Managing Director Capital Programs

Rural Economic Development•Raleigh, NC

About The Position

If you are passionate about using capital as a catalyst for community impact and thrive at the intersection of strategy, partnerships, and innovation, we invite you to join us in helping rural communities grow and succeed. The NC Rural Center is seeking a strategic and collaborative Managing Director Capital Programs to help lead and advance our Capital Programs Portfolio. This role plays a critical part in strengthening and evolving the Center’s lending and capital deployment strategies to expand economic opportunity across rural communities. The Managing Director will guide the design and implementation of innovative lending products, systems, and customer feedback tools while ensuring the effective execution of existing intermediary lending programs. Working closely with internal teams and key external partners, this leader will build strong relationships that enhance the impact and reach of the Center’s capital programs. As a trusted thought partner, the Managing Director will also contribute to policy development and strategic planning, helping shape a capital strategy that aligns with the Rural Center’s broader mission, theory of change, and long-term impact for rural North Carolina. About the NC Rural Center: Since 1987, NC Rural Center has worked to improve the quality of life for the state’s rural people and places. NC Rural Center operates with the core belief that our rural communities have inherent cultural value and are vital to the overall economic health of our state. We recognize that the changing landscape of rural communities brings with it significant challenges, but we also believe in the resilience of our state’s rural people and their dedicated stewardship of the communities they call home.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, statistics or other related field.
A well-rounded background with a strong knowledge of small business lending operations and procedures.
Ten years or more of professional senior-level or executive financial and operations experience with philanthropic, nonprofit, banking or financial institutions.
Three years or more of SSBCI management experience.
Demonstrated and effective nonpartisan relationship builder with internal and external constituencies in support of the goals and direction of an organization.
A track record of management, operations, fiscal administration including a working knowledge of budgets, finances, strategic planning, and audits.
Experience designing or managing capital programs that balance mission impact with financial sustainability.
History of partnering with executives to develop and execute strategy, aiding in development of vision and facilitating rigorous decision making grounded in community and market perspectives.
Ability to build operating systems, clarify decision rights, and align cross‑functional teams.
Ability to coordinate multiple competing priorities.
Strong interpersonal and decision-making skills; collegial and collaborative working style; analytical and attention to detail.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Other duties as assigned.

Nice To Haves

Investment fund management experience.
Advanced degree in Finance, Data, Economics, or related field.
Experience in community development finance, specifically in place-based investment strategies.
Experience in capital formation, catalytic capital, or innovate deployment structures.

Responsibilities

Balance mission impact and risk while growing active participation programs and meeting financial targets
Lead efforts to adjust pricing, participation rates, etc. to ensure optimized outcomes
Manage ongoing loan participation opportunities including vetting loan requests for structure compliance and credit risk, loan committee review, and commitments to lending partners
Help develop credit policy for loan participation programs, gain appropriate approvals, and make credit decisions
Assist in managing the portfolio of loan participations for timely servicing of principal and interest payments and monitor risks for strategic use and establishment of loan loss reserves
Ensure business development efforts identify, secure, and maintain trusted partnerships with senior management of loan participation lenders, business leaders, and nonprofit organizations (e.g. Presidents, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Lending Officers, Chief Credit Officers)
Assist with management of the Rural Center’s Venture Capital Program by establishing and managing relationships with the Venture Capital Program investment managers, monitoring program compliance, and managing funding flows
Explore and integrate AI technology and data advancements to enhance program operations, freeing up capacity to focus on delivering enhanced customer, partner, and borrower experiences.
Act as a thought partner to management and key external partners
Help determine direction and focus, developing and executing strategies for growth, supporting the repositioning of the Small Business Programs group into a broader Capital Programs group with a statewide and multi‑sector mandate
Integrate capital programs into the Rural Center’s broader theory of change, contributing to a unified strategy and impact approach
Spearhead a strategically disciplined exploration of new capital deployment areas (e.g., affordable housing, rural health, employee ownership, place‑based initiatives) and new mechanisms (e.g., credit enhancements, equity vehicles, catalytic capital structures)
Identify opportunities where the Rural Center should either “persist, pivot, or pioneer,” grounded in mission alignment, financial sustainability, and ecosystem needs. Seek out and learn from innovative models in other regions; assess applicability to North Carolina’s rural contexts.
Execute a unified capital strategy across products, geographies, and the Rural Center’s impact focus areas
Build partnership that crowd in additional capital, capacity, and expertise across the state; strengthen the Rural Center’s role as a collaborative leader and hub within the NC ecosystem;
Establish success measures, impact evaluation methodologies, and feedback loops to guide ongoing improvement and accountability to mission and theory of change
Co-develop and manage a high-quality pipeline, translating ecosystem insights and feedback into actionable opportunities for lending and/or investment
Support capital raising and formation efforts to expand the Rural Center’s balance sheet and deploy new products or vehicles
Serve as an executive-level relationship manager for banks, CDFIs, VC Firms, philanthropic funders, and state partners
Help build, manage, and direct an effective team that is responsible for business development, product design, and execution of the intermediary lending programs and, over time, broader capital programs
Work with the Loan Operations team, Compliance Officer, and Finance division to maximize effectiveness and coordination across the Small Business Capital group and the NC Rural Center
Review and refine the operating model for the Small Business Capital Programs group, ensuring clarity of roles, decision rights, and smooth cross‑functional alignment.