Director of Strategic Investments

Lacahsa • Los Angeles, CA

2d • $180,000 - $200,000

About The Position

The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA) is a new agency, created to address the ongoing challenges of affordable housing in L.A. County. We help people stay in their homes and increase housing options in all communities of Los Angeles County. Our agency was created by California state legislation sponsored by community organizations and housing experts, approved by the State Legislature, and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. We are governed by a Board of 22 Los Angeles County leaders, including elected officials and housing experts. The Senior Director will be responsible for leading and overseeing all aspects of capital deployment activities, including underwriting and closing functions. In this position, you will play a crucial role in analyzing real estate investments and providing valuable insights to support the Strategic Investments team. This role requires strong relationship management skills, a deep understanding of credit and credit analysis, and operational efficiency. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with strong leadership and analytical skills, and be detail-oriented. Reporting to the Chief Strategic Investments Officer, this position will play a key role in advancing LACAHSA’s mission to increase the production, preservation and ownership of affordable housing.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in economics, accounting, and/or finance
• 10 years of on-the-job experience evaluating, underwriting, and closing multifamily affordable housing.
• Proven leadership capabilities with experience managing teams and fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with demonstrated experience developing and facilitating training, workshops, stakeholder meetings, and executive-level presentations. Ability to effectively communicate complex financial, investment, and affordable housing concepts to diverse audiences, including staff, executive leadership, external partners, and governing boards.
• Strong understanding of lending practices, credit risk assessment, loan closings, and community development finance
• Excellent and proactive verbal and written communication skills.
• Evolve to meet new and emerging opportunities and challenges, including enabling a try/test/learn team culture.
• Ability to collect, synthesize and analyze data for informed decision-making.
• Stay informed and demonstrate subject matter expertise, including attending and participating in industry workshops and conferences.
• Valid California Driver's License – Required

Nice To Haves

• LIHTC, Tax-Exempt Bond, and Public Funding Program Expertise
• Advanced Microsoft Excel (Financial Modeling, Forecasting, and Reporting)

Responsibilities

• Underwriting and closing oversight, ensuring that loans are approved in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Lead the credit and investment review, approval and closing process throughout the deal lifecycle with an enterprise mindset, collaborating broadly with internal and external partners to ensure well-managed processes and the highest level of impact.
• Lead and mentor credit analysts and closing coordinators, providing guidance and support to help drive performance.
• Evaluate real estate projects and sponsors’ creditworthiness, and assess the risk associated with capital deployment activities.
• Prepare and analyze credit-related financial reports, providing insights to senior management.
• In coordination with Financial Analysts, evaluate the financial performance of multifamily real estate assets, prepare comprehensive written analyses, analyze credit quality, and assist in preparing and presenting credit requests for credit approval.
• Develop and deliver training programs, workshops, presentations, and technical assistance sessions to internal staff, external stakeholders, funding partners, and community organizations on affordable housing finance, underwriting standards, capital deployment strategies, and investment programs.

Benefits

• Great PPO health insurance options, and we will cover 100% of your premiums for Medical, Dental & Vision
• Fully paid Life and AD&D insurance coverage
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous retirement benefit where we match employee contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to 5% of the employee’s salary, with immediate vesting
• Paid time off, including 14 holidays, two weeks of sick leave, and two weeks of accruable vacation for new, full-time employees in their first year

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director