for supporting the lending team to use the Impact Scorecard in its lending practice:
• Provide input to lending team on accurate completion of Impact Scorecards, including completion and assessment of Racial Equity Survey responses.
• Partially or fully complete Scorecards, as needed.
• Deliver trainings for new staff on Impact Scorecard content and procedures.
• Collect feedback from lending team on challenges and opportunities for improvement, and required training and resource support.
• Manage and maintain procedures, including documentation (templates, guidance, etc.) to support operational effectiveness of the Scorecard.
• Responsible for collecting, and maintaining Impact Scorecard data; and verifying Impact Scorecard data, in consultation with Director:
• Ensure accuracy and integrity of Impact Scorecard data.
• Maintain Scorecard files and supporting documentation.
• Ensure timely collection of available Scorecard data.
• In consultation with Director, independently review and verify Scorecards completed by lending staff.
• Independently conduct research on impact and racial equity topics, and provide recommendations for continuous improvement of Impact Scorecard content. This will include at minimum, reviewing papers and studies, attending events, and conducting informational meetings to keep up-to-date with data and information related to the Impact Scorecard Dimensions of Impact, and current trends and practices in the industry.
• Project manage the delivery of internal training on impact and racial equity topics, including sourcing and coordinating with external speakers, and designing trainings to support lenders and LIIF staff in maximizing their understanding of the Impact Scorecard.
• Project manage external consultant engagements, as needed.
• Work with Director on the following strategic projects: develop strategy for continuous improvement of Impact Scorecard; integrate Impact Scorecard framework into other lending and program initiatives at LIIF (e.g. Asset Management team).

Impact-Risk-Profitability (“IRP”) Framework Implementation

• Manage and maintain procedures for lending team to collect and present IRP data and information in loan origination and asset management. Includes updating documentation of procedures, such as templates and guidance.
• Manage strategic collaboration with Data Management team on maintenance of and reporting on IRP data. Includes: ensuring effective transfer of IRP data from Lending to Data Management.
• Represent Racial Equity & Impact Lending team on collaborations with Operations teams (Data Management and IT) on development of technology and systems to support IRP data collection, maintenance, and reporting.
• Responsible for verifying accuracy of Profitability Models and profitability data to be recorded and reported by Data Management team, as needed.
• Collaborate with Credit team as necessary on integrating Risk Rating data into IRP reporting.
• Project manage additional IRP projects that support fully implementation in the lending department, as needed.

General

• Create and deliver presentations for internal and external stakeholders on LIIF’s Racial Equity & Impact Lending projects.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders in LIIF departments such as lending production, asset management, operations, development, finance, and communications on Racial Equity & Impact Lending activities.
• Conduct independent research and attend events on impact investing and racial equity work in the CDFI industry and broader capital markets.
• Collaborate with Director, lending team, and key leaders across the organization (as needed) on continuous improvement of ongoing Racial Equity and Impact Lending loan products.
• Additional responsibilities that enable the lending team to realize its impact and racial equity goals, as may be required. This may include impact reporting to support racial equity lending products, (e.g. Black Developer Capital Initiative and Growing Diverse Housing Developers).
• Some travel required, approximately once per quarter.

Skills Required

• Strong project management skills, in particular experience managing and overseeing cross-team, cross-functional projects or initiatives.
• Stellar organization skills and attention to detail.
• Strong research skills: ability to synthesize information and develop and present recommendations to aid management in decision-making.
• Ability to work independently, to manage, prioritize, and follow through on multiple tasks with minimal to no supervision.
• Ability to independently build and develop relationships with a diverse array of stakeholders; effective listener with ability to work with differing perspectives and approaches.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, and public speaking/presentation skills.
• Strong strategic and creative thinking skills.
• Strong collaboration and team building skills.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn the basics of (a) how community development real estate projects are financed; and (b) real estate and commercial lending.
• Computer aptitude including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite Programs, in particular PowerPoint and Excel; experience with Salesforce and/or Power BI, a plus.

Competencies

• Demonstrated interest and passion for using research and data to inform impact and racial equity work and decision-making.
• Demonstrated interest in LIIF’s mission and commitment to advancing racial equity.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the history of systemic racism in the U.S.
• Enthusiastic and positive mindset when working on new challenges and innovations; willingness and ability to embrace complexities and unknowns while working on projects with no known best practices.
• Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment in all areas of responsibility, and to work independently with minimal to no supervision.

Educational And Other Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (in lieu of education, directly related experience can be substituted)
• Minimum of 5-7 years’ work experience.
• Must have demonstrated experience in project management, research and evaluation, program management, or lending.
• Preferred experience in the following fields: community or economic development, impact investing, non-profit programs, evaluation, or policy advocacy or research.
• Previous exposure to the CDFI or impact investing industry a plus.

Additional Requirement

All Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In accordance with LIIF’s policies, we provide reasonable accommodations, absent undue hardship, to qualified individuals who cannot get vaccinated against COVID-19 because of sincerely held religious or medical reasons. If you believe you need an accommodation from the vaccination mandate required by this policy, please notify our Human Resources Department.