Head of Project Management

National Equity Fund•Chicago, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Head of Project Management provides strategic leadership for NEF's Project Management department, overseeing the closing investment lifecycle across NEF's LIHTC, Structured Finance, and Predevelopment business lines. This executive is accountable for underwriting quality, transaction execution, operational excellence, and the leadership and development of the underwriting and closing organization while driving continuous improvement and cross-functional collaboration.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Real Estate, or related field
Minimum 10 years of real estate underwriting experience
At least 5 years in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit industry
Deep knowledge of LIHTC investments, underwriting, compliance, and transaction structuring
Demonstrated success leading large professional teams and developing senior talent
Strong executive communication, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and manage multiple complex transactions
Advanced Excel proficiency and ability to learn proprietary systems
Willingness to travel as needed

Nice To Haves

Master's preferred

Responsibilities

Lead and develop the underwriting and closing organization through Managing Directors, establishing accountability, performance expectations, and talent development across all levels.
Align staffing, resources, and organizational structure to support business objectives, transaction volume, and evolving market conditions.
Assign transactions strategically based on capacity, expertise, investor requirements, and deal complexity.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
Oversee underwriting and closing activities to ensure timely, accurate, and consistent execution across all business lines.
Establish and maintain quality assurance standards, operating procedures, and internal controls that minimize risk and support investment objectives.
Ensure accurate project data, reporting, and visibility into transaction status, key risks, and closing timelines.
Lead process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, scalability, technology utilization, transparency, and execution quality.
Develop and implement best practices, standardized workflows, and performance metrics across the department.
Drive continuous improvement to support increasing transaction volume and product complexity.
Serve as the primary operational liaison between Project Management and Originations, Credit, Legal, Investor Relations, Asset Management, and other business partners.
Ensure effective communication, coordinated decision-making, and seamless transaction execution throughout the investment lifecycle.
Oversee successful transition of closed transactions to Asset Management while maintaining an exceptional internal and external client experience.