THE ROLE
Senior Loan Officer is a senior associate-level opportunity for a relationship-driven lending professional who wants to pair strong production skills with meaningful mission impact. In this role, you will help expand access to capital for affordable housing developers across the Housing Partnership Network, supporting projects that create and preserve homes and strengthen communities. You will build trusted borrower relationships, source and shape new lending opportunities, perform initial underwriting, and help move transactions from early opportunity through term sheet stage. This is a highly collaborative role for someone who thrives at the intersection of business development, credit judgment, and affordable housing finance. The position reports to Housing Partnership Network's Director of Lending.
PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
This role is ideal for an entrepreneurial professional with two to eight years of experience in commercial real estate lending focused on single-family and multifamily affordable housing, especially with nonprofit developers. Successful candidates will bring curiosity, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex organizations and layered transactions with confidence. Problem solving with HPN members to determine how to meet capital needs. You may be ready for this role if you enjoy building relationships, spotting opportunities, structuring thoughtful financing solutions, and working with mission-driven borrowers. Experience with project-based affordable housing lending, enterprise or working capital loans, community development programs, or a CDFI environment will be especially valuable.
MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT (60%) This is the core of the role. You will spend most of your time building trusted relationships with HPN members who are current and prospective borrowers, expanding HPN's lending presence, and developing a strong pipeline that advances both production goals and mission outcomes. Most borrowers will come from Housing Partnership Network's 120+ member network.
Key responsibilities include:
- Build new relationships with members by developing and executing an outreach strategy, with support from the Director of Lending, pursuing prospects consistently and tracking activity in Salesforce.
- Strengthen and grow existing relationships with HPN member-borrowers.
- Represent HPN at member conferences, Strength Matters, site visits, and other events to cultivate relationships and build a strong lending pipeline.
- Track relationships and coordinate with other outreach professionals in HPN. Coordinate CRM for the team.
DEAL STRUCTURING (20%) You will play an important role in shaping deals early in the process by assessing opportunities, structuring transactions, and helping borrowers move from initial conversations toward formal underwriting.
- Conduct initial underwriting for affordable housing commercial real estate transactions and recommend transaction terms and credit structure to the Director of Lending. This includes financial analysis ( audits, pro formas, and spreads), due diligence, feasibility assessment, and early evaluation of borrower and project risk.
- Prepare and finalize term sheets based on the initial borrower assessment, borrower needs, and alignment with HPN's loan products.
- Determine the best deal for HPN and the member to have the highest financial return and most mission impact.
- Provide clients with a checklist to prepare formal underwriting and coordinate a smooth handoff to the underwriters after the term sheet stage.
SPECIAL PROJECTS (15%)
Special projects that strengthen HPF's portfolio, processes, and market presence.
Responsibilities in this area may include:
- Support updates to loan policy and improvements to credit memorandum templates.
- Provide lending updates for the HPF website, marketing materials, and other communications in coordination with HPN communications staff.
- Additional projects that support the growth, effectiveness, and long-term impact of the organization, as requested.
COLLABORATION WITH ASSET AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT (5%). This role also offers the opportunity to contribute across the lending platform by partnering with Asset and Portfolio Management.
Responsibilities in this area may include:
- Support the Asset Management team with portfolio and workout matters as needed.
- Assist with investor applications and member surveys.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as business, finance, real estate, urban planning, or business development required. An advanced degree in a related field is a plus.
- Two to eight years of experience in commercial real estate lending focused on affordable housing, in roles such as business development officer, credit underwriter, or loan officer, preferably with a CDFI or similar organization.
- Ability to manage borrower relationships with a customer-centered approach and respond quickly to opportunities and client needs.
- Proven lending track record, including meeting production goals and using sales tools in a disciplined way to manage opportunities, outreach, and client requests.
- Experience with credit analysis and preparing term sheets for underwriting. Formal credit training is a plus.
- Strong sales and business development skills.
- Strong financial analysis skills, especially in evaluating nonprofit developers and the feasibility of real estate development projects.
- Knowledge of public and private capital sources that support the operating and financing needs of affordable housing.
- Highly organized, self-directed, collaborative, flexible, and proactive.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel.
- Strong working knowledge of Salesforce.
- Commitment to social justice and HPN's mission.
LOCATION
HPN is a remote organization. Employees may work from anywhere in the contiguous 48 states while staying fully engaged with their team and the broader organization through virtual collaboration tools and regular online meetings. Travel is required for in-person meetings, conferences, client site visits, and team events. Candidates should be prepared to work from home, maintain a dedicated office space, and balance virtual collaboration with travel as needed for business purposes.
COMPENSATION
Salary ranges from $100,000 to $115,000, depending on experience and qualifications, and includes bonus potential. This role offers the chance to grow within a mission-driven organization while working on high-impact affordable housing transactions.
BENEFITS
HPN offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees at work and beyond. Benefits include 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 12 paid holidays, one personal day, medical, dental, and vision insurance, a health savings account, flexible spending accounts, dependent care flexible spending, retirement and 401(k) match, group life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, parental leave, sabbatical leave, professional development support, and more.
TO APPLY
To apply, please submit your resume and a thoughtful cover letter describing your interest in the role and the experience you would bring. We welcome candidates who are excited by the mission and believe they can contribute, even if they do not meet every preferred qualification.
OTHER
Approximately 20% travel is required.
